Make: E. Remington and Sons

Model: New Model Army

Serial Number: 103146

Year of Manufacture: Ca. October, 1864

Caliber: .44 Caliber Ball

Action Type: Percussion Cap and Ball Single Action Revolver

Barrel Length: 8"

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a mortised post fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a "V" notch integral to the top strap.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are smooth wood panels. The left panel has an "OWA" Ainsworth cartouche, the bottom of the right panel has a small "D" inspector's mark, the interior of each panel has "3146" hand-written in pencil. The grips have fairly even handling wear with scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. The right panel has more notable wear at the top edge and dings at the bottom edge. Each panel has a tiny crack at the top corner of the frontstrap. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue with Brass Trigger Guard

Finish Originality: Remaining finish is Original, most surfaces show signs of polishing. The barrel and frame are serial-matching. Correct "W", "D", "R" and "H" inspector/assembler marks.

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There are some scattered spots of light erosion and a few minor pits. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 7/10.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 10% of its metal finish. Most surfaces appear to have been intentionally polished to white. Strongest finish is on the cylinder pin, the rear of the barrel, and the frame under the grips. Other surfaces show some scattered minor erosion. There are some light nicks and scratches with tool marks on the frame at the cylinder pin. The trigger guard has gone to a mustard patina and does not show the same polishing. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. Markings remain surprisingly clear. The action shows operational wear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition as Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The Remington 1858 Army revolver was a sidearm used by the Union during the Civil War. The U.S. government ordered a large number of revolvers due to a fire at the Colt factory that shut down their production of the 1860 Army Revolver. By 1865 they had purchased 115,557. Not only was this type of revolver used in the Civil War but it found itself being used in the American West. This single action six-shot revolver is known for having a solid design and being very reliable due to its solid frame unlike the competing open tops. The solid frame design gave it an advantage over the competing Colt models, and it is said Civil War soldiers were known to trade their Colts for Remingtons after seeing the differences firsthand. Buffalo Bill Cody carried a New Model Army throughout the Indian Wars and his show appearances, and never converted it to cartridge use, which is a testament to the popularity of this revolver. The New Model Army is commonly called the Model 1858 because of its patent date on the barrel, but it was not actually produced until 1863, the 1861 Old Model having preceded it. This example was produced ca. October, 1864 and bears proper military inspection markings, so this one was likely used in the Civil War. Here is your chance to pick up the real thing to add to a Civil War or Remington collection. Please see our photos and good luck!