Civil War Era Remington 1858 New Model Army .44 Cal 8″ Revolver Antique
SOLD FOR: $1,655.00
WOA#: WY240605TR008
Make: Remington
Model: 1858 New Model Army
Serial Number: 48999
Year of Manufacture: 1863-1875
Caliber: .44 Caliber Ball
Action Type: Percussion Cap and Ball Single Action Revolver
Markings: The left side of the grip frame is marked “I”. The left grip frame and bottom flat of the barrel are marked with the serial number “48999”. There are a host of inspection marks. . The side of the cylinder is marked “W”. The left side of the loading lever is marked “W”. The right and left side of the barrel at the frame are marked “C”. The left side of the frame behind the recoil shield is marked with an “L”. The right side of the frame at the forcing cone is marked “C”. In the front of the trigger guard the brass is marked “C”. The bottom of the barrel in front of the loading lever retainer is marked with a faint roll-mark we believe to be “A”. The top of the barrel is marked “E. REMINGTON & SONS, ILION, NEW YORK, U.S.A. / NEW MODEL”. The patent line seems to have faded as well as the lettering in the center of the legible address lines. (this is common with roll-markings). The Grips are marked; the left panel has a “B.H.” Cartouche at the bottom. The inside of both grips are marked, the left grip has a carved “X” and the right grip is stamped “HD”.
Barrel Length: 8”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a mortised post fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a “V” notch at the end of a groove in the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are smooth wood panels. There is a crack on the right panel at the top. There are some scattered little nicks and a few light compressions. There are some little dings into the wood, the most noticeable are on the bottom faces. There is a chunk missing from the bottom left grip panel. There is what seems to be a long filed notch removed from the top of the right grip panel. There is light verdigris forming around the screw escutcheons. The grips rate in about fine overall condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blue with Brass Trigger Guard
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi bright (reflective for ¾ of the bore) and the rifling is deep. There are some scattered areas of erosion mostly towards the forcing cone and a few minor pits. The bore rates a 7.5/10 as antique, in this writer’s opinion.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 90% plus of its metal finish. The blue on this beautiful revolver is inspiring to behold. The way it catches the light almost transports you back in time to a day when men were men and horseback was the only way to travel. I rarely see original blueing this old. This revolver has been kept and should be kept in a collection of appreciation for its value and prestige that it brings to the table. There is a mottled patina and mottled thinning. There are scattered areas of oxidation and light scabbing. There are some little nicks, dings, and a few light scrapes into the metal. There are some scattered areas of light erosion inside the forcing cone. There is a turn line through the finish. The screwheads display light tool marks. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in about Good condition as an Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder lockup has some side-to-side movement. 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 so this one was likely used in the Civil War. 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 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. 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. Here is your chance to pick up the real thing, with the inspection marks, this is a revolver you can add to a Civil War or Remington collection.
Please observe the condition of this revolver intently. The amount of finish left after almost 160 years is truly remarkable. So bid high and bid firm. I highly encourage you to take a look at the condition in our high quality photos. Good luck on your bid. -K.F.
