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Old March 3, 2013, 07:51 PM   #2
mykeal
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Join Date: October 8, 2006
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 2,772
Remington built their first revolver in 1857, it being the Remington-Beals First Model Revolver (their name). It was a .31 cal 5 shot pocket revolver with a 3" octagonal barrel. The Second Model Revolver was built in 1858 and differed from the First Model by a spur type trigger guard and a redesigned grip. The Third Model Revolver was slightly larger but still .31 cal; it had a loading lever, longer cylinder and a longer, 4" barrel.

In 1860 they got into the large bore revolver market with the Remington-Beals Army Model Revolver. It was a large frame 6 shot .44 cal revolver with a 8" octagonal barrel. It was produced in 1861 and 1862. It was not well received by the Army as it fouled quickly; the barrel threads were fully enclosed by the frame at the barrel breach, right up to the cylinder face. They also made a Remington-Beals Navy Model Revolver in .36 cal with a 7 1/2" octagonal barrel; it was built on a slightly smaller frame and had a 6 shot cylinder.

Remington attempted to correct the fouling fault by relieving the frame at the cylinder face; at the same time they redesigned the loading lever upper surface to allow the cylinder arbor pin to slide forward without having to drop the lever, which unfortunately allowed it to 'disengage' of it's own will. They were returned to have a screw installed to prevent this problem from occuring. This model was called the 1861 Army Revolver, or Remington Old Model Army Revolver. It was also the first model to have safety notches in the cylinder on some units.

In 1863 they introduced the Remington New Model Army Revolver which included all the above corrective actions. This is the model we know as the 1858 Remington today. There were 122,000 New Model Army revolvers made from 1863 through 1875. There was also a Remington New Model Navy on the smaller frame in .36 cal.

I recommend Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms as an invaluable aid.
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