Remington Nickel 1890
The Remington Model 1890 New Model Army was a single-action revolver produced by Remington Arms between 1890 and 1896. It was based on the successful Remington Model 1875 and the lesser-known Model 1888. Both of these revolvers had the same size, appearance, and a removable cylinder. The 1890 was suitably made for metallic cartridges but was only issued in .44-40 caliber. The 1890 kept the solid frame and similar styling of the 1875 model but lacked the large web under the ejector rod housing and was equipped with checkered rubber grips.
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| .44-40 Winchester cartridge |
Remington entered the cartridge revolver market in 1875 with the introduction of a big-frame, army-style revolver, a six-shooter designed to compete with the Colt Peacemaker. The Model 1890 was an attempt to make the Remington revolver more similar to the competing Colt single-action pistols of the era. Ordinary citizens and Old West lawmen recognized the sturdy quality of the new Remington revolvers.
After the production of a few Model 1888 transition revolvers with a 5+3⁄4-inch barrel, called the "New Model Pocket Army," Remington began production of the Model 1890 Single Action Army revolver. It was manufactured in very small numbers, and only 2,020 were produced. The standard barrel length was 7+1⁄2 inches or 5+3⁄4 inches. A handful of Remington 1890s saw service as side arms by Indian police on Western reservations. Today, it is one of the most sought-after Remington handguns.
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| Remington Nickel Model 1888 Pistol (Source: Wiki) |
An intermediate (transitional) model of cartridge revolver was introduced in 1888 called the "New Model Pocket Army." Made in 1888 and 1889 only, total production was less than 1,000 units, made primarily with parts from 1875s. Duplicate "batch/serial" numbers exist; however, assembly numbers were added, and none have been found over the low 300s range. Nearly all are nickel, with less than a handful known manufactured in blue. Visually, it is identical to the Model 1890, with the exception of the address on top of the barrel. The caliber of the model was .44-40, with the left grip on many marked "44" or "44W".
Today, modern reproductions of the Remington Model 1890 are available from Uberti. These reproductions are not exact copies but are chambered for more modern smokeless powder cartridges such as the .357 Magnum. While they look and feel like old-west "cowboy" guns, they have metallurgy common to more modern revolvers. Like all weapons, the Uberti 1890 must be taken apart periodically for cleaning. Because it is a revolver with so few moving parts, however, disassembly in this case is limited to simply removing the cylinder from the main revolver body.
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| Model 1890 are available from Uberti |
In conclusion, the Remington Model 1890 New Model Army revolver was a significant addition to the Remington Arms lineup. It was an attempt to make a more competitive single-action revolver in the era of Colt single-action pistols. Today, the original Model 1890 is a sought-after collector's item, and modern reproductions are available for those who wish to own a piece of American history.