This is a nice example of the one thousand .44 caliber Remington New Model Army revolvers purchased by New Jersey in 1864. It rates very good to excellent for condition. The grips are super. The mechanics are perfect. Nipples are not battered. The pistol retains at least 80 percent of its blued finish on cylinder and right lower frame, with freckling forward of the cylinder on the frame and some thinning spots along the barrel. The left side shows better color on the forward frame and barrel, but rubbing and finish loss on the lower frame. The loading lever shows some rubbing along the bottom surface. The barrel as a whole, however, shows strong color, the correct screw-in front sight, and a crisp, correct, three-line address: “PATENTED SEPT. 14, 1858 / E. REMINGTON & SONS, ILION, NEW YORK. U.S.A. / NEW MODEL.” It also bears the correct “first type” New Jersey Armorer’s marking of a small “N.J.” on the left side flat of the barrel and on the lower left frame between cylinder and triggerguard.

The grips have tight fit to the metal and good surface. The backstrap shows a mix of thin, light blue and muted silver from handling. The butt shows some minor pinpoint dings to the metal, and two small dings to the left grip, which shows just the slightest hairline gap to the metal at front and back edge, but the metal shows more color on the bottom and on the front curve up to the triggerguard. The hammer shows good color and just slight freckling. The screw heads all show good color and crisp slots.

By 1864 Colt had fallen out of favor with the Ordnance Department, mostly because of pricing, and Remington was on its way to fulfilling a November 1863 contract for 64,900 revolvers, regarded as the best available, and the largest small arms contract awarded by Ordnance during the war. The company took a leaf out of Colt’s book and also canvassed state authorities for business. New Jersey’s Quartermaster General responded with a purchase offer on 8/8/64 for 1,000 revolvers with cone wrench and screwdriver for $12.68 each, to be delivered to the Trenton Arsenal in thirty days. As is correct for these state-purchase pistols, the grips do not have US inspector cartouches.

The serial number is 71,623. A letter of 6/6/64 mentions a pistol in the 70,000 range in another context, but that gives a pretty good idea of the production date. New Jersey contract pistols are known in the 58,000 to 75,000 range, and we recently offered #71623, with the same first type NJ markings. This is a very good Remington New Model Army, one of the primary .44 caliber revolvers issued to cavalrymen during the Civil War.  [sr] [ph:m/L]

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