Remington

Remington Collectibles

The Remington company is the oldest American firearms manufacturer, founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington. His first challenge was to manufacture a better rifle than those available on the market.

Over time, the Remington company became a family business and was well-known for manufacturing barrels for gunsmiths. Remington rifle barrels were famous among gunsmiths and private individuals alike. The Remington company obtained its first government contracts, initially by subcontracting barrel production for gunsmiths, and then in 1845 with an order for 5,000 Model 1841 Mississippi Rifles. These were the first firearms entirely produced by the Remington company.

For collectors of antique Remington firearms, the first handguns appeared in 1857 with the production of the Remington Pocket revolver, followed by the Remington Beal’s Pocket revolver. Production of the three Pocket models was quite limited, at around 5,000 units, making the subject difficult to grasp for collectors of Remington revolvers and highly sought-after antique Remington firearms.

Remington Military Revolvers

Indeed, the Colt company very cleverly blocked several competitors with technical patents on its firearms technologies. It wasn’t until the late 1850s that the Remington black powder revolver appeared, becoming its first major success. The 1858, which was produced in several calibers and models, all based on the same design, was indeed one of the iconic firearms before the arrival of black powder weapons with metallic cartridges. It was the first handgun to receive government orders and was used by soldiers on both sides during the American Civil War.

Why choose Remington for a collectible firearm?

Less well-established in political and military circles than Colt, Remington firearms, despite innovations in terms of durability and usability, had to wait until the final years of the war and the Colt factory fire to become truly indispensable. In practice, the qualities of the 1858 revolver and its variants became apparent, making it a staple of 19th-century American firearms collections. Remington surrounded itself with visionary engineers such as Mr. Beal and Mr. Rider, who introduced innovations to 19th-century American firearms. From this period, numerous Remington revolvers appeared, and the company embarked on a diverse range of production models that are highly prized by collectors of American black powder firearms today.

Remington Black Powder Revolvers

The 1858 Beal’s Army revolver, Remington-Beal’s Navy revolver, New Model Army revolver, Remington Rider belt revolver, and their variants were manufactured until 1875, with a total of over 230,000 units produced. The design and durability of Remington Civil War revolvers made them essential weapons for combatants during the Civil War and the conquest of the American West. After the Civil War, the Remington company continued its innovations and the manufacture of quality firearms, offering a wide range of firearms, including rifles and revolvers. For the antique firearms collector, this is a subject that offers a multitude of variations and models of 19th-century American antique firearms.