Well my fellow Remmy fans, I'm sorry to say that your reading the words of a disillusioned USFA Remmy hopeful. Now call me naive, but one would think that USFA- a maker of excellent single action revolvers- would be a little bit more flexible with this potential customer's wishes.
This all started when I picked up the latest issue of Guns of the Old West. The new guns of 2008 featured a two page spread of the USFA Remington revolvers and immediately I noticed something that I didn't like.
First- The armory blue looked a little too gray for my tastes. I was expecting a dark rich blue normally seen on alot of single action revolvers.
Second- That front sight left alot to be desired. Not much of a convincing arguement here, but I really wanted to see a front sight that closely resembled the sights found on the Hartford Armory Model 1875.
All of a sudden, I started thinking about having my Remington 1875 customized. So I spent the last few days trying to get hold of a sales representative at the phone number listed for E. Remington & Sons which, wouldn't you know it, is the same number for USFA. When I started asking him if I could get my 1875 customized with the afore mentioned details, my hopes started to fade. The sales rep told me that "We can't do anything really wild".
Now folks that remark really put me off and left me dumbstruck. Put off in the fact that a sales rep would talk to someone willing to pay their hard earned money for their product like that! Dumbstruck in the fact that this company might be unable to do a few simple alterations. Common Sense dictates that for them to do something REALLY WILD would have them build an 1875 with an 18" barrel! Now okay, I might be wrong. USFA hasn't even started production of the 1875 yet, and here they have some wildcard telling them how he wants it done. Back to that front sight, the sales rep told me that spade sight on their 1875 was historically accurate. Well, after seeing a genuine E. Remington & Sons Model 1875 on the gunbroker website, I can tell you that there is proof of variation, and I firmly believe USFA should pay close attention to these details!
Now don't get me wrong, I think that USFA is one of the best things to ever happen to the firearms industry. But if they're not willing to build what I ask for, then I won't even bother to get their Model 1875. I'll just keep my eyes open for a used full blue Hartford Armory 1875 in .45 Colt. Now I could save myself the trouble and go get two EMF Outlaw revolvers at the drop of a hat, but I'm one of those people who still value the concept of AMERICAN MADE. I've been working hard and I've been putting up with a ton of other people's lard, just so I can lay my hands on the AMERICAN MADE Remington 1875 of my dreams. I've come too far just to give up and go Italian now.
"Don't you ever stop to think beyond the safe and sanctioned point of view?"- Stan Ridgway