Well I bought this antique original Remington - or "won" it as trademe likes to say .. and it landed on my doorstep on the second day of NZ Spring - after I likely - as usual, paid too much for it. - I plea temporary insanity again.
Original Remington New Model Army 44 caliber Percussion Revolver.
It's a big lump compared to a Birmingham made Pocket Pistol in the same .44 caliber
It is an early (April 1863) production gun in un-interfered 'honest' condition - holster worn at the muzzle & showing plenty of single letter inspector's stamps .. 1x R, 5x P, and 5x W. I maybe detect faint signs of a Military acceptance 'cartouche' on the L.H. wood grip - AND it has four sets of MATCHING SERIAL NUMBERS 204** - including on the back face of the CYLINDER ... That is a rarity I read - likely indicating hand fitting.
Remnants of a Two Line Patent Date & Address with 'NEW MODEL' included remain on top of the 8 inch octagonal barrel.
T'other Side ..
Well I'm pleased with it anyway .. but at 1.55 kg unloaded - it is a heavy lump ..
In my typical way I've ordered the book from Abe Books in USA after buying the antique.
- So I will confirm eventually whether I've bought badly or well .. I did check-out overseas auction sale prices for various condition guns and while it wasn't cheap .. it was here in NZ & available.
As received - all six Chambers and the Barrel bore were very furry-dusty, that indicates some time has passed just laying about on shelves - not surprising as the vendor is a private museum & he says he bought it at auction ex Tallahassee Florida - the only Confederate Capital East of the Mississippi not to surrender to Union forces.
- My excuse for snapping-it-up is that you don't see many original antique Remington revolvers on offer down here in New Zealand .. while plenty of Italian reproductions come-up for registered use by licensed shooters and collectors - our Police regulations certainly are distorting the market prices.
The cap nipples look original & OK condition while everything mechanical seems to function in a businesslike way.
I did get my cleaning kit open and had a close look into it's tubes after a short 'Wash & Brush-up' - and the bored metal looks free from heavy pitting & "OK" .. better in fact than any other of the antique smoke poles I have ..
Bore "OK" ish - Modified Front Sight - and 'Holster Worn' Muzzle
Chambers aren't too potty
- Been Carried & Cared About
Gawd but it's a great big heavy lump of a thing - I'll have to get down to the gym - I have previously owned a used Italian made Uberti replica of this marque pistol which was more dinged & worn than this 161 year old Civil War era original.
Here's a LINK to a good article with great photos - about shooting an original 'New Model Army' ..
Ah Yes .. THE book is superbly researched & excellent regarding historical ordnance transactions - for example I have gleaned that my Florida Remington may have been of a lot sold as surplus from the Pensacola Naval Base, in 1873, for $2.50 each (naturally it also may not have been).
Marty K.
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