During the mid to late 19th Century, many men and women went about armed, but not necessarily with a “big iron” on their hip. In most areas east of the Mississippi, police forces were small or non-existent. As we say today, you had to be your own “first responder.” Out West, things were much the same, if not worse. Your town might have a marshal, the county sheriff and his deputy, and in some states like Texas, a Ranger force, but lawmen were few and far between. Folks went about discretely armed, which usually meant a small handgun. Colt’s most popular revolver was the 1849 Pocket Model, a percussion, single-action revolver in .31 caliber that was small and lightweight, just the thing to pack in the pocket of your frock coat. Today, we get to enjoy Taylor’s 1863 Pocket Remington.

Taylor’s 1863 Pocket Remington – A .31 Cap and Ball Revolver that can be Converted to .32 S&W   

Remington also cashed in on this self-defense market and, beginning in 1856, produced the Beals’ Pocket Revolver, another diminutive cap-and-ball single-action wheel gun in .31 caliber. It was made in three succeeding models, and in 1859, a gunsmith, Joseph Rider, patented a double-action .31 percussion pocket revolver produced by Remington and known as Rider’s Double-Action Pocket Revolver. 

In 1863, Remington began making what looked like a scaled-down version of their New Model Army and Navy percussion, single-action revolvers (Model 1858) called the New Model Pocket Revolver. Besides being smaller than its .36 and .44 caliber siblings, it had a “spur” trigger instead of a trigger guard. The trigger was housed in a projection on the lower portion of the frame, which protected the trigger. When the hammer was cocked, the trigger would protrude from the spur, enabling it to be pressed, firing the revolver.

Three Versions

There were three versions of this five-shooter; the first had a brass frame, the second had a steel frame with a brass trigger guard, and the third was all steel. They were available with 3, 3.5, 4, and 4.5-inch barrels. 1873, they were modified and left the factory chambered for .32 rimfire cartridges. Between 1863 and 1888, approximately 25,000 of these revolvers were made. 

One of the most well-known importers of replica firearms, Taylor’s & Company, offers three reproduced versions of the Remington wheel gun. The first has a brass frame, with a blue steel barrel and cylinder; the second has a brass frame, with the whole gun nickel-plated; and the third is all blue steel. They are .31 caliber percussion single-action revolvers and come with a 3.5-inch barrel and walnut or faux-ivory grips. The hammer and trigger are color case-hardened on the brass and all-steel guns. The hammer spur is serrated, and the trigger is smooth-faced. Pulling back the hammer to half-cock allows loading and then full-cock for firing. A brass half-moon blade serves as the front sight, and the rear sight is a notch cut into the frame’s top strap. The rammer assembly used to load the revolver is attached below the octagonal barrel and locks the cylinder pin in place. 

Taylor’s 1863 Pocket Remington 

I requested that Taylor’s & Company send me an all-steel, blued version of the Pocket Remington. My sample came in a nondescript cardboard box and included an owner’s manual and catalog. A front-to-rear inspection of the sample gun showed the wood-to-metal and metal-to-metal fit to be first-rate. The polished blue finish was well done, with no external tool marks or blemishes. On the right side of the barrel is the maker F.LLI PIETTA – MADE IN ITALY, along with the proof markings. The opposite side is BLACK POWDER ONLY 31 CAL. The smooth two-piece walnut grips are plain-grained with a red lacquer finish. My one complaint is that Pietta installs the brass grip nuts into the wood grips and then applies the finish, which, IMHO takes away from the looks.

Cap and Ball Revolver

For the uninitiated, percussion means cap and ball. The unfluted cylinder has five chambers into which a charge of black powder and then a lead ball or bullet are placed. At the rear of the cylinder, each chamber has a hollow nipple, which is pressed onto a percussion cap. This cap, when struck by the hammer, ignites the powder charge and propels the bullet out of the rifled barrel. I used the recommended FFFg black powder, with a charge of 10-11 grains (gr.), behind a 0.322-inch lead ball weighing 51 gr. To be safe and prevent a chain fire, once the bullet is pressed into the chamber with the rammer, a felt wad or grease (like Crisco) should be applied over the bullet. Another safety feature is a notch cut into the rear of the cylinder between each chamber nipple for the hammer nose to rest in.

The main reason I wanted to test a blue steel Pocket Remington was that the all-steel model can be fitted with an optional conversion cylinder that allows the use of .32 S&W cartridges. A bored-through cylinder and a removable cap are used on the breech end. This cap contains five floating firing pins, one for each chamber. Cartridges are inserted into the chambers with the cap removed; then, the cap is replaced. A white steel pin protruding from the cylinder aligns with a hole in the cap for proper placement. To insert the cylinder, the rammer arm is lowered enough that the cylinder pin is free to be pulled fully forward using the T-shaped head.

Conversion Cylinders

The revolver must be on half-cock, and the cylinder must be inserted from the right side of the frame. As it is being inserted, simultaneously rotate it clockwise to allow the hand in the action to engage the “star” on the back of the cylinder and allow the cylinder to be fully seated. Once this is done, the cylinder pin is aligned and slid back into place, and the rammer is raised and locked into position. One extra notch looks like a bolt-locking notch in the cylinder so the hammer nose can rest safely between chambers. If you opt for one of these conversion cylinders, best order it with the gun, and Taylor’s will ensure proper fit as a complimentary service.

As a cowboy action shooter and the owner of a Colt 1849 Pocket Model revolver, I had the black powder, .31 lead balls, and caps on hand, plus an old can of Crisco shortening. I acquired a box of .32 S&W Super-X cartridges from Winchester with an 85 gr to utilize the conversion cylinder. round-nose lead bullet, plus a box of Remington loads with an 88 gr. RNL bullet. The .32 S&W cartridge is not to be confused with the .32 S&W Long. The shorter centerfire round was introduced in 1878 by S&W for their small, hinged-frame revolvers. While it’s never been a man-stopper, it sure beats throwing rocks. 

Testing on the Range

At the range, I set up a target at 15 feet to get the velocity measurements. I wanted to get an idea of the point of aim/point of impact. Bullet velocity data showed that both .32 S&W rounds were hitting about 7 inches above the point of aim. An adjustment to my aiming point to compensate for this and I started to get more centered impacts on the targets. I fired three 5-shot groups with each of the two.32 S&W loads and later at an outdoor range, shot the same regimen using the percussion cylinder and black powder. All shooting was done from a rest.

The figures are in the performance table. My best group with the .32 S&W cartridges measured 1.12 inches with the Remington load. My tightest cluster with the black powder and ball was a scant 0.98 inches. It hit right on the money with the sights. I’d also like to point out that the trigger pull weight on this little revolver. It was only 2.56 lbs. A couple of times, it went off before I had my best-sight picture.

Taylor’s 1863 Pocket Remington – A Winner

One note: I used No. 11 percussion caps, and they were loose on the nipples. With that I’d recommend using No. 10 caps instead. Black powder makes for a messy cleanup. But it’s also a lot of fun and provides a real nexus with history. This little 1863 Remington Pocket Revolver from Taylor’s & Co. would also be the thing for a pocket pistol side match.. Certainly, I wouldn’t want to pack it for defensive use. However back in the day, it could get the job done. Especially with proper shot placement across the card table distances. I believe Bret Maverick or Yancy Deringer would give it a thumbs up.

For more information go to www.taylorsfirearms.com.

Taylor’s 1863 Pocket Remington Specifications  

Taylor’s & Co. 1863 Pocket Remington Performance 

NOTE:  Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet per second 10 ft. from the muzzle. Measured by a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph, and accuracy in inches for three 5-shot groups at 15 feet.