1841 RIFLE - REMINGTON - 1850

1841 Rifle  Remington. SOLD

The 1841 rifle was the first percussion rifle adopted by the US.  They were produce at Harper's Ferry Armory and by a number of contractors.  Remington received a contract to produce 5,000 1841 rifles in 1845.   He had some difficulty starting up production and his first delivery of 1240 rifles, was in 1850.  2,000 were delivered in 1851 and the remaining 1,760 were delivered in 1852.  An contract for an additional 5,000 was issued in 1853 and Remington completed deliveries on the second contract, and their total production of 1841 rifles was 10,000.  in  April 1861, 5,000 Remington 1841 rifles were sent to New York for Arming volunteers from New York,  The original design of the 1841 rifle did not have provisions for a Bayonet.  The state of New York had 3,268 of their 1841 rifles altered by Remington to accept a saber bayonet.  The New York Adjutant General report listed 2,180 1841 rifles altered to socket bayonet.  Thus it appears that all 5,000 Remington 1841 rifles received by New York were altered to accept a bayonet.  In 1860 the secretary of War distributed 4000 Remington 1841 rifles to Southern Arsenals with most going to Fayetteville NC and Charleston SC.  In Charleston, J H Happoldt contracted to alter 1841 rifle to accept a bayonet.  His receipts show he altered at least 338.  With the alteration of the New York rifles, unaltered 1841 rifles have a strong chance of coming from the 4000 sent south in 1860.  

This example is dated 1850 on the lock and 1849 on the barrel.  It probably was in the first shipment from Remington in 1850.  It has not been altered to accept a bayonet and is in the original 54 caliber.  It is all original.   The metal is a pleasing grey patina with scattered areas of light pitting.  The lock is a grey patina with some scattered pitting.  The stamping are readable and look lightly stamped.  The tail of the lock says "US" over "1850"  and in front of the hammer is "REMINGTON'S" over "HERKIMER" over "NY"  The barrel proofs are clear and deeply stamped while the date is lightly stamped and says "1849"  The front and rear sight are present and the bore has nice rifling.  The ramrod is original and correct for this model.  The stock is solid with a strong "WAT" cartouche and the other cartouche is readable. It does have a piece of wood missing from along the side of the barrel tang.   The brass furniture has a little "M" stamped on it as does the barrel.  The barrel is marked "STEEL" on the left side of the Barrel.  It is interesting that Remington used cast Steel for his barrels for his entire production.  Both Harper's Ferry and Whitney converted to using Steel in their barrels during their production runs.  

SOLD