Have an opportunity to pick up a Remington New Army for $650.  Guy is selling it through a local duck hunting club.  Was told its in good shape and an original, not a reproduction.  I already pounced on it pending pics.  Will post em when I get them.  



Sounded like a screaming deal to me, or am I mistaken?

The part in red is what I'd be concerned about, is there any paperwork backing this up?

Did a quick search and the guns international website is showing originals at $1,000 and up (way up) and a quick search at Cabelas, reproductions are starting out around $250.

Well if I see Uberti or something of the similar it would be pretty obvious.  Are there fakes out there to watch out for?



 

Tag for pics, if this does turn out to be an authentic Remington New Army in good shape for the price you quoted, change the title to more of a "Too good to believe gun purchase".

Pawn Stars would tell you it is the most counterfeited firearm there is.

Another quick search, found  This.




^This. You may have made out like a bandit. Either way you got a new gun, shoot it and enjoy it.

Talked to the guy and got a picture with a potato







Story is its been in the family for a LONG time (heard that before)



Has a letter from the remington historical society, s/n puts it as used in the cival war, not sure which side though



Only thing unoriginal is the grip screw



I asked him if he was really sure on the price, and he said he was happy with it, will pick it up this weekend sometime

Pull one of the screws & check to see if it`s metric. If not, probably is an original.

Not sure what the notch in the top of the frame is for the 1858 Remington had a grooved top strap.

Looks nice. It is not too uncommon to get a good deal on a private sale. Sounds like a great buy. Make sure the seller agrees to a two or three day inpection on the sale. As mentioned before look for proof marks, check for lack of metric parts.

First thing I noticed......an extra dovetail / notch  cut into the topstrap would be a dealbreaker for me.........Is the front sight higher than normal?

Updates?

Went and checked it out, someone did cut a dovetail into the backstrap  although it looks to have been done a LONG long time ago.  



Otherwise its a perfect example, heavy patina that the flash exaggerates to a rust, minimal bluing left over.  All P proof marks and s/n's match.  Bore is spectacular amazingly!  



Picked it up anyways, still a piece of American history, just not the collectible it could have been.  



Tips on cleaning?  Thinking super light bronze wool and just plain ol' gun oil.



Pics:

















Any ideas on it even being a possibility of fixing the dovetail?  Doesn't seem likely to me
 

Install a quality red dot?  The dovetail was cut by someone who wanted to improve the factory sights.  Roll w/ it 'til the frame cracks, then pull the red dot, and have it professionally welded & refinished then.

You can buy 12" lengths of 3/8" mild steel dove tail stock.  When refinishing a rifle with an un wanted dove tail, you tap in a slightly over length piece of the dove tail stock than hammer it all the way around until it's a round blob protruding above the barrel (or in this case frame) contour.  The hammering sets it tightly into the dove tail groove, and then you file down the excess to the level of the barrel, and the polish the barrel. The end result is a dovetail that is almost unnoticeable with just a very think line between the original barrel and the inserted material.

The challenge here would be working the new metal down without disturbing the existing surface and patina as it is normally something that is done during a refinishing process, and refinishing an original 1858 would hurt it's value as much as the dove tail.

Still, you could fit and then drive the piece in, mark it and file it to down very close to the final dimensions and shape, then trial fit it a few times and get something that looks a lot better.  With some creative flash rusting and removal you could work up to something close patina wise.    

Ditto......fit a filler......brown it till it's as close to the rest of the finish as possible......and you're done

No steel or bronze wool.....leave the patina......it is what it is......