Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Topics related to Pre - 1898 Remington Rifles
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varifleman
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:47 am

Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Post by varifleman »

Here's my Remington-Lee 45/70 Model 1885 U.S. Navy rifle serial number 3473 Remington serial number 52059 inspected by Lt H. H. Eames (H.H.E). The M1885 USN rifles were issued in larger numbers than either the M1879 or M1882 U.S. government contract rifles. The Navy desired the new Model 1885 Remington-Lee rifles for its newest warships coming into service, including some gunboats. The first ship to be issued M1885 USN rifles was the new cruiser U.S.S. Philadelphia which was commissioned in 1889. The following ships are known to have received varying quantities of M1885 Remington-Lee Navy rifles: U.S.S. Philadelphia; U.S.S. Monterey; U.S.S. Charleston; U.S.S. Detroit; U.S.S. San Francisco; U.S.S. Columbia; U.S.S. Vesuvius; U.S.S. Castine; U.S.S. Thetis and U.S.S. Concord. Some 3,400 of these rifles were accepted by the US Navy between 1888-1894 which places it under the final order made in 1894.





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aardq
Posts: 439
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 1:02 pm

Re: Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Post by aardq »

Hi VArifleman,

Do you have a list of what rifles were issued to what ships? Would love to know if my rifle was ever issued to a ship.

Thanks,
Daniel
varifleman
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:47 am

Re: Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Post by varifleman »

Hi Daniel; I don't have such a list but will do some research to see if such a list is available.
aardq
Posts: 439
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 1:02 pm

Re: Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Post by aardq »

Thanks, A lot of people would be interested. Maybe Springfield Research can help. Please let us know if you come across the info. Here's a wild idea. The navy must have recorded the serials of every gun assigned to each ship. I wonder where those records might be. Maybe someplace in the Library of Congress.

Daniel
varifleman
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:47 am

Re: Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Post by varifleman »

Here are links to US Navy ship logs available at the National Archives to include those on line; will have to peruse them for the names of ships listed above which received the Model 1885 rifles.

https://www.archives.gov/research/milit ... books/navy
https://www.archives.gov/research/milit ... avy-online
Dick Hosmer
Posts: 164
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:15 pm
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Re: Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Post by Dick Hosmer »

Very nice looking rifle - much better condition than mine (which is one of the 280 issued to the California Naval Battalion). I'll have a look in my SRS books to see if your number is mentioned. Sorry - nothing there.
aardq
Posts: 439
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 1:02 pm

Re: Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Post by aardq »

Noticed that your rifle has a canvas sling. Do you know if that it original? My 85 has a leather sling, and I think that every 82 and 85 that I've seen has a leather sling. I just wonder when they went to the canvas slings.
Thanks,
Daniel
old tanker
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2014 6:50 pm

Re: Remington Lee 45/70 Model 1885 Navy Rifle

Post by old tanker »

Here is mine. The bore is pristine. Navy number 2743, inspected by Lieutenant W.W. Kimball. Part of the second order of rifles ordered by the Navy in June of 1889.

No idea of where it's been or what it's done, but what an astounding bit of US military history. While the US Army was running around the plains chasing Indians with single shot trapdoor Springfields the Navy was issuing the Remington-Lee, first box magazine, repeating rifle in the world.

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