It is surprising that a government would adopt a single-shot pistol as a standard side arm, at a time when multi-shot revolvers were the norm. The US government did just that, purchasing almost the entire production run of this model, about 5000 of the 6000 made, between 1872 and 1888.
The first of these rolling block pistols was the 1865 "Navy" model, chambered in a .50 caliber rim-fire cartridge. At that time, the Rollin White patent owned by Smith & Wesson was still in effect, and Remington could not produce a breech-loading cartridge gun with a revolving cylinder. Fixed-chamber guns were exempt from the patent protection, as can be seen from the many multi-barrel cartridge guns on the market at the time. Remington had several of these available, such as the famous "double deringer" and the four-barrel pepperboxes. Sharps, Ballard, Merrimack, and others had similar designs which did not infringe upon White's patent. Smith & Wesson did argue to their patent attorneys that all cartridges loaded from the breech should be covered by the patent, however they were advised not to pursue such an avenue because it would open a "pandora's box" of counter-litigation. By the early years of the civil war, metallic cartidges had become ubiquitous and Smith & Wesson would not have been able to take on every rifle and musket manufacturer using metallic cartridges.
With the expiration of the 1855 patent in December of 1869 one would have expected the government to abandon single-shot pistols in favour of a revolver. Remington had a very useful and well-designed cartridge gun on the market by 1875, yet the single-shot pistols would continue to be manufactured for another 13 years, the target versions of this gun as late a 1909.
There are several models of this pistol, all of them utilizing the "rolling block" breech closure which had been used on rifles and muskets for years. It is a very effective and strong mechanism, easy to use and almost completely fail-safe. It utilizes a spring-loaded gate with an integral, floating firing pin, and an extractor connected to the inside. The gate opens downward from the rear of the breech when the hammer is spanned, allowing access to the breech and blocking the hammer. The cartridge is inserted, the gate closed, and the hammer gently lowered, or fired as needed. The gate cannot be manipulated when the hammer is in the half-safe position, nor can the trigger be pulled at that position. This may be a very effective mechanism however it is still only a single-shot gun. The various models are:
1865 "Navy" in .50 rim fire
1867 "Navy" in .50 center fire (although many believe this was only a 1865 model with the gate swapped out for center fire)
1871 "Army" in .50 center fire
1891 "Target" in .22, .25 and .32 rim fire and center fire
1901 "Target" in a variety of calibers, and adjustable rear sight.
The "Rolling Block" pistols were manufactured for 44 years and proved to be a popular item in the Remington line-up, although one would think it better suited as a target pistol than a military side arm. This notion is supported by the many gunsmith-altered, re-calibered specimens on the market today, mostly changing the hefty .50 caliber bores down to something more manageable, like a .22.
Remington M1871 Army "Rolling Block", military acceptance cartouches, rare, near-mint condition
Remington "Double Deringer", Elliot's Patent in .41 rim fire, approximately 1868 - 1888
The first of these rolling block pistols was the 1865 "Navy" model, chambered in a .50 caliber rim-fire cartridge. At that time, the Rollin White patent owned by Smith & Wesson was still in effect, and Remington could not produce a breech-loading cartridge gun with a revolving cylinder. Fixed-chamber guns were exempt from the patent protection, as can be seen from the many multi-barrel cartridge guns on the market at the time. Remington had several of these available, such as the famous "double deringer" and the four-barrel pepperboxes. Sharps, Ballard, Merrimack, and others had similar designs which did not infringe upon White's patent. Smith & Wesson did argue to their patent attorneys that all cartridges loaded from the breech should be covered by the patent, however they were advised not to pursue such an avenue because it would open a "pandora's box" of counter-litigation. By the early years of the civil war, metallic cartidges had become ubiquitous and Smith & Wesson would not have been able to take on every rifle and musket manufacturer using metallic cartridges.
With the expiration of the 1855 patent in December of 1869 one would have expected the government to abandon single-shot pistols in favour of a revolver. Remington had a very useful and well-designed cartridge gun on the market by 1875, yet the single-shot pistols would continue to be manufactured for another 13 years, the target versions of this gun as late a 1909.
There are several models of this pistol, all of them utilizing the "rolling block" breech closure which had been used on rifles and muskets for years. It is a very effective and strong mechanism, easy to use and almost completely fail-safe. It utilizes a spring-loaded gate with an integral, floating firing pin, and an extractor connected to the inside. The gate opens downward from the rear of the breech when the hammer is spanned, allowing access to the breech and blocking the hammer. The cartridge is inserted, the gate closed, and the hammer gently lowered, or fired as needed. The gate cannot be manipulated when the hammer is in the half-safe position, nor can the trigger be pulled at that position. This may be a very effective mechanism however it is still only a single-shot gun. The various models are:
1865 "Navy" in .50 rim fire
1867 "Navy" in .50 center fire (although many believe this was only a 1865 model with the gate swapped out for center fire)
1871 "Army" in .50 center fire
1891 "Target" in .22, .25 and .32 rim fire and center fire
1901 "Target" in a variety of calibers, and adjustable rear sight.
The "Rolling Block" pistols were manufactured for 44 years and proved to be a popular item in the Remington line-up, although one would think it better suited as a target pistol than a military side arm. This notion is supported by the many gunsmith-altered, re-calibered specimens on the market today, mostly changing the hefty .50 caliber bores down to something more manageable, like a .22.
Remington M1871 Army "Rolling Block", military acceptance cartouches, rare, near-mint condition
Remington "Double Deringer", Elliot's Patent in .41 rim fire, approximately 1868 - 1888
