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Remington Model 1858 Army

History

The Remington Arms gained considerable popularity during the American Civil War (1861-1865) with its rugged and reliable line of six-gun firearms. The use of "frame straps" on the cylinder improves the structure compared to competing ponies using open frames, which can lead to "frame stretching" over time. The Remington Model 1858 Army appeared before the war and continued to use the top harness frame design. Although they are dated "1858", many Remington 1858s were not widely distributed until 1861-1862.

A total of 132,000 copies were produced from 1862 to 1875. The design of the Model 1858 is credited to Fordyce Beals, whose last name appears on several early Remington guns.

The Model 1858 features a brass trigger guard, octagonal barrel assembly and Remington-style "net" on the reload lever - all contributing to the classic Remington "look". The hammer, as usual, is exposed at the rear of the frame and can be reached with the thumb of the master hand for easy handling. Sights are mounted on the front and rear of the gun and have an effective range of up to 75 meters.

The trigger is placed in an elongated ring just in front of the curved wood-covered handle. As usual, the cylinder is in the center of the weapon. Total weight is 2 lb 13 oz and barrel length is 13.25 inches. The barrel is 8 inches long.

Model 1858 fired from a six-chambered rotating cylinder. Each chamber is individually filled with powder and balls or cartons, depending on the period and current weapon model. The latter proved popular over time, although these were eventually replaced by full cartridge conversions. These chambers are struck by a one-piece ram that sits under the barrel, aligning with one chamber at a time.

Loading takes place through the front ports of each chamber located on the front of the barrel.

As a percussion revolver, the Model 1858 uses a "percussion cap" drive method. These caps (similar to children's toy hat guns) are placed on nipples located at the bottom of each chamber along the barrel, hammer blows act on the caps, and the resulting sparks ignite the powder or propellant located in the chambers. The resulting pressure pushes the ball or bullet out of the muzzle of the barrel through basic physics. Muzzle velocity is rated between 550 and 1,290 feet per second, giving the gun good stopping power.

The trigger is single-action or double-action, depending on the model purchased.

The Remington Model 1858 ended up in extensive service during the American Civil War (Confederate and Confederate) and around the world. It made its way into England, France, Japan, Mexico, and Russia, and was used by Native American tribes. Many participated in combat service after the Civil War, the Indian War, the violent American "Wild West" period, and during the Franco-Prussian War.

Existing firearms from 1858 underwent a conversion process to .46 individual rimfire cartridges. Finally, other conversions include a .32 Rimfire, .38/100 Rimfire and a .44 Remton.