Antique 1864 Remington New Model Army .44 Caliber 8” Percussion Revolver
SOLD FOR: $1,160.00
LSB#: LSB260625WM050
Make: E. Remington & Sons
Model: New Model Army
Serial Number: 61486
Year of Manufacture: 1864 / Antique (remingtonsociety.org)
Caliber: .44 Black Powder
Action Type: Single Action, Percussion Cap Black Powder Revolver with a 6-Shot Cylinder
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “PATENTED SEPT. 14 1858” / “E. REMINGTON & SONS, ILION, NEW YORK, U.S.A.” / “NEW-MODEL”. The bottom of the barrel and the interior of the butt are marked “61486”. The rear face of the cylinder is marked “1486”, “2”, and “2”. The left side of the barrel and frame are marked “NJ”, which is indicative of the New Jersey procurement of the 1858 Remington. The left trigger bow is marked “U”. The bottom of the barrel just forward of the loading lever is marked “K”. The right side of the barrel and frame are marked “P”. The interior of the grip panels are penciled “61486”.
Barrel Length: 8”, Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinched blade post fixed at the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a V-notch milled into the topstrap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: This revolver’s refinished grips are a two-piece walnut with brass escutcheons. There is verdigris around the edges of the escutcheons. The face of the escutcheons have been cleaned. There are scratches and compression dents. There is finish loss at the bottom edges of the panels. There is minor chipping on the bottom of the right panel. Overall, these grips rate in Good-Very Good condition as antique.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is defined. There is light erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates a 7/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 80% of its original finish. There is finish loss at the muzzle and along the cylinder. There is thinning along the edges. There are handling scratches and compression dents. There is scattered corrosion staining and oxidation throughout. The cylinder has scratches from being scrubbed on. The cylinder has a turn line. The brass is a bright yellow with light verdigris. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are legible. Overall, this revolver is in Fair-Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly but is very stiff. We recommend having this revolver inspected by a qualified gunsmith to ensure there are no interior mechanical issues. The lockup is tight at each chamber. We did not fire this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Remington New Model Army was one of the principal martial revolvers of the American Civil War, combining a robust solid frame, six-shot .44-caliber cylinder, and 8″ octagonal barrel in a design that ultimately became Remington’s most successful military percussion handgun. This 1864 example is especially interesting because the “NJ” markings on the left barrel flat and frame identify it as one of the New Model Army revolvers acquired by the State of New Jersey during the war. New Jersey ordered 1,000 .44-caliber Remington Army revolvers in August 1864 for its state arsenal, and surviving examples are known with precisely this style of “NJ” property marking. Period records indicate that these revolvers remained in the New Jersey arsenal through the end of the war rather than being issued, which helps explain why some surviving New Jersey-marked examples retain unusually strong original finish. Serial number 61486 falls comfortably within the range in which these state-marked revolvers are encountered, giving this example considerably greater historical and collector significance than a standard commercial New Model Army.
This revolver retains approximately 80% of its original blue finish, an impressive amount for a Civil War-era percussion revolver, with muzzle and cylinder wear, edge thinning, handling marks, scattered oxidation, corrosion staining, and evidence that the cylinder has been scrubbed. The refinished walnut stocks remain in Good-Very Good condition despite handling wear, minor chipping, and finish loss, while the bright 7/10 bore retains defined rifling with only light erosion. The matching serial number 61486 on the barrel and grip frame, together with the matching partial “1486” on the cylinder, are desirable indicators that the principal fitted components have remained together. Mechanically, the action functions and the cylinder locks tightly at each chamber, although the unusually stiff operation warrants the recommended professional inspection. With its substantial surviving original blue, matching components, distinctive New Jersey property markings, and strong Civil War-era provenance, this is a particularly interesting state-purchase Remington New Model Army. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! -MY