Hello Remington Society! I was recently given an old pistol and was told that it was used in the Civil War. After doing some research, I fairly confident that it's an 1858, but I don't know much more beyond that. One unusual thing I've noted is that the loading lever doesn't have that nice curved beard. What's the likelihood that this gun was actually used during the Civil War? Any info you can share about this model would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!
Looking for info on this 1858
Re: Looking for info on this 1858
Hello,
By the serial number on your revolver I believe you have a Beals Navy revolver. The Beals Navy is a 36 caliber percussion revolver and was the first of the larger caliber revolvers to be manufactured by Remington. Your particular revolver was made in December of 1861 so I would say there is a 99 percent chance it was used in the Civil War. Unfortunately there are no records of to whom the revolvers were issued. Approximately 15,000 Beals Navies were made followed by 5,000 Elliot or Old Model Navies and then by 15,000 New Model Navy Revolvers. Remington completed delivery of Navy Revolvers to the Bureau of Ordnance in December of 1865 but continued shipping them to the trade after the war.
Remington also made a larger caliber revolver which was a 44 percussion caliber gun. These revolvers are called Army revolvers. The first 44 caliber revolvers were the Beals Model followed by the Elliot Model and finally the New Model. There were 2000 Beals Army revolvers made starting in April of 1862. These were followed with 10,000 Elliot’s and finally by approximately 122,000 New Models. Remington shipped the last New Model to the Ordnance Department in March of 1864 and no additional percussion Armies were shipped after the Civil War.
I hope this helps,
Bill
By the serial number on your revolver I believe you have a Beals Navy revolver. The Beals Navy is a 36 caliber percussion revolver and was the first of the larger caliber revolvers to be manufactured by Remington. Your particular revolver was made in December of 1861 so I would say there is a 99 percent chance it was used in the Civil War. Unfortunately there are no records of to whom the revolvers were issued. Approximately 15,000 Beals Navies were made followed by 5,000 Elliot or Old Model Navies and then by 15,000 New Model Navy Revolvers. Remington completed delivery of Navy Revolvers to the Bureau of Ordnance in December of 1865 but continued shipping them to the trade after the war.
Remington also made a larger caliber revolver which was a 44 percussion caliber gun. These revolvers are called Army revolvers. The first 44 caliber revolvers were the Beals Model followed by the Elliot Model and finally the New Model. There were 2000 Beals Army revolvers made starting in April of 1862. These were followed with 10,000 Elliot’s and finally by approximately 122,000 New Models. Remington shipped the last New Model to the Ordnance Department in March of 1864 and no additional percussion Armies were shipped after the Civil War.
I hope this helps,
Bill