E. N. Santa Barbara 1858 Remington New Army
Empresa Natcional Santa Barbara of Industrias Militares SA
The E.N. Santa Barbara 1858 Remington New Army revolver is a high-quality Spanish reproduction of the original Remington Model 1858 percussion revolver. These E.N. Santa Barbara 1858 Remington New Army revolvers were produced in Spain at the government arsenal factory of Santa Barbara in the city of Oviedo. This factory was renowned for manufacturing other famous firearms, including the Oviedo Mausers and NATO MG3 machine guns.
The Empresa Natcional Santa Barbara of Industrias Militares SA (National Enterprise of Defense Industries) was a state factory created in the 1960's by Francisco Franco. These weapons are not marked "black powder only". The distribution of the Remington NMA continued until around 2000 when the factory ran out of stock and could no longer supply the model. The maker mark on the barrel was "MADE BY E.N. SANTA BARBARA" followed by the logo and "SPAIN".
The E. N. Santa Barbara 1858 Remington New Army revolvers were made in the city of OVIEDO, in north SPAIN, in the very industrial (coal and steel) region of ASTURIAS, in the 1970´s, in the government arsenal factory of SANTA BARBARA, just in the city center, a factory that no longer exists. It is the same factory who made the famous OVIEDO Mausers.
This factory was eventually integrated into SANTA BARBARA holding, which was owned by the government to make several types of weapons for the Spanish army, among them, the famous MG42 in modernized NATO VERSION, in 7,62x51 (308) caliber, known as MG3. They also made military vehicles, tanks, cannons, naval and air defense systems, etc.
One of the factors that makes the Santa Barbara 1858 Remington revolver unique is the steel it was cast from is harder than the Italian replicas, as they were using the same steel used in the MG3 machine guns. Someone who has machined one of these cylinders on the lathe, with cobalt cutters, would agree. The Italian makers use cheaper soft steel, easy to machine, while the Santa Barbara revolvers used some of the best steel in Spain.
Only the barrel and cylinder were made in the OVIEDO factory, as well as the final fitting and finish. The frame was an investment casting made by Ecrimesa Group, a large private company specialized in investment casting process, in the nearby region of Cantabria. They still exist today.
The Santa Barbara has a perfect bored size barrel matched to the chamber´s diameter, something that does not happen with UBERTI and some other, in my opinion, lower quality Italian revolvers. The Santa Barbara gained a fame of accuracy among shooters in Spain and France, as they were match guns. Several world championships were won with them in the Mariette matches.
Their main draw back was the grip, too small for some modern day hands, and their front sight, fixed, like the original revolvers. These were also investment cast parts made outside the factory, and Pietta parts can be adapted, like trigger, hammer, and sear, and bolt stop as well as spring, which is also very hard in these Santa Barbaras.
These Santan Barbara Remingtons were imported into the United States by CVA back in the 1970's through possibly 2000. The known models that were imported by CVA were:
- RV101 - Standard Model (No Engraving)
- RV102 - Type II Engraving
- RV103 - Type II Engraving
- RV104 - Type III Engraving
What follows are several pages from the CVA catalog in the 1970's with the Santa Barbara Models available at that time.
Based on the available information, there is no clear evidence of significant production issues with the E.N. Santa Barbara 1858 Remington New Army revolver. However, we can infer a few points about its production.
The E.N. Santa Barbara 1858 Remington was produced in relatively small numbers. Estimates suggest less than 10,000 units were made, with one source mentioning approximately 16,500 produced. These revolvers were likely manufactured from the 1970s to the early 1980s, with some sources suggesting production stopped as early as 1981.
The revolvers underwent strict testing and inspection at the Eibar proof house before being approved for sale, indicating a heavy focus on quality. They were made from high-grade steel, the same used in NATO MG3 machine guns, which was considered superior to Italian reproductions. There's no mention of significant changes or improvements during the production run, suggesting a very consistent manufacturing process.
The distribution of the Remington NMA continued until around 2000 when the factory ran out of stock and could no longer supply the model. The maker mark on the barrel was "MADE BY E.N. SANTA BARBARA" followed by the logo and "SPAIN". The company eventually ceased production of these revolvers, shifting focus to military supply and other armaments.
Today, these E. N. Santa Barbara 1858 Remington New Army revolvers can fetch upwards of $600 to $700, if you can find one at auction or luckily in a local gun shop or pawn shop. If you happen to be fortunate enough to own one of these fine revolvers, her is a PDF on "Gunsmithing the Santa Barbara" you can download.
In conclusion, while the E.N. Santa Barbara 1858 Remington New Army revolver had a limited production run, there's no evidence of any significant production issues. Instead, it appears to have been a well-regarded, high-quality reproduction that was consistently manufactured during its short production period.
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