Make: Remington
Model: New Model Army, factory cartridge conversion.
Serial Number: 142933
Year of Manufacture: ca. 1870s-1880s
Caliber: .44 Rimfire
Action Type: Single Action 6 Shot Revolver Factory Converted from Percussion
Barrel Length: 8", Octagon
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a german silver blade pinned in a slotted base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a "V"-notch dovetailed to the topstrap. The sights are likely aftermarket.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth wood. The interior of each panel has two hand-written numbers in pencil, one a partial serial number, the other "86", the assembly number found on the cylinder, barrel and frame. The bottom of each panel is stamped "P". The grips have even handling wear with some nicks and scratches. The right panel as a small loss on the front edge at the top. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition as Antique
Type of Finish: Blue, Nickel Plated Brass Trigger Guard
Finish Originality: Original to conversion. Matching serial/assembly numbers.
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is sharp. There is scattered light erosion and infrequent minor pitting in the bore, mostly at the muzzle-end. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 7/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 60% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most of the wear is along the barrel and in the grip areas, with more minor wear on the cylinder and areas of the frame outside the grip areas. There is scattered light oxidation and infrequent minor erosion. The trigger guard retains much of its nickel plate. Three holes have been drilled and tapped in the grip frame, one at the bottom of the backstrap and the other two on the butt. There are some scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The markings are generally clear, some poorly struck. Overall, this revolver rates 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 required to meet your maintenance standards.
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 which shut down their production of the 1860 Army 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. 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 the war 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 design became one of the most beloved cap and ball designs and has such a good design and fan following that reproduction houses have been making replicas for decades. With such a strong and well liked design, it only made sense to use them as cartridge firing revolvers once self-contained ammunition became popular.
This one is a nice cartridge model with the Rollin White patent date on the side of the cylinder. It is a great find for collectors of antiques and Remingtons especially, as the Rollin White patent marking indicates it was converted to use cartridges at the Remington factory. Please see our photos and good luck!
