What should I look/watch for when buying an 1858 Remmie?

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Major 2,

I should never try to read, comprehend and write when I am tired and sleepy .... not only too many typos, but I tend to miss things ...

I have several friends who are talking with me about selling me their old used pistols.... something that looks like it might have set in a holster for a spell ...

And since we are talking about the kit of a private in the 2nd (Confederate) Florida Cavalry, how 'bout one of those oversizedbrass 'D' handled Bowie Kinife/Sword instead of a saber? With a black sheath to match the rest of the pistol holster and belt?

[Slowhand Bob]

Wadd, as to the '58 Remington, I have always been happy with the Pietta versions and the two newer ones I have are actually much nicer than the ones purchased several years earlier.  They look better finished and the actions now come already equal to what I was paying a local smith to do on the old ones.  The downsides are subjective to some extent, the front sight is a leather digger and does tend to gouge a channel but so does the Navy, though not quite as bad.  My biggest complaint is the grip, I rate it as the least favorite amongst those guns I enjoy shooting.  It is still one of my favorites though, with its pluses canceling out the negatives. 

I really like the D-guard knives also and kept the one offered by Atlanta Cutlery at the top of my shopping list for a long time BUT alas, it never did materialize.  I loved the lines of the Atlanta Cutlery knife and passed over several other D-guard styles waiting for that one. 

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Slowhand Bob ....

I really like the blade length and shape of theAtlanta Cutlery model too ....

But steel was in short supply in the South ,and I have never seen a 'real' Confederate D Blade Bowie with a steel guard ... and since that is all that would show most of the time ... I too passed it by

[River City John]

Wadd,
Not trusting anything under .44 . . . many did stake their life on .36,  or smaller caliber. There is nothing you can't do with a .36 that you can do with a .44.
If looking for '63 New Model .44cal. "Army", why wouldn't the .36cal '63 New Model "Navy" work for you? (The '63 New Model's identifying features show the barrel threads exposed at the rear near the cylinder plus the safety notches between nipple wells cut into the cylinder and a bit longer web on the rammer. These are the model being offered by manufacturers today. The 1858 patent date was stamped throughout the years of manufacture during the Civil War.)

The .36 was 7 3/8" length barrel, as opposed to an 8" on the .44, and the frame, while having the same look, was a bit smaller in scale and to me feels better to my hand.

Most all the modern suppliers use the .44cal frame for the .36 Navy to simplify manufacturing. The exception was the New Model Navy made by Euroarms, offered through S&S Firearms. Their latest catalog still lists the Euroarms Army but only the Uberti Navy, which is built on the Army frame. Perhaps you could locate the more accurately-scaled Euroarms Navy on the secondary market. Or give S&S a call and see if they have any Euroarms .36 in stock.

The one big advantage, if you pair it with your '51 Colt Navy it will simplify loading. Both will use the same dia. ball and the same powder charge and caps. Shoot two cap 'n' ball revolvers and no real need for a spare cylinder. Most ranges adjust their reactive targets to being toppled by the lighter .38 weight slugs, and the .36 will perform just as well as those can.

RCJ

As a comparison. Uberti Navy on left, Euroarms Navy on right. Euroarms frame and feel is more historically accurate, if that is of importance to you.


As to those 'D'-guard bowies, take a lesson from the veteran Rebel campaigners. Rarely got to close enough quarters to wield that beast, and soon discarded and replaced with a much more useful pocketknife.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

RCJ,

I would rather have the most accuracy histoically, but I thik it will end up being decided by price and availability of parts and cylinders.  I have a friend on here who has kindkly offered his '58 Remmie ... there is one on thecascity.com classified for $190 including extra cylinder .... and with a Depot jacket  and some pants (and possibly a shirt or two) on my procurement list, price will definitely be one of the deciding factors ...

Major 2,

I wanted to ask you about one of the D Guarded Bowie Knife/Sword combos .... I would not want to be in a charge against 19th century cavalry without at least one of these to ward off thrusts of the oncoming enemy cavalry .... would I be wrong to wear one on my belt hung in a sheath like a knife?

[Wolfgang]

Among my numerious Remingtons I did have a Euroarms.  Gave it away as a Christmas present to my brother.  Was nice,... but our hands are bigger than those of the folks that wielded those Remingtons back in the 1800s... and the grips on the Euroarms which are the "correct historical size" are too small to be comfortable for shooting in our modern day hands.  A consideration to be taken.   

