Remington Rolling Block M1868 (Egyptian Contract)
E. Remington and Sons · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1869
Also known as: M1868 Egyptian Remington, M1869 Egyptian Contract, Remington No. 1 Egyptian
Overview
The Egyptian-contract Remington Rolling Block was a single-shot, rolling-block breech-loading infantry rifle ordered in 1868 by the Khedivate of Egypt and chambered for the proprietary .43 Egyptian (11.43x49mmR) cartridge. Known as the M1868 for the contract year and M1869 for first delivery, roughly 60,000 were delivered through 1876, with output split between Remington in the United States and licensed Liège syndicate makers. It armed Egyptian forces against the British at Tel-el-Kebir and during the Mahdist War in the Sudan.
Specifications
| Overall Length | 1270 mm (50.00") |
| Barrel Length | 889 mm (35.00") |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 405 m/s (1329 fps) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .43 Egyptian (11.43x49mmR) · primary — also known as .43 Egyptian, 11mm Egyptian Remington, 11.43x49mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock
- Features: Rolling Block Breech, Leaf Rear Sight, Bayonet Lug
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Egyptian Army (Khedivate of Egypt) · adopted 1869 · as M1868
- French Army · adopted 1870
Conflicts
- Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)
- Anglo-Egyptian War (1882)
- Mahdist War (1881-1899)
Production
Estimated total produced: 60,000 · Production years: 1869-1876
About 60,000 delivered to Egypt by 1876; produced by Remington and by Liège licensees (E&L Nagant and others). Around 13,000 were diverted to France during the Franco-Prussian War.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Leonard Geiger and Joseph Rider
Discontinued: 1876
Notes
A distinct national-contract chambering of the Remington Rolling Block, differentiated from the generic Rolling Block by the proprietary .43 Egyptian cartridge. Up to ~13,000 of the contract rifles were diverted to France during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871.
Background
Egypt commissioned its own proprietary .43 Egyptian cartridge largely as a matter of national prestige, so these rifles fired ammunition that fit almost nothing else in the world's arsenals.