Make: Remington

Model: Rider Pocket Model Revolver

Serial Number: 8910

Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1873

Caliber: .32 Rimfire

Action Type: Single and Double Action Factory Cartridge Conversion Revolver

Barrel Length: 3"

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a tapered post threaded to the barrel. The rear sight is a "V"-notch integral to the topstrap.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth pearl. The grips have some even light handling wear and discoloration. There are a few light nicks and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine-plus condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Nickel

Finish Originality: Original, numbers match on the frame and barrel. The cylinder and backplate are each marked "908", presumably an assembly number.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is erosion and light pitting scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 6/10.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is generally strong with some flaking at the muzzle and around the cylinder gap. There is some oxidation, most notable on the frame under the grip panels. The backstrap inscription appears to have been cut through the finish, and appears professionally applied. There are some light nicks and small scratches. The action shows light operational wear. The markings are clear. The screwheads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. Overall, the pistol rates in about Fine 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 Rider Pocket Revolver is one of the more distinctive American pocket revolvers of the Civil War and Reconstruction era, combining compact dimensions with Joseph Rider's early double-action lockwork. Originally developed as a .31 caliber percussion arm and later offered in metallic-cartridge form, the factory cartridge conversion represents Remington's transition from percussion revolvers into the self-contained cartridge age. These may actually represent the first American double action cartridge revolver. Chambered in .32 rimfire with a five-shot cylinder, these little revolvers offered a practical pocket-sized defensive arm at a time when American handgun design was rapidly shifting toward metallic cartridges.

The appeal of this example rests in its factory cartridge configuration, small-frame Remington manufacture, and unusual place among early American double-action revolvers. Surviving examples are not common, and the cartridge-conversion guns are especially interesting to collectors who focus on post-Civil War arms development, Remington pocket pistols, and the movement away from percussion ignition. This example has an inscription on the backstrap, "FMB to WAK", though we have not been able to turn up information about the significance of the marking. This is a mechanically and historically interesting antique revolver with strong period character and real collector appeal. Please see our photos and good luck with your bids!