Civil War Remington 1858 New Model Army .44 Cal Revolver MFD 1864 Antique
SOLD FOR: $1775
LSB#: 210415SG10
Make: Remington
Model: 1858 New Model Army
Serial Number: 37925
Year of Manufacture: 1864, Antique (“Civil War Pistols of The Union” by John D. McAulay)
Caliber: .44 Caliber Ball
Action Type: Percussion Cap and Ball Single Action Revolver
Markings: The rear face of the cylinder is marked “7925”. There are a host of inspection marks. The left side of the loading lever, side of the cylinder at the front, and left of the frame at the forcing cone are marked “A”. The left side of the barrel at the frame, bottom of the trigger guard, and left of the frame behind the recoil shield are marked “C”. the bottom of the barrel in front of the loading lever retainer is marked “U”. The right side of the barrel at the frame and right side of the frame at the forcing cone are marked with an upside down “M”. The cylinder is marked “M”. The top of the barrel is marked “PATENTED SEPT. 14. 1858 / REMINGTON & SONS, ILION, NEW YORK, U.S.A. / NEW-MODEL”. The bottom of the barrel is marked “37925”. The left side of the grip frame is marked “T” and “37925”. The left grip has a cartouche, we cannot decipher it due to wear. The bottom face of each grip panel is stamped “C”. The inside of the right grip panel is stamped with small faded markings we cannot make out.
Barrel Length: 8”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a cone dovetailed into 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 two-piece smooth walnut. The wood is uneven on the left side at the top and on the right side below the screw escutcheon, those on the left panel look intentionally reprofiled and those on the right panel look more like a scrape. There are some scattered scratches, scuffs, draglines, and compressions. There are some oil stains. There are no chips or cracks. The grips rate in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue with Brass Trigger Guard
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray and the rifling is worn but has remained strong and clearly defined. There is scattered moderate pitting in the bore with a large heavier patch at the midsection.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 5% of its metal finish. The strongest remaining finish is located in protected areas. The finish has numerous scattered spots of light scabbing, oxidation, discoloration from previous oxidation, light pinprick erosion, and scratches from abrasive cleaning. The marks from abrasive cleaning are most noticeable on the right recoil shield and sides of the frame at the barrel. There are dings into the metal on the sides of the frame and barrel where they meet. The cylinder has a turn line and the brass trigger guard has developed an very light patina. The screwheads display tool marks with some having shallow slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in about Good-Very Good condition as an Antique
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The mainspring is strong and the cylinder locks up very well with only light 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 US 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. 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, this one is serial number 37925 which is very early and likely the 2nd year of production, “Civil War Pistols of The Union” by John D. McAulay states that in 1863 the Army was sent 31,802 .44 caliber New Models so 37925 is likely an 1864 produced revolver. This early revolver has a cone type sight instead of the later mortised post. With the inspection marks, this is a phenomenal Civil War revolver to add to a Civil War or Remington collection and one cannot be complete without an 1858, so drop a bid today! Please see our photos and good luck!