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- Aug 26, 2021
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- North Carolina
Once again, my friends, I want to take a minute to share with you my most recent acquisition. This one is a Remington Beals model 1858 Navy revolver.
From the good folks at College Hill Arsenal;
"The Beals Navy Revolver was Remington's first large frame, martial handgun to make it into production. The Beals Navy was a single action, 6-shot revolver with a nominally 7 inch octagonal barrel that was screwed into the solid frame. The guns were blued throughout, with brass triggerguards and a color casehardened hammer. The gun had two-piece smooth walnut grips, secured by a screw that passed through German silver escutcheons and a cone shaped German silver front sight was dovetailed into the top of the barrel near the muzzle.
There were a number of differences between the Beals model and the later production "Old Model" 1861 and "New Model" 1863 revolvers. The most obvious differences were the "high spur" hammer and the fact that frame concealed the barrel threads at the rear of the barrel. Shortly after the "Old Model" 1861 went into production, this feature was eliminated and a relief cut in the frame revealed the threads at the barrel's end...The Beals model did not have safety notches on the rear of the cylinder, allowing the hammer to be safely dropped and locked between cylinder chambers, and this feature was added to the Model 1861 and 1863 revolvers."
This example, serial number 5863, is believed to have been manufactured in November 1861. It is all matching and has some unusual letters on the left grip. The revolver functions as it should. The hammer cocks very easily, which, to me is indicative of having been used a lot.
What really attracted me to this example is the wear on the muzzle of the barrel. Clear evidence that this pistol spent a lot of time traveling in a holster. While I can't be sure, I would like to think that it spent the majority of the war in service to a trooper on one side or the other.
This addition is my second Beatles Navy and my fourth Remington. Still on the hunt for Beals Army but aren't we all lol?
From the good folks at College Hill Arsenal;
"The Beals Navy Revolver was Remington's first large frame, martial handgun to make it into production. The Beals Navy was a single action, 6-shot revolver with a nominally 7 inch octagonal barrel that was screwed into the solid frame. The guns were blued throughout, with brass triggerguards and a color casehardened hammer. The gun had two-piece smooth walnut grips, secured by a screw that passed through German silver escutcheons and a cone shaped German silver front sight was dovetailed into the top of the barrel near the muzzle.
There were a number of differences between the Beals model and the later production "Old Model" 1861 and "New Model" 1863 revolvers. The most obvious differences were the "high spur" hammer and the fact that frame concealed the barrel threads at the rear of the barrel. Shortly after the "Old Model" 1861 went into production, this feature was eliminated and a relief cut in the frame revealed the threads at the barrel's end...The Beals model did not have safety notches on the rear of the cylinder, allowing the hammer to be safely dropped and locked between cylinder chambers, and this feature was added to the Model 1861 and 1863 revolvers."
This example, serial number 5863, is believed to have been manufactured in November 1861. It is all matching and has some unusual letters on the left grip. The revolver functions as it should. The hammer cocks very easily, which, to me is indicative of having been used a lot.
What really attracted me to this example is the wear on the muzzle of the barrel. Clear evidence that this pistol spent a lot of time traveling in a holster. While I can't be sure, I would like to think that it spent the majority of the war in service to a trooper on one side or the other.
This addition is my second Beatles Navy and my fourth Remington. Still on the hunt for Beals Army but aren't we all lol?
Bringing the