Remington Spanish Model

Advertised commercially from 1875 through 1902, this .43 Spanish caliber Remington Rolling Block accounts for largest number of production, with something over 1.5 million sold from 1869 to 1910. A tremendous amount of variation exists here, with differences as indicated below. Original Spanish Contract Model. Spain purchased over 90,000 rifles in three contracts from 1869 to 1873. Early slot extractor, three-band rifle with no provision for saber bayonet lug, leaf adjustable rear sight, spring held barrel bands. All have REMINGTON ILION, NY address and are found with various locally applied Spanish government and Cuban garrison markings. Those having 75 percent case colors or more will reap the higher price accordingly. First-year contract version with its concave breech-block is scarce and will reap a 50 percent premium depending on condition. Those Remington Spanish Model rifles of the Third and final contract were overproduced by several thousand more than Spain had originally ordered for the 1873 contract. In reality, Spain cancelled the receipt of close to 5,500 .43 Spanish-caliber rifles remaining in the contract, as the in-country licensed production had caught up with demand. Among the known purchasers of the surplus Spanish Model rifles was Meiji Era Japan, which since 1868 had made at least three sizeable orders of the surplus Remington rolling block rifles of the 1868 Swedish contract. In 1873, Japan ordered close to 2,400 of the Spanish Model rifles but demanded they be reamed and re-chambered to its in-country Remington caliber of 12.11mm Swedish Remington centerfire. In 1881, about 978 rifles were sold to the Kingdom of Korea with the remainder sold as surplus to Hong Kong in 1885. These are very scarce variations and practically all are stamped with the Japanese Kanji characters of “Surplus/Disposed Rifle” with a Japanese/Chinese character numeration on the right side of the chamber. They are otherwise identical to the original second and third Spanish contract rifles, aside from the 12.11mm chambering. Few of these have survived and no more than three have been viewed by the author, but it is certain there are more in circulation. Many may well have been re-chambered during the 1960s re-barreling craze of surplus rolling block rifles and carbines. Prices for these three-band rifles are basically high in any condition.
Gun Type: Centerfire Rifle
Antique
Excellent$0000
Fine$0000
Very Good$0000
Good$0000
Fair$0000
Poor$0000

In Series:

FOREIGN CONTRACT ROLLING BLOCK MILITARY RIFLES