1858 Rem. History please

[Cherokee]

Just wondering if anybody on this board has info on the contract run of these 1858 pistols?
Specifically why Remington ended up losing their contract with the Gov. or did they?
IM just going by dates 1858 then I see the 1860 Colt or were they both kept under contract to build for the Government?

Thanks

 

[SCATTERSHOT]

I don't have any specific info, but I read once that it was due to Sam Colt's superior marketing skills. He actually convinced the Ordnance Board of the Army that it was easier to insert a loaded cylinder into the Colt than it was in the Remington. ( Four pieces, if you include the wedge, vs. two, on the back of a galloping horse? I don't buy it.) May or may not be true, but to this day I think the 1858 Remington is superior to the 1860 Colt.

 

[mulegunner]

I dont have exact dates...but I believe the 1858 is a design date for the revolver. Actual production and sales to the Govt didn't begin until sometime after 1860. The 1860 came first in production and issue, then the 58 Remington. I believe it had something to do with patent rights.

 

[Zonie]

The only production guns Remington made in 1858 was the little Beals Pocket Model pistol in .31 Caliber. This was made in three different Models.
This is not the little Remington New Model Pocket Revolver which is available in modern reproduction. That model was made in 1863-1873.

Remington was a major competitor of Colt both during, and after the Civil War.

Beals designed the first "Remington-Beals Army Model Revolver" in 1858 and it was this gun that evolved into what we call the Remington 1858.
That term was never used for the original gun or the subsiquent versions of it.
The Patent date for this design was Sept 14 1858.

The Remington company tried to sell the gun to the army but there was no need for it at the time.
The first production of this gun was in 1861.

The first guns frame, ran back to the front of the cylinder so that there was almost no gap in the area. This caused the gun to lock up due to fouling and was one of the first things that was redesigned.
Estimated military production of this model is 100 guns.

The redesign was to add a relief in the frame in the barrel area on each side of the barrel right in front of the cylinder.
The redesign also added a clearance cut to the top of the loading lever to allow the cylinder pin to be moved forward without lowering the loading lever.
This was meant to facilitate replacing the cylinder in combat. This model is refered to as the Remington 1861 Army Revolver.
Estimated military production is about 12,000.

The Remington 1861 Army Revolver was again redesigned in 1862 to remove the clearance from the loading lever so that the cylinder pin could not work itself loose while the loading lever was still raised.
The clearance cut in the frame in front of the cylinder was enlarged again. With this version, the threads of the barrel are clearly seen ahead of the cylinder.
This version was called the Remington New Model Army Revolver. It was in production in 1863-1875.
Estimated total production is about 132,000.

This New Model Army Revolver is the version almost all of the reproduction guns we now enjoy are based on but folks still call it the 1858 because of the original patent date.

All three models of this gun were also made in the .36 caliber and designated as NAVY instead of ARMY. The Navy guns were also made thru 1875.

 

[JN01]

I've read that the reason the Remingtons were not as popular was poor quality control. Some would blow up or because of poor quality springs, misfire. Colt's products were of a much more consistant quality.

 

[TFoley]

Dear Mr Zonie - that is the best short history of the 1858 Remington revolver that I have seen.
Thank you for that that, Sir.

tac

 

[mec]

Yes it was a great history.

 

[Cherokee]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Zonie]

Gentlemen, I am honored by your compliments. My thanks to you.

 

Colt was charging the War Dept. $14 per revolver. Remington supplied their gun for $12 each in 1862. The War Dept., sensing price gouging by Colt, bought only Remingtons after 1863.

 

[Zonie]

Ole Sam'l? Overprice his guns? :shocked2:

Although it is digressing a little, Ole Sam'l was a facinating man.
Did you know he decided to build a wicker chair factory to supplement his gun business?
The best wicker chair makers lived in a little town in Germany so he hired most of them.
So they would feel at home, he built a German styled town for them which looked almost like the town they came from.