The Remington Lee M1882 and M1885,Before James Paris Lee became famous as being a weapons designer f

The Remington Lee M1882 and M1885,Before James Paris Lee became famous as being a weapons designer for the British military, he was a small time weapons designer in the United States.  By 1879 he had created at the time the most advanced bolt action firearm in the world.  The revolutionary new rifle used a new turnbolt system which fed and ejected cartridges.  However its most impressive innovation was the use of a box magazine which was loaded from the top, making it easier for soldiers to load the rifle while lying prone, and faster when used with a charger or clip.  First seeing production in 1879 by the Sharps Rifle Company, they were later manufactured by Remington, designated the Remington Lee 1882.  In 1885 Lee would submit his rifle, chambered in .45-70govt., to Army Ordnance for consideration for military use.  While a brilliant design that impressed the ordnance board, the military was happy with their single shot breechloading Trapdoor springfields.  The Remington Lee saw few military contracts with 500 produced for the New Zealand Militia, and 1,500 produced for the commercial market.  Later more rifles were produced in .30-40 Krag in an attempt to secure sales from the US military in the 1890’s, but to no avail.Jame Paris Lee would modify his design into a straight pull rifle used by the US Navy.  However it saw very limited use.  Rather wealth and fame came to Lee when his designs were adopted by the British military in the form of the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield rifle, which would become the most famous British Bolt Action rifle and one of the most famous bolt action military rifles in the world. -- source link

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