Uberti's 1858 Remington Honoring Buffalo Bill Cody

Buffalo Bill Cody was an interesting man. Born in Iowa in 1846, he signed on as a rider for the Majors and Russell message service while still a teenager. After the Civil War, he worked as a scout in the Indian Wars, as a professional hunter supplying meat for the Union Pacific railroad and a hunting guide. Finally, thanks to a writer with a pen name of Ned Buntline and his book Scouts of the Prairie, he had his Buffalo Bill Wild West show from 1883 and until his death in 1917.

To honor this man and his colorful life, Uberti is introducing a copy of his beloved 1858 Remington revolver. The Remington 1858 was a sturdy, solid-frame revolver that rivaled the popularity of Colt's wheelguns.

Not long after its introduction, safety slots were milled into the Remington's cylinder, placing the hammer in a position where it didn't rest on a percussion cap. The revolver's cylinder could also be removed and a new one inserted, the "speedloader" of its day.

The Uberti replica- of which only 500 were made last year- is a six-shot .44 blackpowder revolver. The octagonal barrel is eight inches long, and the gun checks in at almost three pounds unloaded. Like the original, the balance point is just forward of the trigger guard, making the gun easy to point.

There is some engraving around the front sight blade and at the juncture of the barrel to the frame. The front sight is tall and thin, typical of those on guns within this time period. "William F. Buffalo Bill Cody" is engraved on the right side of the barrel; "1917 - 2017" is inscribed on the left. The rear sight is a tapered slot in the frame.

The gun is deeply polished and blued, and engraving covers 99 percent of the frame and cylinder, with proof marks on the barrel and cylinder. Designed and executed by Cesare Giovanelli, this 19th-century floral design is professionally done and hand-chased for a high-grade appearance.

The hammer is color case-hardened with a touch of engraving on the hammer spur itself, while the hammer spur is serrated. There is a half-cock position. The trigger pull registered four pounds on my scale.

The trigger guard is brass, again with a touch of engraving with a hammer that is almost "target" width. The grips are simulated ivory, perfectly fitted and contained within a backstrap with a touch of engraving.

Buffalo Bill Cody was quite the western icon and a man who certainly made his mark in history. This commemorative revolver is well deserved and well done.

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