1858 Remington by Santa Barbara

[sail32]

I just picked up a 1858 Remington by E.N. Santa Barbara, a Spanish Maker.

The revolver is plain with no engraving. It is unusual in that there is no visible serial number.

Are there any particularizes about this revolver I should know ?

Is there any capper that works with the Remington style revolver that does not require opening the cap cut ?

Thanks.

[Long Johns Wolf]

Their steel is usually harder than the Italian ones.
Quite a few have drift-adjustable dove-tailed front sights.
Ca. 60 % have their chamber dias' adjusted to the rifling groove dia for optimal accuracy.
Usually their fit and finish is well.
Long Johns Wolf

[Nine Mile Pete]

Long Johns:

I also have a Santa Barbara 1858.  You mention cylinder/barrel dia. matching on some of those models.
Mine has a precise , pin-prick just below the top facet on the muzzle face.  I've wondered about the significance of that mark.
Any thoughts.   Thanks.

I also have a type 2 engraved model in pristine condition.  What a beauty. (  Just bragging ) lol.

[Long Johns Wolf]

I cannot comment on this pin-prick but hope others will chime in regarding the subject.
It is my considered opionion that history and features of these Spanish Santa Barbara Remmies deserve to be further researched.
Long Johns Wolf

[sail32]

I have a similar punch mark in the center of the top section of the barrel in line with the front sight and mid way between the bore and the top barrel flat.

Perhaps it is an orientation mark for assembly or manufacturing ?

[Nine Mile Pete]

I guess the mark is no big deal, but I would really like to know if and what the significance is.

[sail32]

The closest similarity I could find is;

" M1903 NM (1921–1940)— selected rifles produced at Springfield Armory for National Match shooting competition. Production barrels were measured with star-gauges, and those meeting specified tolerances were stamped with an asterisk shaped star on the muzzle crown. "

??

[Nine Mile Pete]

After much cogitation, I do believe that the mark was a test for the hardness/stiffness of the steel barrel.

[llanerosolitario]

I just picked up a 1858 Remington by E.N. Santa Barbara, a Spanish Maker.

The revolver is plain with no engraving. It is unusual in that there is no visible serial number.

Are there any particularizes about this revolver I should know ?

Is there any capper that works with the Remington style revolver that does not require opening the cap cut ?

Thanks.

they were made in the city of OVIEDO, in north SPAIN, in the very industrial (coal and steel) region of ASTURIAS,  in the 1970´s, in the goverment arsernal factory of SANTA BARBARA, just in the city center, a factory that no longer exists. It is the same factory who made the famous OVIEDO Mausers.

this factory was integrated in the SANTA BARBARA holding, which was owned by the goverment to make several types of weapons for the spanish army, among them, the famous MG42 in modernized NATO VERSION, in 7,62x51 (308) caliber, known as MG3.  They also made military vehicles, tanks, cannons, naval and air defence systems, etc.

yes, the Steel is harder than the italian clones, as they were using the same steel used in the MG3 machine guns. Someone who has machined one of these cylinders on the lathe, with cobalt cutters, would agree. The italian makers use cheap soft steel, easy to machine, while these revolvers used some of the best steel in Spain.

only the barrel and cylinder were made in the factory, as well as fitting and finish. The frame was an investment casting made by Ecrimesa, a large private company specialized in investment casting process, in the nearby region of Cantabria.

and yes, they gained a fame of accuracy among shooters in Spain and France, as they were match guns. Several world championships were won with them in the Mariette matches. I

I owned one long ago, and with the right charge, and good quality swiss powder, it was extremly accurate. In fact, probably one of the most accurate revolvers I have owned, of all types, including smokeless ones.

yes,  they have a perfect bored size matched to the chamber´s diameter something that does not happen with UBERTI and some other, in my opinion, lower quality italian revolvers.

their main draw back was the grip, too small for most hands, and their front sight, fixed. In my opinion, the mechanism was a bit delicate too, with a bolt stop to thin, and the same with the trigger, so I would cock them with care. These were also investment cast parts made outside de factory, and Pietta parts can be adapted, like trigger, hammer, and sear, and bolt stop as well as spring, which is also very hard in these Santa Barbaras.

it seems that production stopped at the beginning of the 80´s.  The pin in the muzzle is just that, a pin.

all the best

[Fox Creek Kid]

After much cogitation, I do believe that the mark was a test for the hardness/stiffness of the steel barrel.

It probably is. Modern SIG pistols have that as well, but on the underside of the slide.