Guns International #: 101894500

Category - Remington Pistols - Antique - Antique Pistols - Cartridge

Category
Remington Pistols - Antique
Antique Pistols - Cartridge

VERY FINE CONDITION REMINGTON 1871 U. S. ARMY .50 CALIBER CENTER FIRE ROLLING BLOCK PISTOL

Description:
VERY FINE CONDITION REMINGTON 1871 U. S. ARMY .50 CALIBER CENTER FIRE ROLLING BLOCK PISTOL. It a true mystery why the U.S. Army would contract for 5,000 of these single shot pistols at a time when revolvers were clearly accepted as the standard for military service. Perhaps it is because when the Ordnance Board met in St. Louis in 1870 only Smith & Wesson could offer cartridge firing revolving handguns (they held the patent for a bored through cylinder at that time). The .44 American Model S&W was not particularly powerful and the powers that be might have thought they needed something more potent, even though it was a single shot... Regardless, Remington made 5,000 for the U.S. Government and another 1,000 for commercial sales between 1872-1888. These attractive and unusual handguns took a .50 caliber center fire case that was merely a shortened .50-70 round. It fired a 300 grain bullet ahead of 25 grains of black powder. The military models all had the inspector initials "P" and "S" on the left forward section of the frame. They were also inspector stamped with "CRS" in a rectangle on the left grip.  This example shows a good crisp grip inspector stamp with the correct frame stamp. The 8" barrel retains nearly all the blue and the frame shows good fading case colors more toward the forward half of the receiver and on the receiver ring with the balance fading to a cloudy gray. The hammer and breech block were finished bright (in "the white"). The bore is about perfect and the front sight is unaltered. The rear sight is a notch in the breech block. Stock and forend are excellent showing only light handling. One of the most distinctive and attractive of the pistols issued to the Army during the Indian Wars period., many were gunsmith converted to target pistols and plinkers by replacing the barrels and fitting target sights. This is a particularly fine, unaltered example. Rare to find one in this condition with good blue, case colors, cartouche and bore!

SOLD

Antique: Yes
Manufacturer: REMINGTON
Model: 1871 U.S. ARMY PISTOL
Barrel Length: 8'
Condition: EXCELLENT
Bore Condition: EXCELLENT