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Scarce CIVIL WAR Era Antique FREEMAN .44 Caliber Percussion ARMY REVOLVER 1 of 2,000 Revolvers Produced by HOARD’S ARMORY
Guns International #: 102012178 Seller's Inventory #: 217375
Category: Civil War Revolvers - Antique Revolvers - Percussion
Seller's Information
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Seller: AncestryGunsLLC
Company: Ancestry Guns LLC
Member Since: 11/3/16
State: Missouri
Zip: 65203
Country: United States
Phone: (314) 707-7373
International Phone: 314-707-7373
Platinum Seller
Number of Active Listings: 1585
Total Number of Listings: 30419
Seller: FFL Dealer
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted: Credit Card, Certified Check, Money Order
Description:
Scarce CIVIL WAR Era Antique FREEMAN .44 Caliber Percussion ARMY REVOLVER
1 of 2,000 Revolvers Produced by HOARD’S ARMORY
Here we present an antique Austin T. Freeman Army Percussion Revolver, made in 1863-64 in Watertown, New York. Though not much information if available about Freeman, we know he was born in New Hampshire in 1838, and by 1860, Freeman was living in German Flatts, NY, in Herkimer County. German Flatts is immediately adjacent to Ilion, NY, where the Remington factory was, and still is located. It is likely that during this period Freeman was a Remington employee, and we do know that after the Civil War, Freeman did have an association with Remington.
The Freeman Army Revolver was produced by Hoard’s Armory and was a .44 caliber, single action, 6-shot revolver. Charles B. Hoard had established the Hoard Armory in Watertown in 1861. During this same time that Hoard was trying desperately to get his manufactory up and running, he approached General Ripley at the Ordnance Department, offering to produce Freeman’s patent revolvers. His initial letter dated February 16, 1863 offered to manufacture 5,000 of the revolvers at $11 each. Ripley replied on April 14, accepting the offer, but Hoard replied that the price quoted was in error, and the actual unit price would be $12 each. Again, Ripley agreed and on May 30, 1863 the contract was signed, requiring the revolvers to be produced and delivered by September of that year. Long story short, Hoard defaulted, and no revolvers were produced or delivered in 1863.
Due to the failure of Hoard to make deliveries as promised, the Ordnance Department entered a contract on November 29, 1864 with Rogers & Spencer for 5,000 of their revolvers to replace the 5,000 Freemans that Hoard was unable to deliver. While it is sometimes thought that Rogers & Spencer bought out the Freeman contract, there is no written documentation of this, and rather is seems simply a coincidence that the Ordnance Department reassigned the contract to a firm that made a revolver that resembled the Freeman design. In the end, it appears that Hoard finally managed to manufacture about 2,000 Freeman Army Revolvers prior to entering receivership at the end of the Civil War.
The overall condition is good. Strong action. The bore is in good shape for its age with strong rifling and a dark patina. Both grips are in good shape with some chipping around each toe. Numbers match.
Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.
Barrel is 7-1/2 inches.
Caliber: .44 Percussion
Overall condition as seen in photos.
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ancestryguns
$3850
#217375
SOLD
Antique: Yes