Hello, my stepfather has recently been cleaning out the attic and came across this Remington New Model that he had forgotten was up there. It was given to him more than 20 years ago by his best friends wife after his passing. The serial under the barrel is 90131 but the serial under the grips is 91048, is this common? I don’t believe the grips to be original, seem to be birdseye maple. Hoping to get some information and production date.
Thank you
New Model Army, real deal?
Re: New Model Army, real deal?
Hi,
Your revolver was made in August of 1864. Having a revolver with mixed serial numbers is not very common but it does happen. I have data on approximately sixty New Model Army revolvers with mixed numbers. The reason for this is the inspection process and Remington’s policy of never throwing anything away that can be used. When the revolver was completed inspectors would inspect it and place their mark on the major parts (frame, barrel, cylinder and sometimes the loading lever) indicating they passed inspection. These marks are small letters stamped on the various parts. The Principal Sub-Inspector would then stamp his cartouche on the left grip indicating the revolver was accepted by the Ordnance Department. If say the frame on a revolver did not pass inspection the revolver would be disassembled, the frame would be marked with a “C” for condemned and possibly used on a non-government revolver. The other parts were returned to stock to be used on subsequent revolvers. On most of the revolvers with mixed numbers the frame number is higher than the barrel number.
Walnut grips were standard on the military revolvers but other materials were available for civilian revolvers. Are there any inspection marks on the frame, cylinder or barrel of your revolver. I also cannot tell if there is a cartouche on the left grip.
Bill
Your revolver was made in August of 1864. Having a revolver with mixed serial numbers is not very common but it does happen. I have data on approximately sixty New Model Army revolvers with mixed numbers. The reason for this is the inspection process and Remington’s policy of never throwing anything away that can be used. When the revolver was completed inspectors would inspect it and place their mark on the major parts (frame, barrel, cylinder and sometimes the loading lever) indicating they passed inspection. These marks are small letters stamped on the various parts. The Principal Sub-Inspector would then stamp his cartouche on the left grip indicating the revolver was accepted by the Ordnance Department. If say the frame on a revolver did not pass inspection the revolver would be disassembled, the frame would be marked with a “C” for condemned and possibly used on a non-government revolver. The other parts were returned to stock to be used on subsequent revolvers. On most of the revolvers with mixed numbers the frame number is higher than the barrel number.
Walnut grips were standard on the military revolvers but other materials were available for civilian revolvers. Are there any inspection marks on the frame, cylinder or barrel of your revolver. I also cannot tell if there is a cartouche on the left grip.
Bill
Re: New Model Army, real deal?
Thank you for the information! To answer your questions about inspection marks:
D: Triggerguard
W: rear left side of frame, front right side of frame, rear of cylinder
C: front left side of frame, front of cylinder
B or R: rear right side of barrel
the grips have no evidence of ever being marked
D: Triggerguard
W: rear left side of frame, front right side of frame, rear of cylinder
C: front left side of frame, front of cylinder
B or R: rear right side of barrel
the grips have no evidence of ever being marked
Re: New Model Army, real deal?
Hi Cyten,
Nice revolver.
As Bill told you, the letters you found mean that it was inspected by government inspectors. There is a serial on the tab of the trigger guard which might match one of the other numbers. That might be an indicator of which part was replaced. The grips were probably replaced sometime in it's life, but no way to know when. Enjoy your pistol.
Dan
Nice revolver.
As Bill told you, the letters you found mean that it was inspected by government inspectors. There is a serial on the tab of the trigger guard which might match one of the other numbers. That might be an indicator of which part was replaced. The grips were probably replaced sometime in it's life, but no way to know when. Enjoy your pistol.
Dan