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Early Remington Bolt action rifles

flashbackjackflashbackjack Member Posts: 30 ✭✭
edited February 2002 in Ask the Experts
It started out as a rumor that a fellow had a Remington/Keene Navy parts gun that I badley needed. Over a year and three different owners later I purchased the piece over the phone for under $250.00.(It was sporterised) It is a bolt action,it is 45/70 it is USN marked (with anchor) it was inspected by W.W.K.the same as the Keene! But it is not a Keene! This gun uses a box magazine, the bolt handle is at the very rear of the receiver. The words "Sole Manufactures and Agents appears below the Remington address on the left top rim of the receiver . The action is in working order (Less magazine,the barrel has been shortened. The stock is a mess. Sr.#21xx Got any idea what it is??
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Comments

  • Der GebirgsjagerDer Gebirgsjager Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Must be a Remington-Lee, Model of 1879, 81, 82,or 84: "1881: the US Navy purchased the first of about 250 Lee rifles to arm newly-commissioning warships and facilitate long-term assessment. Made in Ilion by Remington, but marked as products of the Lee Arms Company, almost all 1879-type guns purchased by the navy bore distinctive inspectors' marks (e.g. WWK) plus an anchor above U.S.. The one-piece walnut stock, lacking a hand guard, had two barrel bands. Swivels lay on the magazine and on the noseband. The half-cock notch sufficed as a safety. Navy guns chambered the standard .45-70 government cartridges........The US Navy also favoured the Lee, acquiring 700 guns in 1884, but it is not known whether these were of 1879 or 1882 pattern." Quotes from "Rifles Of The World" By John Walter, 1st Edition, 1993, pages 121-122. Photos.
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  • flashbackjackflashbackjack Member Posts: 30 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Der Gebirgsjager It looks as if I have another project to restore. I am going to have to narrow it down to a paticular model year. I have an old book on 45/70 rifles and there were three different bolt configerations and different magazine shapes. It is marked U.S.N. over anchor over W.W.K. (On Top of Breech) (W.W. Kimball,U.S.N.) Remington Arms Company Ilion N.Y. U.S.A. Sole Manufacturers And Agents.(On top left rim of receiver) Patended Nov.4th 1879 appears on left side of receiver Barrel, although it has been shortened ,appears to have been the Navy length of 29 1/4" Gauging from the upper band markings on the barrel The bolt folds down over the stock at the rear of the receiver . 45/70 Any idea where I can find parts and what it is worth ?............Jack
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  • Der GebirgsjagerDer Gebirgsjager Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Jack--Why don't you send your USPO address to ccnorth@teleport.com and I'll xerox some copies of the info I've got on these rifles. A little in this book and a little in that book; but overall maybe enough to help you pin it down. As for parts and value--the parts will be difficult to come by. You know--try all the usual suspects like Gun Parts Corp., the smaller suppliers that advertise in the classified ads of the Shotgun News, etc. Value? At present what you paid for it. Restored----could be considerably more, but would depend on the level and quality of the restoration. Perhaps in the $800 range.
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