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

Wolfgang,

I am working on a Confederate Persona for the springtime based on my great-grandfather ... he fought with the 2nd Florida Cavalry and in 1862, when he signed up, the South was financially on bad times .... most of their armament came from 'battlefiled donations'. I don't know what he carried, but a Remington 1858 plus and extra cylinder in his depot jacket would not be irregular.

Wadd, something you might want to consider.  It is my understanding that the Remington was not in production until late in 1862, the contract order was for 9,000 but I have never seen how many were delivered, the odds of anyone in the 2nd picking one up on the battle field would be about the same as winning the lottery. The fact you are looking at coupling the Remington with the front stuffer says it is early '62.

[Major 2]

RCJ,

I would rather have the most accuracy histoically, but I thik it will end up being decided by price and availability of parts and cylinders.  I have a friend on here who has kindkly offered his '58 Remmie ... there is one on thecascity.com classified for $190 including extra cylinder .... and with a Depot jacket  and some pants (and possibly a shirt or two) on my procurement list, price will definitely be one of the deciding factors ...

Major 2,

I wanted to ask you about one of the D Guarded Bowie Knife/Sword combos .... I would not want to be in a charge against 19th century cavalry without at least one of these to ward off thrusts of the oncoming enemy cavalry .... would I be wrong to wear one on my belt hung in a sheath like a knife?

The D gaurd bowies , at least the ones I've have seen were mostly crude, or at least blacksmith wrought.

The Windless Steelcraft versions (made in India) are just too fancy, and BTW of sub steel quality IMHO.
I've seen a fair nunder of so call Confederate D Guards...
were there a lot used ? ..I say no , they did exist though as did Arkanas Toothpicks.. just not a lot or even  issue.
I venture more than a few so call survivors and sold as same ,were not 19th. century vintage at all...

[Major 2]

For your visual I offer:

Private Walter Miles Parker, 1st Florida Cavalry, C.S.A circa 1862

Note: the Double Shotgun

[Major 2]

Skip

here is about as nice D Handle Bowie as you'll see

Claims to be arsenal made, no Arsenal is given though.

Tag. reads "Yankee Slayer"

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Major 2,

I have fallen in love/lust at the Atlanta Cutlery version of the Confederatet 'D' Handle  ... with a few exceptions:

I have never seen a Vonfederate 'D' Guard with a steel guard ... I am thinking either brass plate or have a new guard made.

The sheath is just too pretty for one used every day ... again, I would probably make a plain russet sheath ....

[Slowhand Bob]

I have heard it claimed that the D-guard was actually fashioned from broken swords salvaged from the battlefields by Johnny Rebs??

[Major 2]

The original I pictured above is a steel D Guard....
in fact of the period ones I've seen, all were steel or wought iron....

As for sabers perhaps, I have no data there..... but made from farm tools , wagon rims or hand forged yes...

[Murawski]

I'm a new guy so take everything I say with a grain of salt.  I purchased a Pietta 1858 at a gun show.  I later purchased a 45 Long Colt conversion cylinder.  The conversion cylinder had a sloppy lock up.  I found out that Pietta changed the hand and the cylinder slots in their newer pistols.  Evidently, I've got an older model.  The new hands are thicker and the newer cylinders have wider slots.  Now if I've got this wrong, please someone that really knows what's going on, set the record straight.  Next time I go to a gun show I'll tote around a micrometer.   

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Update;

I did buy the '58 Remington on cascity,com ... complete with extra cylinder. I bought the Fla six sided star-in-wreath belt buckle and made a vinagaroon stained belt for it ... bought David Carrico' version of a D-guarded Bowie and then stripped the horsehide off the wooden sheath (horsehide being difficult to stain), and replaced it with vinagaroon stained leather ( reversing how it sits so the D-guard is to the rear). I have ordered one of David Carrico's CSA Cavalry holsters in black (I plan to dip it in the vinagaroon once I get it so that it will 'match' the belt and sheath ...

I have a pair of black Fort Western Boots that will have to due for right now ... and plan to make some plain untooled buck-less spur straps, again using a vinagaroon to dye them ....with some spurs that I bought through cascity.com.



And when I get the holster dyed and the rig assembled I will put a pic online ...