Original Remington Cap and Ball

P

Phil - MO

Inactive
I have either a Remington Beals 36 cal. or early 1861 Remington Navy 36 cal. passed down to me from my grandfather. The cylinder does not have the extra locking indentions like the late model 1861.
He was 12 years old when he arrived in the U.S. from Austria around 1875. Shortly thereafter he supposedly shot a deer with this revolver. I have the farm that was homesteaded in 1875 and am retiring to it. Out of curiosity I am trying to find out which model this revolver is.
The loading lever is missing.
I know that the barrel is supposed to have "Beals Patent Sept. 14 1858" or the 1861 model "Patented Dec. 17, 1861" which would make it easy. Mine has no markings on the barrel. It does have some threads showing in the cylinder chamber. I'm beginning to think it was rebarreled and sold after the civil war to civilians?
The serial number is 6920 under the brass trigger guard and wooden grips.
Just curious.
 
The serial number provides the answer. There were 15,000 of the first "Beals" model made, serial starting at 1. There were 6000 of the Model 1861, serial numbers 15000 to 21000.

Jim
 
Original Remington

Thanks very much Mr. Keenan.

For some reason it was very important to me to know just what model this revolver was.
If anybody would know where I could get a loading lever I would appreciate it.
I bought a couple of loading levers for a 36 and 44 caliber from Dixie and am in the process of trying to make them work, but would like an original if possible. Would like to put in on display in the farm house.

Guess I'll never know why the barrel doesn't have any markings.

Phil
 
You might also try www.ssfirearms.com for that loading lever. Their parts are usually better than Dixie's. I doubt you will be able to find an original.

Markings could have been removed as part of a refinish job at one time, or the barrel may be a replacement that never had markings. Any guess is about as good as any other.

If you can fit the Dixie parts and age them a bit, it should be OK for your purpose; only you will know the loading lever is not original.

Jim
 
Original

Mr. Keenan:

Thanks again.

I emailed the company to see if they had the loading lever.

I also have an 1829 Springfield musket that I guess was converted to percussion. They do not list parts for this model but I bet the 1816 Springfield parts would fit.
I talked to my uncle several years ago about the 1829 musket before he passed away and he said when he and his brother were kids when my grandparents went to town one day with the horse and wagon, they took the musket out and put 2 loads from shotgun shells into it and shot it at a crow. Luckily nobody was hurt as the smokeless powder blew aout the nipple, and sheared off the cross bolt in the stock among other damage.
I have since repaired it enough to shoot carefully with black powder. I tried it out on a wild turkey one year loaded with shot. The turkey got away.
 
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