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Hallo!
Just a little "historical trivia."
On August 6, 1861, Samuel Remington accepted a contract for 10,000 rifles and sword bayonets for a version of the "upgraded" modified M1841 Rifles such as done by Harpers Ferry (the overall goal of those efforts was to make the M1841 on "par" with the new M1855 Rifle by going to .58, installing long range rear sights, and adding a bayonet) for $20.00 each.
$100,000 was dedicated to improve the manufacturing machinery for Remington's older M1841 production.
Unlike other Ordnance Department contracts and likely based on Eliphalet Remington's long history, NO delivery dates were specified other than they were to be delivered "with all possible dispatch."
Likely due to the "retooling," no deliveries were made for more than a year. This raised the suspicions of the Holt-Owens Commission convened to investigate arms procurement and contracts during the winter of 1861-1862. Remington testified, and asked for a new contract making the rifles for $17.00 IF the contract would be increased to 40,000-50,000 rifles.
After some negotiations, the Ordnance Department set aside the August 1861 contract that had produced no guns and replaced it On August 11, 1862 with a new one for 10,000 rifles at $17.00 each.
But Remington was still slow, and only 2,500 rifles had been delivered to Washington Arsenal by the time the contract expired. Colonel Hagner wrote to the Chief Of Ordnance on December 6, 1863 recommending a five (5) week extension be granted. The Secretary of War authorized a third contract on December 13, 1863 for 2,500 rifles still at $17.00.
Ordnance Department records clearly document the deliveries of 2nd and 3rd contract rifles to the Washington Arsenal:
April 15, 1863................500
June 13, 1863...............1,000
July 11, 1863................1,000
August 11, 1863...........1,000
September 7, 1863.......1,000
September 30, 1863.....1,000
October 23, 1863.........1,001
November 13, 1863.....1,000
December 23, 1863......1,000
January 6, 1864............1,000
January 8, 1864.............500
TOTAL.........................10,001 (the odd one being the sample or prototype for approval)
All 10,000 were still in storage at Washington Arsenal as late as May 15, 1866.
They were sold on August 8, 1907 to Francis Bannerman for $0.54 including their bayonets.
I do not know why they are not the "Remington M1861 Contract Rifle" (may be because zero were made. May be because the first contract was essentially for an upgraded M1841 type rifle, and the 2nd and 3rd contracts ended up being their new creation). Or why they are often referred to the "M1863" instead of the "M1862." NUG, typically the year a gun is "invented" is its model year, not the year it is produced (exceptions so noted). For example, it is the "M1855 Rifle" and not the year it first came out (Model 1857).
Side Note. The first two types of M1855 Rifles, in two variants, were brass mounted, browned barrels, and color case hardened hammers and lock plates. By and large, the Remington Model 1862 Contract Rifle is kinda/sorta a M1841 Rifle with late type M1855 Rifle long range rear sight.
I believe the Modernism or even Collectorism of "Zouave Rifle" may possibly come out of Bannerman advertisements but never got around to researching Bannerman ads.
Curt
Just a little "historical trivia."
On August 6, 1861, Samuel Remington accepted a contract for 10,000 rifles and sword bayonets for a version of the "upgraded" modified M1841 Rifles such as done by Harpers Ferry (the overall goal of those efforts was to make the M1841 on "par" with the new M1855 Rifle by going to .58, installing long range rear sights, and adding a bayonet) for $20.00 each.
$100,000 was dedicated to improve the manufacturing machinery for Remington's older M1841 production.
Unlike other Ordnance Department contracts and likely based on Eliphalet Remington's long history, NO delivery dates were specified other than they were to be delivered "with all possible dispatch."
Likely due to the "retooling," no deliveries were made for more than a year. This raised the suspicions of the Holt-Owens Commission convened to investigate arms procurement and contracts during the winter of 1861-1862. Remington testified, and asked for a new contract making the rifles for $17.00 IF the contract would be increased to 40,000-50,000 rifles.
After some negotiations, the Ordnance Department set aside the August 1861 contract that had produced no guns and replaced it On August 11, 1862 with a new one for 10,000 rifles at $17.00 each.
But Remington was still slow, and only 2,500 rifles had been delivered to Washington Arsenal by the time the contract expired. Colonel Hagner wrote to the Chief Of Ordnance on December 6, 1863 recommending a five (5) week extension be granted. The Secretary of War authorized a third contract on December 13, 1863 for 2,500 rifles still at $17.00.
Ordnance Department records clearly document the deliveries of 2nd and 3rd contract rifles to the Washington Arsenal:
April 15, 1863................500
June 13, 1863...............1,000
July 11, 1863................1,000
August 11, 1863...........1,000
September 7, 1863.......1,000
September 30, 1863.....1,000
October 23, 1863.........1,001
November 13, 1863.....1,000
December 23, 1863......1,000
January 6, 1864............1,000
January 8, 1864.............500
TOTAL.........................10,001 (the odd one being the sample or prototype for approval)
All 10,000 were still in storage at Washington Arsenal as late as May 15, 1866.
They were sold on August 8, 1907 to Francis Bannerman for $0.54 including their bayonets.
I do not know why they are not the "Remington M1861 Contract Rifle" (may be because zero were made. May be because the first contract was essentially for an upgraded M1841 type rifle, and the 2nd and 3rd contracts ended up being their new creation). Or why they are often referred to the "M1863" instead of the "M1862." NUG, typically the year a gun is "invented" is its model year, not the year it is produced (exceptions so noted). For example, it is the "M1855 Rifle" and not the year it first came out (Model 1857).
Side Note. The first two types of M1855 Rifles, in two variants, were brass mounted, browned barrels, and color case hardened hammers and lock plates. By and large, the Remington Model 1862 Contract Rifle is kinda/sorta a M1841 Rifle with late type M1855 Rifle long range rear sight.
I believe the Modernism or even Collectorism of "Zouave Rifle" may possibly come out of Bannerman advertisements but never got around to researching Bannerman ads.
Curt
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