Remington Cane Gun
E. Remington & Sons · Rifle · Discontinued · 1858
Also known as: Remington Rifle Cane, Remington No. 1 Rifle Cane, Remington No. 2 Rifle Cane, Thomas Patent Cane Gun
Overview
The Remington Cane Gun is a 19th-century single-shot concealed firearm disguised as a gentleman's walking cane, produced by E. Remington & Sons. Patented by Remington's master mechanic John F. Thomas in 1858 as a .31-caliber percussion arm, it was redesigned in the mid-1860s to fire self-contained metallic rimfire cartridges in .22 (No. 1 Rifle Cane) and .32 (No. 2 Rifle Cane). The steel firing tube is hidden inside the cane shaft, the curved gutta-percha or horn handle unscrews or pivots to load a single cartridge, and a concealed internal hammer or firing rod is released by a trigger below the grip. Roughly 4,500 were built before production ended in 1888.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 454 g (16.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 902 mm (35.51") |
| Barrel Length | 203 mm (7.99") |
| Action Type | Breech Loading |
| Firing Mechanism | Internal Hammer |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 275 m/s (902 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 200 J (148 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Gutta Percha |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .32 Rimfire · primary — also known as .32 Long Rimfire, .32 RF, .32 Long RF
- .22 Short — also known as .22 Short, .22 Rimfire, .22 RF
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Features: Concealed Firearm, Walking Cane Disguise, Unscrewing Breech, Internal Hammer, Detachable Handle
Service history
Operators
- Civilian gentlemen
Production
Estimated total produced: 4,500 · Production years: 1858-1888
About 500 percussion canes were made from 1858 to 1866 (many later converted to rimfire); roughly 2,000 of each rimfire caliber (.22 RF and .32 RF) followed. Total estimates range from about 2,500 to 4,500 across sources.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John F. Thomas
Discontinued: 1888
Notes
Loaded by unscrewing the cane handle to expose the breech; the handle doubled as a rudimentary buttstock for aiming. Early rimfire examples used an internal hammer, later replaced by a rod-driven firing pin. Both smoothbore and rifled barrels are known. Considered the first metallic-cartridge long gun made by Remington.
Background
Marketed to the well-dressed 19th-century gentleman as discreet protection against footpads and stray dogs, the Remington cane gun let its owner carry a firearm in plain sight. Its introduction touched off a small arms race among American, English and French makers of disguised cane guns.