Remington Contract Model 1862 "Zouave" Rifle

American Civil War

.58 caliber. 33" barrel. NSN. Blued finish, color casehardened lock, brass furniture, walnut stock with brass patchbox and two round brass spring-retained barrel bands. Single shot percussion muzzleloading military rifle with a hybrid pattern 1858/1861 three leaf rear sight, front sight blade, saber bayonet lug on right of barrel near muzzle, sling swivels and a tulip head, straight shank ramrod. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle} and REMINGTON'S/ILION, NY forward of the hammer and dated 1863 at the tail. Breech with matching 1863 date and standard V/P/{Eagle Head} proof marks. Counterpane with correct script HSL and BH cartouches. The Model 1862 Rifle was a simplified version of the Harpers Ferry M1855 Rifle, which omitted the Maynard automatic tape priming lock. Remington delivered 10,001 of the rifles under contract to the US Government between April of 1863 and January of 1864. However the guns were never issued. The guns remained in US arsenal storage, initially at Watervliet and later New York Arsenal until their sale to Francis Bannerman & Sons on August 8, 1907 for .$0.54 cents each, a far cry from the original contract price of $17 each, including the saber bayonet. These were probably the most aesthetically pleasing rifles to be produced for the US Ordnance Department during the American Civil War. {ANTIQUE}

This lot is located in Cincinnati.