Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a Remington New Model Army Percussion Revolver, with a lovely worn patina on the exterior from age and use. Like all New Models, it is a .44 caliber percussion, 6 shot single action revolver, with an 8-inch octagon barrel. These were often called the Model 1858 due to the patent dates, but production of this revision started in 1863, and the "New Model Army" is the correct designation from Remington. The top of the octagonal barrel still shows the original markings, with just a bit of wear:

This revolver has matching serial number 53313 appearing on the underside of the barrel and on the frame under the grip, while the cylinder is marked with shortened number 33 13. That makes this a very rarely seen "ALL MATCHING" example, with no major parts swapped out over the years. Unlike Colt, Remington did not always number every component of their guns, and the cylinder serial number was on the back, where it would be worn off quickly by powder burn, so finding a matching marked cylinder is a real rarity!

Overall condition is very good, with the original bluing faded to a great looking gray patina, with some areas of light oxidation peppering but no major rust. It has a fantastic broken in look that is impossible to duplicate. The revolver has a great set of walnut grips, which look to be original, with no sign of having been replaced, showing some great wear from service. Both have a lovely red brown color, having been refinished at some point. However, we can still make out a "boxed" GP inspection cartouche on the left grip scale, for Giles Porter, noted for inspecting "Remington New Model and Pettengill Revolvers 1862-1875".

The front of the barrel has the original steel "pinched" front sight intact, not replaced as many were. The bore is still in very good condition, showing a mostly bright finish and crisp lands and grooves. There are few small spots of surface oxidation, making this really a fantastic bore for a Civil War percussion revolver from the black powder age. The action functions well, with accurate indexing, a solid cylinder lockup, and crisp dry fire. We did not notice any of the finicky behavior we usually see with revolvers of this age. The cap nipples are all in good shape, however there is some grease inside the chambers, so only a few are visibly clear. They show minimal wear and oxidation on the exterior, which leads us to believe that while this revolver was carried around for a long period of time, it saw little actual firing.

Research shows that this revolver was manufactured in mid-late 1863, making this a true Civil War gun and perfect for any collection. Production had begun around serial number 15,000 in 1863. According to the research published in Remington Army & Navy Revolvers 1861-1868 by Donald L. Ware, Remington revolvers through serial #149,000 were accepted prior to the end of the Civil War. Guns below serial #123,000 were accepted prior to the end of 1864.

In very nice condition with a great look, this revolver will make a fantastic addition to any U.S. Civil War collection.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: mid 1863
Caliber: .44cal
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 8 inches
Overall Length: 14 inches
Action: Single
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

History of Remington New Model Army Revolver:

Remington, like Colt, was in business of arms making long prior to the Civil War. They had been producing handguns since 1857 when they introduced the Remington Beals Pocket Revolver. With the outbreak of the Civil War all of the company's energy became devoted to the military production of longarms and hand guns. The martial hand guns produced during the Civil War period included the Remington-Beals Army and Navy Model revolvers, the Remington Models 1861 Army and Navy Revolvers, (a.k.a. as the "Old Model Army" and "Old Model Navy") and the Remington New Model 1863 Army and Navy revolvers.

The Remington New Model 1863 Army Revolver represents Remington's highest production martial pistol. Approximately 126,000 were manufactured from 1863 to 1875. After Colt, it was the Northern government's most purchased and issued pistol. Serial numbers of the New Model Army continued from the Model 1861 Army. Reference sources estimate this change from between serial number 15000 (Flayderman) to 22000 (Reilly). This is probably due to a long transitional period in which there was a gradual change over of the design features between the two models. The earliest production models utilized the 1861 frames and had a somewhat longer grip. The stamping "New Model" on the barrel of the early models can also be noted to have been stamped with a separate die. Nearly 110, 000 New Models were purchased by the government during the Civil War, at prices between $10.82 and $15.50 each. These prices were lower than Colt's and by mid-1863, Colt was eliminated from the government contract business. The State of New Jersey also purchased several thousand for Civil War issue.

The New Model 1863 Army was the last of Remington's .44 caliber percussion revolvers. Remington Armies were used from the beginning to the end of the Civil War in all fields. They were considered to be among the finest martial handguns of the day. The Remington New Model 1863 Navy and it's forbear, the Remington-Beals Navy, also saw action during the war.

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