Hello Nic,
Your revolver was manufactured in January of 1865. It is a factory conversion, which was converted to .46 Rim Fire sometime after 1868. There were some 4500 type one conversions made for Benjamin Kittredge of Cincinnati, Ohio. These revolvers had the Rollin White Patent date stamped on the cylinder and did not have an ejector or beveled lead-ins to the cylinder stops. Your revolver looks to me to be a type three conversion, which has beveled lead-ins to the cylinder stops, an ejector and the relieving of the frame just above the front of the cylinder. It should also have a conversion number stamped under the barrel in back of the latch post and on the left grip frame.
In his book Army and Navy Revolvers 1861-1888 Donald Ware stated it would be impossible to determine the total number of revolvers converted because they were made up from previously condemned revolvers and revolvers which were reacquired from the military and their serial numbers are scattered throughout the entire production range.
I hope this helps,
Bill
New to the Forum and a question about my new Remington
Re: New to the Forum and a question about my new Remington
Nic,
Yes it most certainly was. The cartouche on the left grip and in some cases on both grips is an indication that the revolver was inspected and accepted by the Ordinance Department under one of the four contracts issued to Remington to supply Army size revolvers during the war. The Ordinance Department had an excess of 400,000 revolvers at the end of the war and started selling them in 1868.
Bill
Yes it most certainly was. The cartouche on the left grip and in some cases on both grips is an indication that the revolver was inspected and accepted by the Ordinance Department under one of the four contracts issued to Remington to supply Army size revolvers during the war. The Ordinance Department had an excess of 400,000 revolvers at the end of the war and started selling them in 1868.
Bill
Re: New to the Forum and a question about my new Remington
Nic,
Probably both used and unissued revolvers were converted. It was more than three years between manufacture and conversion of your revolver. Your revolver was made in January of 1865 and Remington did not sign the contract to convert the type one revolvers with Smith & Wesson until February 1868. That contract was completed in April 1869 and since your revolver being a type three it would have been converted after that date.
Bill
Probably both used and unissued revolvers were converted. It was more than three years between manufacture and conversion of your revolver. Your revolver was made in January of 1865 and Remington did not sign the contract to convert the type one revolvers with Smith & Wesson until February 1868. That contract was completed in April 1869 and since your revolver being a type three it would have been converted after that date.
Bill