REMINGTON OLD MODEL ARMY

Remington Old Model Army

The Remington Beals was the first large frame Remington pistol made.  It was made both in Army and Navy calibers. Remington Beals were made from 1858 into 1862.   In December 1861 Remington received a new patent for modificaions in the cylinder pin.  The Revised Model Army is often refered to as the Model 1861 Army or the Old Model Army.  The new cylinder pin allowed the pin to slide forward without lowering the loading lever.  Remington received a contract on July 1862 for 20,000 of the Model 1861 Army Revolvers.    The new cylinder pin  quickly became a problem in the field because, when you fired the pistol, the pin tended to move forward.  This would freeze the cylinder rendering the pistol inoperable.  Many were sent back to Remington to have either the loading lever replaced or a screw placed in the recess to prevent the cylinder pin from sliding forward. 4,902 of the Old Model armys were delivered to the ordnance department.   Remington developed a updated model which is known as the New Model Army or the Model 1863 Army.    The July 1862 contract was completed with New Model Armys.  Remington Armys follow the same serial number sequence.  The Beals Army fall in the 1- 3000 range and the Old model Armys fall into the 3000 to 22,000 range with the new models starting in the 15,000 range and overlapping the old models.  The range of 10,000 to 22,000 is often called the transitional range with more New Model Army features being incorporated in the "Old Model" Armies.  These Remington Model Armys were issued and saw heavy service during the war.  

This example is serial number  7708, so would have been delivered in the later part of 1862.  The metal has a brown patina with only scattered area of light pitting.  The barrel address is readable with the patent information a little light.  It has the Dec 17, 1861 patent date.  The serial number is marked on the frame under the left grip, under the barrel and on the back of the cylinder and all three match.  This example has the  screw in the loading lever recess, to prevent the cylinder pin from moving forward.   Also this one does not have safety notches on the back of the cylinder., which were added in the new model army.  The action is solid on this one.  The wood has a wide shallow chip out of the left grip.   There is a trace of the cartouche in the left grip.  There are inspector's initials on the left rear barrel, the cylinder and the lower left part of the frame.