1875 Remington SA - date of mfr.

[dixiedog+7]

Anyone with information to help date my 1875 Remington SA? I think it may be a rare find in Canada and the info I have is as follows: 5-3/4 inch bbl, stamped '44' on left side of frame between cylinder and barrel, top of barrel reads E.Remington & sons. Ilion, N.Y. U.S.A. (from frame to muzzle), serial No. '455' on left side of frame, under the wood grip near the main spring and also '455' stamped on loading gate. No other numbers on this nickel-plated Remington. It has a later style trigger, it is bevelled near barrel breach and rebate at read of ejector housing. It seems to have a final type hammer with a cone firing pin and a round hammer top. It has a unique blade front sight with dovetail for windage adjustment. Any help in dating would be appreciated. Thanks. (Photos available if needed)

[carbineone]

I like photos. Post em whether they help or not

I have a repro 1875. Always wanted a original but I have never found one to my financial liking.

Not sure if anyone can date it very close, likely not. But I am going to guess sometime before 1890

[dixiedog+7]

Thanks for the input - my thinking is (and please correct me if I am wrong) due to the hammer and trigger style, this is NOT an early model; also seeing the E.Remington & Son barrel print direction, this style should have been discontinued in 1886 when E. Remington & Son went into receivership. The front sight shown in the attached photo has me puzzled as I cannot find any reference to it (or this type)... Also sent photo of complete firearm. Any thoughts might help..

[admin]

Thanks for the input - my thinking is (and please correct me if I am wrong) due to the hammer and trigger style, this is NOT an early model; also seeing the E.Remington & Son barrel print direction, this style should have been discontinued in 1886 when E. Remington & Son went into receivership. The front sight shown in the attached photo has me puzzled as I cannot find any reference to it (or this type)... Also sent photo of complete firearm. Any thoughts might help..

If you have photo's should post them to the site.

[dixiedog+7]

This is the second attempt to attach a photo - hope it works..

[DavidFagan]

Few more larger photo's all around would help including th address, but it appears that the barrel was cut and it's probably been refinished.

[dixiedog+7]

Here are 3 additional photos. One of the right hand side, barrel and the address. Have many more photos if required.

[Johnboat 225]

There are occasionally period correct modifications of revolvers by installing a rifle type front sight.

This is an image of a Colt SAA with a rifle front sight.

[dixiedog+7]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I was hoping that this front sight would make my Remington uniquely identifiable but seeing as how the mystery date won't be found there I will continue my research for more clues as to it's date of manufacture.

[Johnboat 225]

I receive an antique guns catalog from Douglas R. Carlson. In the April 2015 catalog there is a Model of 1875 with a 7.5 inch bbl in nickel with the usual blade type front sight. Usual wood grips. No lanyard ring in butt. "E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, N.Y., USA" one line address on bbl.

He says: "Low batch Serial Number 317 from circa 1885 production. Some Remington researchers now believe that the early model 1875s were serial numbered consecutively and that the "batch" numbering did not begin until the later model 1875s made with the blade front sight and no lanyard ring in the butt."

Apples and oranges but his is all correct in very fine condition with 95-98% nickel finish and priced at $6,995.00 USD.

Hope this helps a little. If yours has no hole in the butt for a lanyard ring this may pin it down a little more. His picture shows a hammer and trigger which to my eye is identical to yours. In fact except for the shorter bbl and rifle front sight and somewhat poorer wood and metal finish, yours looks like his.

One more thing. I'm not sure I agree that yours has been refinished. The bbl address looks pretty crisp under that nickel. It looks like old nickel to me and I don't think shortening the bbl would have necessitated a re-nickeling.

[DavidFagan]

It's at least harder to tell on some models then others but there can be common tell tail signs, these pictures are just no good enough to even determine that but in any case without gun in hand it would be just a best guess anyhow.

This is probably why we don't discuss values on the board in general but I was willing to pay quite a bit of money for a nice 75 in 45 when it was offered but when i saw that someone replaced the front site with one very similar to this, I expected my offer would just insult them do I declined to do so.

Any 1875 in nice in my book I'd buy everyone I could if the price was right and I had the money but prices increase exponentially on original condition and drop like a rock without it.

Da... I wanted a 75 in 45, still ing

[dixiedog+7]

I appreciate your response, every little bit of info helps. I am attaching photo showing no provision for lanyard ring, details of the hammer and trigger. I believe the trigger is the later style used. (But when did they start using this style trigger?)

[Johnboat 225]

I like your handgun! I still say that looks like the original nickel finish. The outside wood grip is more soiled and darker than the inside one. If it were mine I might clean it oh so gently with 0000 steel wool and re oil to get it to match. I know its a cut bbl, but the rifle sight looks authentic to the period it was used. In the late 1880s and early 1890s it was very common to shorten bbls because handguns were used less on horseback and more on the person in towns. It was just a handier weapon with a shorter bbl. Its a large frame old west type weapon showing a practical period modification and much use. I wish it could tell us where its been.

I found this 2004 RSA article discussing the variations. http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/jou ... _Revolvers

I have attached the page from the catalog I refer to above.

[carbineone]

I like it, even with the sight and shortened barrel.

I think it is likely original nickel also, Thanks for posting the pics.