US Navy?

[Pitspitr]

I might have to shoot the Grand Muster as a sailor. 

[Niederlander]

I wonder what the NB on the stock means.   I REALLY need to shoot that rifle as some point.

[Drydock]

Someones initials I suspect.

Sailor Jerry.  That sounds familiar . . .

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=B3c0AcjC&id=8239654F34639A9AE90AE9334989BDF715687C3D&thid=OIP.B3c0AcjCrVulbxBEPnMJvgAAAA&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR07773401c8c2ad5ba56f10443e7309be%3frik%3dPXxoFfe9iUkz6Q%26riu%3dhttp%253a%252f%252fi1319.photobucket.com%252falbums%252ft662%252ftattoodoblog%252fSAILOR%2bJERRY%252fflash1_zps58117df4.jpg%26ehk%3dpuEpnzoXDGNexvSkO4gTZnnL0%252bKMG8ZW4n281Z6pQY8%253d%26risl%3d%26pid%3dImgRaw&exph=640&expw=445&q=sailor+jerry&simid=608055558287595322&ck=F2F44F0C86C8701810CA8B08B8457679&selectedIndex=31&FORM=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0

https://sailorjerry.com/en/

[Niederlander]

They seem way too nicely stamped to be initials, which are usually carved in.  (At least in my experience.  I'm often wrong, by the way.)  I know I've seen a picture of Marines with these things.  Wish I could remember where.

[Dave T]

Am I correct in thinking that is a Remington-Lee? Or, is it something else I am totally unfamiliar with?

Dave

[DJ]

Looks like an M1882.

I believe the "NB" is for "Naval Brigade."

I like it.  Shot it yet?

--DJ

[River City John]

"C" a company designation? "42" the arsenal rack stamp?

[DJ]

Regarding the M1882 models, Myszkowski says in his "The Remington-Lee Rifle" that the Naval Brigade in question was the Naval Brigade of the Massachusetts State Militia.  He shows a photo with stamps in the buttstock laid out similar to your rifle .

If you go to Grand Muster as a naval militiaman, in addition to putting the uniform together, are you going to need a dialect coach?

[Major 2]

May be of some help

[1961MJS]

Ummmm, Camp Jerry is a might far from water except during Nebrasky Thunderstorms n such.  Maybe Drydock's mobile headquarters needs an anchor...

Later

[38OVI]

Any need of a spare magazine?  I've got one.

[pony express]

Ummmm, Camp Jerry is a might far from water except during Nebrasky Thunderstorms n such.  Maybe Drydock's mobile headquarters needs an anchor...

Later

Somebody has to patrol the irrigation canal.

[Pitspitr]

Any need of a spare magazine?  I've got one.

YES! what will you take for it? Pm me. Also looking for a cleaning rod

[Pitspitr]

Someones initials I suspect.

Sailor Jerry.  That sounds familiar . . .

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=B3c0AcjC&id=8239654F34639A9AE90AE9334989BDF715687C3D&thid=OIP.B3c0AcjCrVulbxBEPnMJvgAAAA&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR07773401c8c2ad5ba56f10443e7309be%3frik%3dPXxoFfe9iUkz6Q%26riu%3dhttp%253a%252f%252fi1319.photobucket.com%252falbums%252ft662%252ftattoodoblog%252fSAILOR%2bJERRY%252fflash1_zps58117df4.jpg%26ehk%3dpuEpnzoXDGNexvSkO4gTZnnL0%252bKMG8ZW4n281Z6pQY8%253d%26risl%3d%26pid%3dImgRaw&exph=640&expw=445&q=sailor+jerry&simid=608055558287595322&ck=F2F44F0C86C8701810CA8B08B8457679&selectedIndex=31&FORM=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0

Almost makes me regret not having supported the inked arts. Almost
When did the Navy start marking their stuff USN? This one has US on the barrel, receiver and butt plate

Ys, Dave you are correct. I haven't shot it yet. I got my shot a couple of hours before I bought it and by the time I got home I really didn't feel very good. I did load the second magazine, and I'm not overy impressed with it. I wish the spring was heavier. I did read where the Army sent some of them to Ft. Randall SD for testing.

[Pitspitr]

Ok, after reading the article in American Rifleman, it appears to be a model 1882 produced for the Army, but some of them ended up in Navy hands after testing was complete. Strange part is that the serial number appears to fall in the M-1885 range. The rear sight appears to have been changed as for that serial number range it should have had the 1879 Trapdoor buckhorn instead of the Buffington.

[DJ]

According to "The Remington-Lee Rifle," the Army bought a number of Lee rifles in the 1884-85 time frame and by late 1885 750 had been delivered and over 700 of those issued for troop trials.  In annual reports between 1886 and 1891 there are mentions  of Buffington sights on some of those rifles--possibly as unit replacements.  A Boston firm bought several hundred of the Remington Lees from the Army in 1891, and the Navy promptly inquired about buying them for the Massachusetts Naval Brigade.  Apparently a deal was struck and in 1892 208 of the former Army rifles were issued to the Naval Brigade.  The Brigade marked its rifles the way yours is marked, with letter, over numeral, over "NB"--some were stamped and some were painted.  Both the barrel and receiver should have "DFC" stampings for the Army's inspector, and there may also be a vestige of the original DFC Army cartouche in the stock, although the reports about the Massachusetts surplus dealer suggest some degree of refurbishing that could have affected the markings.

Sounds like a rifle with an interesting history--not very many of them took that journey.

--DJ

[Pitspitr]

Thank you DJ
On this one you can kinda, sorta see where the cartouche was, but it isn't legible. I'll have to look more at the markings this evening.

[Pitspitr]

Hi DJ

Your description was almost like you were looking at mine except... of course the wood cartouches are, for all practical purposes, gone. I don't find the DFC on the barrel. Where would I look for it? The serial number falls well outside the range that would be expected. The serial number I'm seeing looks like 2340 or 2240. It's my understanding the the Navy put a second serial number on them? Could I be looking at the wrong one. Where would you look for the Remington applied serial Number? It does seem to have large chunks of old, dried and hardened cosmoline in places so some of the markings could be under there. I'm looking forward to giving her a good thorough cleaning.

[Books OToole]

In the for what it's worth column:

I knew an old guy who served in the "Naval Infantry" in WWII.

One of his stories involved shore duty guarding a cross roads intersection out in the desert in North Africa.  The roads were barely discernable and there was nothing for as far as he could see.  So he took off his helmet and used it as a stool to sit on.  And then along comes a staff car.  And guess who is in the staff car....

Books

[Major 2]

Hopefully it wasn't Rommel 

Probably worse for him if it were Patton .