Comments on: Vol. 21, December 2009 http://freetrappers.org.au/2009/12/02/vol-21-december-2009/ Incorporated in Vic. # A0049526N Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:19:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Fowler http://freetrappers.org.au/2009/12/02/vol-21-december-2009/#comment-22 John Fowler Mon, 24 May 2010 11:16:27 +0000 http://freetrappers.org.au/?p=661#comment-22 Hello Mike, Firstly, let me thank you for your response and I do apologise for the lengthy delay in acknowledgment. I only read your comments yesterday and it was with much excitement as all other attempts to get some history of the 1816 repro project had drawn blanks - including approach direct to Remington. The Australian distributors for Remington were no help either. Your comments have answered many tired old questions that have irked me for many years. Web forums have suggested it and friends and I had suspected the Hatfield connection due to similarities with that company's squirrel rifles, some of which have reached us Down Under. However, it was a revelation to read your lines about the "hired" help circumstances. Why Hatfield should think no-one would want to use the guns is beyond me, but I concede it a mindset that would foster shoddy assembly hidden behind a polished exterior. You may have read my follow-up story in Vol 23 Around the Traps where the rifle is given a pet name - that of McCoy! This name does now seem most appropriate given my twisted sense of humour. No doubt some folks will feel that I have destroyed a collectable and maybe so, but I will always feel disappointed that the rifle never lived up to the Remington sales/merchandising claims. I'm not into collecting fakes! It seems unlikely that any of that figure of 3500 guns ever saw the inside of a "Remington" custom shop. Perhaps all Remington custom shop guns are what we would call jobbers here in Australia? That said, the barrel still bears the proud Remington name and I have complete satisfaction with its performance. May I ask if you would happen to know what company produced the barrels for Remington? Finally I really do appreciate your taking the time to respond and thank you again for these most enlightening details. Sincerely John (Chook) Fowler Hello Mike,

Firstly, let me thank you for your response and I do apologise for the lengthy delay in acknowledgment.

I only read your comments yesterday and it was with much excitement as all other attempts to get some history of the 1816 repro project had drawn blanks – including approach direct to Remington. The Australian distributors for Remington were no help either. Your comments have answered many tired old questions that have irked me for many years. Web forums have suggested it and friends and I had suspected the Hatfield connection due to similarities with that company’s squirrel rifles, some of which have reached us Down Under. However, it was a revelation to read your lines about the “hired” help circumstances. Why Hatfield should think no-one would want to use the guns is beyond me, but I concede it a mindset that would foster shoddy assembly hidden behind a polished exterior.

You may have read my follow-up story in Vol 23 Around the Traps where the rifle is given a pet name – that of McCoy! This name does now seem most appropriate given my twisted sense of humour. No doubt some folks will feel that I have destroyed a collectable and maybe so, but I will always feel disappointed that the rifle never lived up to the Remington sales/merchandising claims. I’m not into collecting fakes! It seems unlikely that any of that figure of 3500 guns ever saw the inside of a “Remington” custom shop. Perhaps all Remington custom shop guns are what we would call jobbers here in Australia?

That said, the barrel still bears the proud Remington name and I have complete satisfaction with its performance. May I ask if you would happen to know what company produced the barrels for Remington?

Finally I really do appreciate your taking the time to respond and thank you again for these most enlightening details.

Sincerely
John (Chook) Fowler

]]> By: Mike Butler http://freetrappers.org.au/2009/12/02/vol-21-december-2009/#comment-16 Mike Butler Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:08:34 +0000 http://freetrappers.org.au/?p=661#comment-16 I want to jump in on this conversation. I am responsible for manufacturing the locks on the Remington 1816. The lock problem is best described as follows; we made the parts for the Hatfield Gun Company which is now out of business. What we supplied them was the components with some machining but no finishing and no heat treat. Ted Hatfield was responsible for the gunsmithing (heat treat, finishing, fitting, etc.) and final assembly of the lock parts. The problem came when Hatfield hired prisoners from the local jail, on work furlough, to do the assembly and finishing of the locks and rifle stocks. There was 3500 guns made. Hatfield said he didn't figure anyone would shoot them so he did not put much effort into the lock and only concerned himself with the cosmetics of the gun. He soon found out how wrong he was. These guns came through the custom shop and most of the buyers did want to shoot them. This was a very large contract for Hatfield and a great opportunity and he squandered it away. I do have plenty of parts for these guns, lock plate, frizzen, pan, hammer, tumbler, sear, etc. The are machined, NOT heat treated or finished. Contact us if we can be of some help. Mike @ 785-771-2100 I want to jump in on this conversation. I am responsible for manufacturing the locks on the Remington 1816. The lock problem is best described as follows; we made the parts for the Hatfield Gun Company which is now out of business. What we supplied them was the components with some machining but no finishing and no heat treat. Ted Hatfield was responsible for the gunsmithing (heat treat, finishing, fitting, etc.) and final assembly of the lock parts. The problem came when Hatfield hired prisoners from the local jail, on work furlough, to do the assembly and finishing of the locks and rifle stocks. There was 3500 guns made. Hatfield said he didn’t figure anyone would shoot them so he did not put much effort into the lock and only concerned himself with the cosmetics of the gun. He soon found out how wrong he was. These guns came through the custom shop and most of the buyers did want to shoot them. This was a very large contract for Hatfield and a great opportunity and he squandered it away.

I do have plenty of parts for these guns, lock plate, frizzen, pan, hammer, tumbler, sear, etc. The are machined, NOT heat treated or finished. Contact us if we can be of some help. Mike @ 785-771-2100

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