.43 Remington Magazine Rifle, Keene's Patent

[Fede]

Here is a picture of the .43 caliber cartridge for the Remington-Keene rifle that I mentioned in a previous post, plus min.-max. measurements from three different specimens. There is a E. Remington box for this cartridge labeled “Remington Magazine Rifle, Spanish Model”, while The .45-70 box is labeled “Remington Magazine Rifle”.

Case lenght: 55.12-55.56 mm (2.170-2.187")
Body Lenght: 36.93-37.38 mm (1.453-1.471")
Neck lenght: 11.70-12.15 mm (.460-.478")
Rim diameter: 15.34-15.67 mm (.603-.616")
Head diameter: 13.23-13.37 mm (.520-.526")
Shoulder diameter: 12.82-12.90 mm (.504-.507")
Neck diameter: 11.62-11.88 mm (.457-.467")
Bullet diammeter: 11.08-11.15 mm (.436-.438")
Overall lenght: 67.46-68.77 mm (2.605-2.707")

[Jack]

Fede: The cartridge you show does seem to be something like the 43 Spanish (or a close relative like the 44-77 Sharps) with a shortened neck and slightly reduced rim to fit the 45-70 Keene mechanism without mechanical alteration. The fact this idea appeals to me doesn’t, of course, mean that was why Remington chose this design. I don’t have access to a good work on this firearm, but, for what it’s worth, Phil Sharpe in his The Rifle in America said the 40 caliber cartridge for which the Keene was in some cases chambered was the 40-60 Marlin. He discusses at some length a deluxe Keene sporter in this caliber in the work mentioned. Jack