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Book Reviews These are some reviews from a recent issue of
The Civil War News:
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A Study of Remington’s Smoot Patent & Number Four Revolvers
by Harry J. Parker, Ph.D., Ora Lee Parker, M.A., and Joan S. Reisch, Ph.D.
Illustrated, epilogue, bibliography, index, 120 pp., 2003. Armslore Press, P.O. Box 10787, Santa Ana, CA 92711-0787, $20.95 ppd.
This is the first comprehensive study of W.S. Smoot’s No. 1, 2 and 3 New Model revolvers and brings together photos, data and the history of these weapons. The authors begin with a biography of William S. Smoot and his Civil War service, the relationship with E. Remington & Sons from 1871 until 1883, and a later position as president of Western Electric Company. Smoot died in 1886 but his achievements were little noticed within the arms community. This work points out Smoot’s service as an ordnance officer at the Springfield Armory and his numerous patents ranging from metallic cartridges to a trowel bayonet. A short history of the Remington Company sets the stage for the chapters on Smoot’s revolvers. It should be kept in mind that the No. 4 revolver does not fall under the Smoot patent and was given no patent designation. The chapter on the Remington No. 1 is quite extensive and begins by looking at post-Civil War handgun manufacturing competition and then discusses the company’s need to meet the national demand for small caliber arms. Smoot’s patent for his revolver was issued in 1873 and featured a revolving recoil shield and a barrel and frame created from a solid forging on a milling machine designed by him. The first announcement of this development is found in the company’s January 1875 catalog designating it as the Remington No. 1 pocket revolver. It used a .30 caliber cartridge and was priced at $10. The advertisement for the No. 1 notes that this is Smoot’s patent. The authors then present a wealth of information including serial number data, estimates of production, statistical treatment, serial number location and identifying features such as caliber data, finishes, types of grips, hammer, trigger, springs, screws, markings, sights, barrel and frame assembly, cylinder center pin and shell ejection system, bushings, cylinders, milling, and recoil shield. There is a full-page copy of the patent drawing for the No. 1, a table on the finish and one on grip materials through serial number intervals. These tables cover both the revolving recoil shield and the fixed shield. There is also a table on milling variations. Numerous photos complement the chapter. Chapters on the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 revolvers follow the style of the chapter on the No. 1. The No. 2 serial number interval tables for grips and finish cover both .30 and .32 caliber, and the No. 3 tables cover both rimfire and centerfire. Remington’s No. 3 (Smoot’s Patent) chapter is divided into three parts dealing with the bird-head octagon barrel, the bird-head top ribbed barrel and the saw handle variation. The chapter on the No. 4 revolver shows a variety of cartridges such as the .38 and .41 rimfire and the .38 and .41 centerfire through serial number intervals. Again it must be noted that Smoot was not connected with the No.4. The book ends with an epilogue of Remington arms, a list of Smoot’s patents while employed by Remington and copies of his 1871 breech loading rifle patent, an 1874 cartridge patent and a co-patented cartridge-loading machine. There is a bibliography, acknowledgements and an index. The work is soft cover but the quality of paper is excellent. The photography is outstanding with many close-ups and eight pages of high quality Remington revolvers in color. The text is well written and the tables add much to the publication. This book is highly recommended to the Remington collector for its detail and scholarship. It is noted on the cover that this is “Number One in the ‘Antique Arms Enthusiast’ Series.” We sincerely hope to see many more from Armslore Press.
Dale E. Biever
Dale E. Biever received his M.Ed. in American history from Kutztown University. He is past vice president for administration and former member of the Board of Governors of the Company of Military Historians. A retired educa-tor, he was registrar at the Civil War Library and Museum in Philadelphia.
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