Seeking some help with my Remington New Model .44

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Oyeboten
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 7:58 pm

Seeking some help with my Remington New Model .44

Post by Oyeboten »

First post, but I have spent some while today, looking through old Postings trying to get up to speed somewhat!

I am thrilled! Having just gotten my first Remington Cap & Ball, which is the "New Model" and in .44 Calibre, and I am hoping some of you here may be able to tell me some things about it, and maybe help me with some quesitons.

Viz:

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rtqkfwwsddkr ... 755-vi.jpg

Serial Number is represented on the underside of the Barrel, on the left side of the Grip frame at the bottom front of the Butt, and on the underside of the 'toe' of the Brass Trigger Guard.

Serial Number is 91465

The 'freckley' Blue looks much better in person than it does in the image.

Rifeling is deep, clean, very well defined, and has a dull shine, no pitting or rough places. Cylinder Bores are excellent if a little filmy in their way, and will likely clean well with some Bronze Brushing and show no pitting or rough places I can see.

Cylinder has a lot of ( maybe recent, as no 'patina' anyway ) 'dings' about the Safety Notches, but thankfully, the Nipples appear to be alright and are not damaged.

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rtqkfwwsgskg ... 760-vi.jpg

Someone had removed the Hand at some point along the way, so I am missing the Hand entirely.

Also missing is the Loading Lever Pivot Screw ( someone had fashioned an impromptu Rivet out of a Roofing Nail and more or less 'Riveted' it there to make up for the missing Screw...Screw Threads appear intact though. )

The small two 'Arm' Spring which manages tension for the Cylinder Bolt and Trigger, one 'Arm' is broken off and missing.

Stock Cartouche has a nice clear impress of what I take to be the initials "BH" or maybe "BK"...( but I am not entirely sure I have read them correctly ).

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rtqkfwwrqwsf ... 761-vi.jpg

So...

What year and Month would this Serial Number date to?

Is it possible to determine who the Inspector was, who's Cartouche appears on the Stock?

And...what advice please on where to look for an original Hand? and if possible, an original two Arm Spring, and Loading Lever Pivot Screw also?

I am very impressed with this old Remington as for the refinement and overall quality of it's internal parts and it's overall fit and remaining finish...and also how it feels in the Hand. I really like it..!

I would not feel right if having to resort to reproduction parts to replace the ones missing or broken.

Disassembly went wonderfully, all Screw Heads have crisp undamaged slots, and all unscrewed perfectly with no struggle whatever, none were more than an normal easy tight, and all Threads are in nice condition. I do have a very nice Kit of Gunsmith Screwdrivers, and this made things a joy.

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rtqkfwwrkftd ... 769-vi.jpg

Other than for the 'freckling', the finish appears to me to be original, and I find no signs of there having ever been any rust inside or out.

It is 'dry as a bone' and I will of course gently clean it and Oil it well ( Bronze Wool, small Bronze Brushes, and Oil for the cleaning of ) the Steel parts and I will not touch the Brass Trigger Guard nor in any way interfere with it's patina.

Whatever suggestions or advice any of you may have for me, please let me know?

Thanks!

Oyeboten
Oyeboten
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 7:58 pm

Re: Seeking some help with my Remington New Model .44

Post by Oyeboten »

As mentioned above, my Hand is missing entirely, looking like someone had carefully removed it, who knows how long ago.

Digging around some more, I gather that the early New Model .44s had a Hand which had a threaded hole, for the Screw which pivots it to the base of the Hammer, and, the successive New Model .44s had a Hand with a plain screw hole, where the mounting hole in the Hammer is threaded.

The Hand I need is the latter kind, with plain hole for the Screw to go through, where the Screw Hole is not threaded.

Some questions ~

Were the Hands Case Hardened? Or were they Tempered Steel?

Are the Revolver Frames a Casting? Or, a Drop Forging? ( I see hints of a mid line seam inside the Grip Frame, but this could occur with either method ).

What were the Barrels made of? Were they Wrought Iron? Or, Steel?

Do the general run of present day Nipple Wrenches used for the various reproduction New Model, .44s, fit the flats of the original Nipples?

Thanks!

Oye
billt
Posts: 258
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 6:42 pm

Re: Seeking some help with my Remington New Model .44

Post by billt »

Hello Oyeboten,
Your revolver was manufactured in August of 1864. It was one of approximately seven thousand made that month. The Cartouche on the left grip is BH, which is the mark of Benjamin Hannis an armory sub inspector who inspected Allen & Wheelock, Colt, Remington, Savage and Starr revolvers.
As far as parts are concerned, the Remington Society Home Page has a list of parts suppliers under the Service/Parts page. You could also try Dixie Gun works at (http://www.dixiegunworks.com). They have some original and repro parts.
I believe the revolver frames were cast and the barrels made of steel. I am not sure about the hand and the nipple wrenches.

Hope this helps,

Bill
Oyeboten
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 7:58 pm

Re: Seeking some help with my Remington New Model .44

Post by Oyeboten »

Thank you billt..!

Much appreciated!

I will update with a "Range Report" once I have one to share!
jbw
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:28 am
Location: Denmark

Re: Seeking some help with my Remington New Model .44

Post by jbw »

Very nice, restore it carefully. Your trigger and cylinderstop spring is broken too. Another god source of spares, see: http://ssfirearms.com/products.asp?cat=260&pg=3
Oyeboten
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 7:58 pm

Re: Seeking some help with my Remington New Model .44

Post by Oyeboten »

jbw wrote:Very nice, restore it carefully. Your trigger and cylinderstop spring is broken too. Another god source of spares, see: http://ssfirearms.com/products.asp?cat=260&pg=3
Thank you!

I intend to merely go over the Steel components with some Bronze Wool and Oil, just lightly, to ease some of the 'freckling', and of course to clean and lube the interior parts well.

I will not touch the Brass Trigger Guard.

I may apply some good Furniture Wax to the Stocks, both sides...

Indeed, parts I need are...

Hand...

Trigger/Bolt Spring...

Screw for the Loading Lever pivot.

And I want 'original' Parts if at all possible, so as to rightly respect the old Remington.

I sure like it!!!

If this were 1860 odd, I would definitely have bought a Remington .44 for myself, and been very pleased with it!

It is a beautifull designed and finely made Revolver.
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