Original Item: Only One Available. The first Cartridge Single Action Colts and Remington revolvers came out in 1873 and 1875. Prior to that there were many different "cartridge systems" utilized by many different makers. However Civil War percussion Revolvers were everywhere on the market and Gunsmiths converted many of these Civil War Revolvers to the new Breech loading systems, many using factory supplied parts.

This is just such a weapon, originally made towards the end of the Civil War, and then was converted to take a metallic cartridge. In good service worn condition, these conversions tend to be rather rare as the window of demand was very limited and by 1873 and 1875 the new "Cowboy" guns were on open sale. The truth is many Desperadoes and law abiding citizens embarked ion there trek to the West Coast carrying a converted revolver like this.

The Remington Percussion revolvers were often called the Model 1858 due to the patent dates, but production of this revision started in 1863, and the "New Model Army" is the correct designation from Remington. The top of the octagonal barrel still shows the original markings, though they are partly worn away:

Overall condition is good, and it looks like the revolver was completely refinished when it was converted to centerfire. It looks like it was not really buffed before it was refinished, so the original markings are preserved, as is the original wear and oxidation damage, which is now covered with the new finish. The grips are in very good condition, showing some wear, and they have been finished with some type of lacquer, which has discolored them a bit. The action functions well, with a good cylinder lockup and accurate indexing. There is not any of the finicky behavior we often see on revolvers from this era. The only thing to note is that the trigger pull is a bit stiff. The bore shows strong lands and grooves, with a mostly bright finish. There is a bit of wear and oxidation, but for a percussion era revolver, this is a really great bore.

This revolver has matching serial numbers, with 53220 appearing on the underside of the barrel and on the frame under the grip. Both grip scales are also marked with the number in pencil, probably from when it was converted. Research shows that this revolver was manufactured in early-mid 1864, making this a true Civil War gun that was later modified for the frontier. Production had begun around serial number 15,000 in 1863. According to the research published in Remington Army & Navy Revolvers 1861-1868 by Donald L. Ware, Remington revolvers through serial #149,000 were accepted prior to the end of the Civil War. Guns below serial #123,000 were accepted prior to the end of 1864.

There were several types of conversions, and this one involves completely replacing the cylinder, which was relatively easy due to the arbor pin design. New Cylinders could in fact be purchased directly from Remington, as their model 1875 revolver was basically the New Model 1863 redesigned for centerfire ammunition. The frame on the revolver has had a metal plate installed behind the cylinder, and the hammer adjusted to work with centerfire ammunition. We measured the cylinder and checked it with dummy rounds, and it takes a cartridge with a VERY thin rim, which is precisely what the .44 Remington cartridge is. This means that no adjustments were needed to the barrel and other components. There is no ejector, and the loading rammer is still intact, though now serves no purpose. The front of the cylinder and the frame under the grip are both stamped with assembly number 27.

A lovely centerfire converted Civil War gun, as used on the American Frontier. This will make a fine addition to any "Old West" Americana collection. Ready to display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: early-mid 1864 - converted later
Caliber: .44 Remington
Ammunition Type: Rimfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 8 inches
Overall Length: 14 inches
Action: Single
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

History of Remington New Model Army Revolver:

Remington, like Colt, was in business of arms making long prior to the Civil War. They had been producing handguns since 1857 when they introduced the Remington Beals Pocket Revolver. With the outbreak of the Civil War all of the company's energy became devoted to the military production of longarms and hand guns. The martial hand guns produced during the Civil War period included the Remington-Beals Army and Navy Model revolvers, the Remington Models 1861 Army and Navy Revolvers, (a.k.a. as the "Old Model Army" and "Old Model Navy") and the Remington New Model 1863 Army and Navy revolvers.

The Remington New Model 1863 Army Revolver represents Remington's highest production martial pistol. Approximately 126,000 were manufactured from 1863 to 1875. After Colt, it was the Northern government's most purchased and issued pistol. Serial numbers of the New Model Army continued from the Model 1861 Army. Reference sources estimate this change from between serial number 15000 (Flayderman) to 22000 (Reilly). This is probably due to a long transitional period in which there was a gradual change over of the design features between the two models. The earliest production models utilized the 1861 frames and had a somewhat longer grip. The stamping "New Model" on the barrel of the early models can also be noted to have been stamped with a separate die. Nearly 110, 000 New Models were purchased by the government during the Civil War, at prices between $10.82 and $15.50 each. These prices were lower than Colt's and by mid-1863, Colt was eliminated from the government contract business. The State of New Jersey also purchased several thousand for Civil War issue.

The New Model 1863 Army was the last of Remington's .44 caliber percussion revolvers. Remington Armies were used from the beginning to the end of the Civil War in all fields. They were considered to be among the finest martial handguns of the day. The Remington New Model 1863 Navy and it's forbear, the Remington-Beals Navy, also saw action during the war. 

William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody used an ivory-handled New Model Army .44, serial number 73,293, from 1863 until 1906, when he gave it to his ranch foreman with a handwritten note which said that, "It never failed me."