Remington-Keene
Remington Arms · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1880
Also known as: Keene Magazine Rifle, Remington-Keene Model of 1880
Overview
The Remington-Keene was Remington's first production bolt-action rifle, designed by John W. Keene and introduced commercially in 1880. It pairs a turning bolt with a tubular magazine under the barrel and a distinctive external hammer-style cocking piece that can be lowered to half-cock as a safety; a cutoff allows single-shot use with the magazine held in reserve. Chambered primarily in .45-70 Government, fewer than 5,000 were built before production ended in the late 1880s.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4082 g (144.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1219 mm (47.99") |
| Barrel Length | 743 mm (29.25") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 9 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tube |
| Muzzle Velocity | 411 m/s (1348 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2170 J (1601 ft·lbf) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
Calibers
- .45-70 Government · primary — also known as .45-70, .45-70-405, 11.6x53mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch, Magazine Cutoff
- Features: External Hammer Cocking Piece, Tubular Magazine Under Barrel, Magazine Elevator, Single Shot Cutoff, Folding Leaf Sights
Variants
- Remington-Keene U.S. Navy Model 1880 — Military Rifle
- Remington-Keene Frontier Carbine — Carbine
- Remington-Keene Sporting Rifle — Sporting
Service history
Operators
- United States Navy · adopted 1880 · as Model of 1880
- United States Department of the Interior (Indian Police) · adopted 1880
Conflicts
- American Indian Wars (1880-1888)
Production
Estimated total produced: 5,000 · Production years: 1880-1888
Approximately 5,000 produced across Navy, Frontier carbine, and sporting variants
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John W. Keene
Discontinued: 1888
Notes
Submitted to the 1878 US Army trials but not adopted. The US Navy bought 250 rifles and the Interior Department armed western reservation police with roughly 600 Frontier-model carbines, making surviving marked examples rare.
Background
One of the earliest American bolt-action repeaters, the Remington-Keene armed the very first U.S. reservation Indian Police, the Interior Department buying around 600 Frontier carbines at $17.50 each to keep order in the American West.