Thanks for the info guys, and now I may have more questions than ever. Most of the things you are suggesting don't look right, do look right when compared to some known genuine Remington guns, but don't look like they belong on the same model or variation. The frame looking like the very early type, with a cylinder, hammer, and loading lever from a late style.
Please excuse the repetition, but I'm copying and pasting this next part which may help, as some of my first photos don't look right to me either when I compare them to the gun; so maybe my angles were throwing things out of prospective. This will include a link to more and better photos, including completely apart. I certainly do appreciate the help, and maybe this additional info will give everyone a better idea. Right now, I'm leaning toward the thought that these may be original parts put together to make one gun form several others or from spare parts. Although I've run across references to Remington making a civilian model with a 6 1/2" barrel in or after late 1863. I've run into one other person trying to research a gun with a 6 1/2" barrel. Could they have made civilian guns with different numbers or features than the military type guns?
I need help identifying this revolver. It looks like the "1858" Remington design. Here is what I do know for sure about it. It was given to my father by my grandfather in 1958. Grandfather owned it for many years before that, but I have no idea where he got it. My grandfather was an avid collector. It looked very old and dirty when dad got it, and when I received it from him. I have cleaned it with solvent and WD40 just to get the grease, grime, and general crud off of it in order to try to find some kind of markings.
The only markings I can find are the numbers shown in the photos. The grips seem to be ebony backed with ivory tops and I believe were hand made for this gun, as they certainly do not look original. The measurements I have taken from it are as follows: barrel, 6 ¾" L - .68" wide - 6 lands, 6 grooves, equal width style, .44" bore; cylinder, 2"L - 1.6" D; top strap, .73"W - 1.51 from front to cylinder chamber; guard, 2.44"L - just over 1" H. Hopefully these will help in determining something. So far, researching many gun books written about these old guns has given me more questions than answers. It seems that there were 3 major models of this design, the Beals, the Old Model (of 1861), and the New Model (of 1863); and apparently there were several changes made within each of these models as improvements were continually being made to the design. It seems the most major and noticeable changes were within the New Model, including changes in the cylinder, hammer, and loading lever, and a 6 ½" barrel available on the civilian guns as opposed to the 8" standard for the military. It also seems that Remington, like Colt, had several factories in various locations producing their guns. There is evidence that their southern factories produced some with brass frames due to a lack of raw materials to make steel.
So the more research I do, and the more I find out about them, the more questions I have and the less sure I am of just what I have. It would have been so much easier if I could find or read a name or address on the barrel. I could believe it was an original with a replacement or aftermarket barrel, except that the numbers on the bottom of the barrel match those under the grips. Some people have said that certain things don't look right to them, but I see no difference comparing what they say to the pictures of some other known genuine Remingtons; so it may be that the angles in my photos are making things appear different. And I'm also not sure just what they are comparing it to, since there were several variations of this gun. I just don't know whether I have a genuine Remington, maybe with some replacement or even reproduction parts, or if it is a very early reproduction.
I know Dad got it in 1958 and he said that grandfather had it for at least 20-25 years prior to that. Several local folks who are supposed to be knowledgeable have said it appears to be the old style metal and made by the old manufacturing methods used before the advent of the Bessimer steel making method that revolutionized steel production in the early 1860's. They seemed to think that the metal looks like it was cut or machined out of blocks or solid pieces of metal instead of cast as the newer process after the new Bessimer steel making method. Also that when you examine it closely, there were little things like the screws seem to be hand cut or early machine done since the slots were not quite centered. (They advised me not to attempt to fire it.)
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated, especially if it can be referenced to any particular model and variation within the models. While I'm certainly no expert, several of my books on antique, Civil War, and guns of the old west type all make references to this Remington being one of the most copied guns made during it's production run, including many exact copies with no makers name on them to avoid pat'd infringement during the war. Since several different books mention this, I'm just assuming they are correct. Maybe what I have is one of these Pat'd infringement guns as they are referred to. Photos that may help may be viewed here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/FredWright4/Remington?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ_Xvb3TqcPHKA