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Just picked up this original Remington Creedmoor model long range rifle this week!
The Creedmoor model was specifically design by Remington engineer LL Hepburn in 1873 to compete in 800-1000 yd. long range matches. And saw it's first full use at the 1874 match at the Creedmoor world match against the championship Irish team on Creed's Farm (or Moor) on Long Island, NY.
The rules of the day restricted weight of the guns to 10 lb. maximum, 34" barrels, non set triggers with a 3 lb. pull, and iron sights. The US team was 8 shooters consisting of 4 from Remington and 4 from Sharps, each shooting custom made Creedmoor long range rifles built by hand at the two companies. The caliber was developed by Remington and Sharps, and was the .44-77 SBN. But ammo was custom loaded with the bullets seated way out to get 90 grs. of powder in the case! The US beat the Irish team, and continued to dominate world match shooting for 4 years, until other countries refused to compete with the US.
This particular rifle is the lowest known serial number, in the 1500 range. Major Fulton of the Creedmoor team had #3314, and George A. Custer was given #3300 by Remington, both in 1874. The model was introduced in 1873, but only those with ties to Remington knew of this upcoming model that wasn't in the catalog until 1874! So this gun is an 1873 Creedmoor built before the 1874 introduction. It is all matching numbers, including the stocks serialized to the action.
The Creedmoor rifles were almost all half octagon barrels also. The two rifles mention above, owned by Fulton and Custer, were full octagon, and maybe one more? A few were also made in full round, which this is one of those. A total of less than 300 Creedmoor rifles were made from 1873-1878 when the model was dropped.
The bore is gorgeous on this rifle, which indicates somebody took great care after shooting it to ensure it was cleaned and oiled. At some point the windage globe front sight was removed, as was the tang sight. Like many Creedmoor rifles, it's also set up for a tang sight in what is referred to as the "heel position" This was just above the buttplate on the stock, and was for shooting in the "back position", where the shooter laid on his back, with the barrel laid between his crossed legs, and knees bent. A strange position, but it took away the brutal recoil of the 90 gr. BP charge, and 535 gr. bullet off the shooter's shoulder!
I have the original front sight, and two bases. But will be getting a reproduction long range tang sight from The Original Sight Co. in Wyoming. Doubt I'd ever come across a real Re, tang sight, and if I did it would be very expensive; like over $1,000!
The Creedmoor model was specifically design by Remington engineer LL Hepburn in 1873 to compete in 800-1000 yd. long range matches. And saw it's first full use at the 1874 match at the Creedmoor world match against the championship Irish team on Creed's Farm (or Moor) on Long Island, NY.
The rules of the day restricted weight of the guns to 10 lb. maximum, 34" barrels, non set triggers with a 3 lb. pull, and iron sights. The US team was 8 shooters consisting of 4 from Remington and 4 from Sharps, each shooting custom made Creedmoor long range rifles built by hand at the two companies. The caliber was developed by Remington and Sharps, and was the .44-77 SBN. But ammo was custom loaded with the bullets seated way out to get 90 grs. of powder in the case! The US beat the Irish team, and continued to dominate world match shooting for 4 years, until other countries refused to compete with the US.
This particular rifle is the lowest known serial number, in the 1500 range. Major Fulton of the Creedmoor team had #3314, and George A. Custer was given #3300 by Remington, both in 1874. The model was introduced in 1873, but only those with ties to Remington knew of this upcoming model that wasn't in the catalog until 1874! So this gun is an 1873 Creedmoor built before the 1874 introduction. It is all matching numbers, including the stocks serialized to the action.
The Creedmoor rifles were almost all half octagon barrels also. The two rifles mention above, owned by Fulton and Custer, were full octagon, and maybe one more? A few were also made in full round, which this is one of those. A total of less than 300 Creedmoor rifles were made from 1873-1878 when the model was dropped.
The bore is gorgeous on this rifle, which indicates somebody took great care after shooting it to ensure it was cleaned and oiled. At some point the windage globe front sight was removed, as was the tang sight. Like many Creedmoor rifles, it's also set up for a tang sight in what is referred to as the "heel position" This was just above the buttplate on the stock, and was for shooting in the "back position", where the shooter laid on his back, with the barrel laid between his crossed legs, and knees bent. A strange position, but it took away the brutal recoil of the 90 gr. BP charge, and 535 gr. bullet off the shooter's shoulder!
I have the original front sight, and two bases. But will be getting a reproduction long range tang sight from The Original Sight Co. in Wyoming. Doubt I'd ever come across a real Re, tang sight, and if I did it would be very expensive; like over $1,000!
