Help Identifying "Youth Pistol", Reduced-Scale Remington Model 1848 New Model Army Reproduction

[No1UKnow]

My father had this pistol when I was a kid, and my brother and I both fired it many times. I cannot find any information on this piece online, and it has no manufacturer markings, that I can find. Similar to the "Pocket Pistol", but that has a different trigger area design. Dad has this catalogued as .31 cal, but .31 cal balls are very loose in the cylinders and barrel. When I use a caliper on the cylinders and barrel, I get more like a .38.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

N1UK

[Lou Lou Lou]

Have similar pistol. .36 cal takes .374 balls. Ours is Lyman with same color female.

[Lou Lou Lou]

.375 balls. Fat fingers

[No1UKnow]

Have similar pistol. .36 cal takes .374 balls. Ours is Lyman with same color female.


Thanks Lou! Not sure what you mean by "same color female". Any chance you might post a photo of your pistol? I didn't realize lyman made firearms. Molds and sights, yeah...

Cheers,

N1UK

[No1UKnow]

Still having trouble finding anything online about this. I've found one by Lyman that appears to be full-scale, but this is more like 3/5 scale.

I've placed it next to an original Remington 1858, .44

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

Who says its a reproduction? Based on the marking on the top flat of the barrel it appears to be an original Remington New Model Police Revolver. These .36 caliber percussion revolvers all had 5-shot cylinders. Barrels came in varying lengths. Lou probably meant finish (not female) but we know where his mind is.

Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

[Muley Gil]

I tend to agree with Jim Burgess. The roll marks on top look to be authentic Remington. I believe it has been re-blued, which would account for the plum frame.

Lyman did import some BP replicas, years ago. I have one.

[No1UKnow]

Here are two Rogers & Spencer revolvers. One is original and one is Italian. The only place that I have ever seen a frame colored like that is on an Italian gun from the early 70's.




7637

Thanks Jim. That's a different model, of course. In addition to the Police Revolver, I also have an Original New Model Army and an Italian repro of that model. Those can be very good copies, but they typically have markings identifying them as such. This has no such markings.

What has me intrigued, is Jim Burgess' comment above. I note that the top line of the lettering on the barrel is worn down right where a holster would have done that... But the "bluing" is good there. I'm wondering if this is an original piece that has been re-browned...

I just sent pics to Rhode Island Auction Co, to see what their experts have to say about it.

[ikesdad]

An easy way to find out would be to check if the screws are metric.

[No1UKnow]

An easy way to find out would be to check if the screws are metric.


That's a great idea :-)

[John Holland]

Jim Burgess is correct as to the Model of revolver, and it is original. And, yes it has been reblued. The reason for the "Plumb Brown" color of the frame is because of the alloy used for the casting. I have seen several original Civil War arms that came out with that same color when reblued. One was a Wesson Carbine where the frame came out the exact same color as this revolver.

[Muley Gil]

"
The only place that I have ever seen a frame colored like that is on an Italian gun from the early 70's."

A lot of Ruger revolvers turn plum. I had a first year .357 Flattop Blackhawk that was almost completely plum.

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello:

Years ago, an experienced gunsmith taught me to cold-rust blue gun parts and barrels. He shared that different metallurgy/alloys such as castings and hardened parts would resist hot-bluing.
The cast parts usually turned "reddish or plum". Ruger frames were an example.
How RUGER hot blues its investment cast frames/receivers so they are blue is a mystery to me.
Perhaps it involves the chemistry of the HOT blue solution.

Hardened parts often remained "straw" colored.

He said the only way to "blue" or have an EVEN, matching coloration was to cold-rust ALL the parts such as investment castings an hardened parts like Luger safety levers and Mauser bolt release levers.

My curiosity is about ORIGINAL Remington revolvers having a CAST frame. New to me. Live & learn.

Respectfully,
Kevin Tinny,
Tammany Rgt, 42 NY 13667

[Jim Wimbish, 10395]

There is a good thread on The High Road on bluing and how you can get purple coloring. Do a search on 'what causes bluing to have a purple look'. Rugers are specifically mentioned.

[Kevin Tinny]

Bingo, Jim:

Thanks. Searched and lots info.
A common thing in modern guns involving both metallurgy and bluing chemistry.
An additive to hot bluing chemicals eliminates most of it.
Does not appear to indicate inferior metal.

Kevin

[ikesdad]

Hello:

Years ago, an experienced gunsmith taught me to cold-rust blue gun parts and barrels. He shared that different metallurgy/alloys such as castings and hardened parts would resist hot-bluing.
The cast parts usually turned "reddish or plum". Ruger frames were an example.
How RUGER hot blues its investment cast frames/receivers so they are blue is a mystery to me.
Perhaps it involves the chemistry of the HOT blue solution.

Hardened parts often remained "straw" colored.

He said the only way to "blue" or have an EVEN, matching coloration was to cold-rust ALL the parts such as investment castings an hardened parts like Luger safety levers and Mauser bolt release levers.

My curiosity is about ORIGINAL Remington revolvers having a CAST frame. New to me. Live & learn.

Respectfully,
Kevin Tinny,
Tammany Rgt, 42 NY 13667

Yes, rust blue instead of hot blue. It's easier, simpler, and cheaper done at home, and produces a more durable finish than hot blue.