Remington-Rider Double Action New Model Belt Revolver
E. Remington & Sons · Pistol · Discontinued · 1863
Also known as: Remington-Rider Double Action Belt Revolver, Remington New Model Belt Revolver (Double Action), Remington-Rider DA Belt Revolver
Overview
The Remington-Rider Double Action New Model Belt Revolver is a .36 caliber percussion cap-and-ball belt revolver produced by E. Remington & Sons from roughly 1863 to 1873. Designed by Joseph Rider under his May 1859 patent, it is a six-shot revolver built on a solid-frame design with a 6.5-inch octagonal rifled barrel, brass trigger guard, and two-piece walnut grips. Its self-cocking double-action lockwork, which also permitted single-action fire, was an uncommon feature on American revolvers of the period and represented Remington's attempt to popularize the double-action mechanism then favored in Britain and Europe.
Specifications
| Barrel Length | 165 mm (6.50") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 229 m/s (751 fps) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .36 cal, .36 percussion, 9.1mm
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Six Shot Cylinder, Double Action Lockwork, Single Action Capable, Brass Trigger Guard, German Silver Front Sight, Two Piece Walnut Grips
Service history
Operators
- United States civilian market · adopted 1863
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 4,000 · Production years: 1863-1873
Estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 units produced across fluted- and round-cylinder variants
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Joseph Rider
Discontinued: 1873
Notes
Early production examples (serial numbers below about 1,000, circa 1863-1865) had fluted cylinders, while later guns used round cylinders. Standard finish was blued with a color case-hardened hammer, though nickel, half-nickel/half-blue, and silver-plated variations exist. Some revolvers were later factory-converted to fire the .38 rimfire metallic cartridge.
Background
Joseph Rider's double-action design gave Remington one of the few American revolvers of the Civil War era able to fire self-cocking, at a time when the double-action mechanism was widely popular in Europe but had met only limited success in the United States.