POTD: Desirable Remington Small Dog Head Cane Gun – Woof!
Sam.S 11.15.22
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a fantastic rarity in the world of firearms that do not look like firearms. This is a Remington dog’s head cane gun. These puppies (hehe) were made from 1866 until 1888 in small numbers. They are unique in that they take a self-contained cartridge and their mechanism is completely hidden. The muzzle is a metal-capped piece where the user could plug the barrel with a piece of cork or a patch so dirt would not block it or overly obstruct the bore. The canes head would be pulled open and a cartridge placed in the camber. The head would then be pushed and cocked into place, it is cock-on-close. A small round button is concealed on the underside of the cane handle and acts as a trigger when pressed.
“Manufactured between 1866 and 1888, the Cane Gun was Remington’s introduction to the cartridge longarm market, and was advertised as a defense against dogs and highwaymen for those traveling overland. Overall length is 35 inches, with a darkened steel tip, a Gutta Percha covered shaft, a silver ring below the grip and the signature Gutta percha dog head handle. The firing stud is positioned an inch below the handle, with a pop-up rear sight concealed until the weapon is cocked, and the breech is accessed for loading by unscrewing the handle/firing assembly. The barrel is rifled for 6 1/2 inches before expanding to a smoothbore 32 caliber for the remainder of the length. Provenance: Gillespie collection.”
Lot 3228: Desirable Remington Small Dog Head Cane Gun. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/72/3228/desirable-remington-small-dog-head-cane-gun.
