Remington Rider Pocket revolver

[Patbar]

I just acquired a .32 RF Remington Rider Pocket with a 2 inches barrel. It has initially been made for metallic cartridges as it has no capping groove in the shield, so it is a late production specimen.

But What surprises me is the low serial number : 1517 (apparently, they were out of number "1" punch and they used whatever they had on hand). Were these guns batch numbered or did Remington start over the numbering on cartridge guns ?

Remington Rider Pocket droit-85.jpg (255.37 KiB) Viewed 4042 times

_IGP3593.jpg (249.42 KiB) Viewed 4042 times

[Eskilgh]

Hi
Old thread, but late answer is better than no answer,I guess .

I think the serial numbers on this model are run in batches.

I have a few of these and the serials is spread wildly.
For excample:
#237 Early model percussion with dovetaild fron sight
#5969 Later percussion model with post front sight.
#2741 Conversion model with no capping groove.
#8443 Conversion model with capping groove.
#2613 1.5" barrel no capping groove.
#341 2" barrel no capping groove.

RemingtonRiderDA.jpg (1009.54 KiB) Viewed 3686 times

Sorry fro the poor quality photo.

[Patbar]

Hi Elkilgh,

Seeing your revolvers, I note something similar to mine and somewhat surprising : how come the nickel plating is very dull on all of them ? I have nickel plated revolvers of the same period but different manufacturers on which the nickel remains pretty bright.

[aardq]

Hi Patbar,

Remington didn't do their own plating until about 1870-71. Guns for plating were sent out, but we don't know to what company. There area lot of things that affect the finish, starting with how well the gun was polished, and if the metal was handled with bare hands. Then add the metal composition, the chemicals used in the plating, and the variations in the plating process. Nickel often "fogs" after many years, and we don't know how the gun was taken care of, and what was used to clean the gun. A lot of things can affect the finish.

If there is a capping grove, it was made as a percussion gun, if there is no capping grove it was made as a cartridge gun. I'll check my sources Monday when I'm back home to see when they were discontinued.

Daniel

[Eskilgh]

Hi
Thanks for the replies.
I agree with Daniel on the matter of different finishes.
How the gun was plated and treated thru its life span will affect this alot.
The short barreled ones that I've got is similar to yours with pretty dull finish.
The finish of the earlier (I presume) with the standard barrel length is in very good shape actually (it's mush better in real life than in the picture).

I have a lot the later "Smoot model" guns, where the nickel is of an another quality.
Then again I have an 1888 model revolver with dull and foggy finish.

BTW, Patbar does your revolver have the Remington markings on top of the barrel? My 2" barrel model have just the serialnumbers, no barrel marking.