The Remington gun company of today holds a long and illustrious history dating back to its founding in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington (1793-1861). The firm evolved through the early days of gun-making before becoming a household name. In the early 1840s, the Harpers Ferry arsenal began production of a new muzzle-loading, percussion-based long rifle known as the Model 1841 "Mississippi Rifle". Such was the success of this rifle - it was used in both the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Civil War (1861-1865) to good effect - that E. Remington & Sons of Ilion, New York purchased some 5,000 of the type from one John Griffiths of Cincinnati and agreed to terms on the manufacturing machinery involved as well.
This purchase allowed the Remington concern to begin outputting the Model 1841 as its own - which it did beginning in 1850 as the Remington Model 1841. It was purchased in some number by the United States Army and opened the door to future U.S. government contracts that would make Remington one of the most successful and longest running American gun makers in history. The rifles maintained their "Mississippi Rifle" name in honor of the outnumbered 1 Mississippi Rifles, then under the command of Colonel Jefferson Davis (future Confederate States President), during the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican-American War.
The Remington Model 1841s were largely indistinguishable from their Harper's Ferry design, utilizing a single band design, long-running wooden body with integrated grip, and patchbox in the stock. The weapon remained a muzzle-loaded, single-shot rifle so a ram rod was carried and held in a channel under the barrel to push the barrel contents down near the action. The action itself relied on the percussion cap system which saw a cap placed on an awaiting nipple. With the cocked hammer falling down on this cap, the propellant in the barrel (and behind the ball ammunition) was ignited and forced the ball out of the muzzle end. The percussion cap arrangement was a drastic improvement to the preceding temperamental flintlock systems of old. The rifled barrel also aided accuracy by imparting a tighter spinning effect on the exiting projectile.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Musket
Old style of weapon loaded from the muzzle; completely manual action located at the rear of the frame; poor accuracy forced masses of soldiers to fire at once for best results.
Overall Length
1,230 mm 48.43 in
Barrel Length
840 mm 33.07 in
Sights
Iron Front and Rear.
Action
flintlock; Single-Shot
Flintlock
Popular system of operation for some 200 years preceding the percussion cap, this action involves a piece of flint rock and falling hammer to generate sparks / ignition, therefore lighting propellant charge to drive ammunition from the chamber down the barrel and out through the muzzle.
(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)
Caliber(s)*
.54 Ball
Sample Visuals**
Rounds / Feed
Single-Shot
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources. **Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Max Eff.Range
1,800 ft (549 m | 600 yd)
Rate-of-Fire
3 rds/min
Muzzle Velocity
1,100 ft/sec (335 m/sec)
Model 1841 - Base Series Designation
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.
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