REMINGTON Keene

Overview

The Remington-Keene chambered in .43 Spanish is a fascinating bridge between the single-shot era and modern repeating rifles. The Rifle: Remington-Keene- Introduced in 1880, the Remington-Keene was Remington's first significant foray into bolt-action repeating rifles.- Design Identity: It is instantly recognizable by the external hammer at the rear of the bolt. This was a "comfort feature" for soldiers and hunters transitioning from hammer-fired single-shots like the Rolling Block.- Magazine: It uses an under-barrel tubular magazine, similar to the Winchester lever guns of the time, rather than the box magazine found on the later Remington-Lee.- Dual Loading: One of its most advanced features was that it could be loaded either through the top with the bolt open or from the bottom through a loading gate.The Cartridge: .43 Spanish (11.15x58mmR)- While most Remington-Keenes were chambered in .45-70 Gov, a small number were produced for the commercial market in .43 Spanish.- Global Influence: This was the standard military cartridge for Spain and much of Latin America at the time.- Specs: It typically fires a 396-grain bullet at approximately 1,280 fps.Rare in this Action: Finding a .43 Spanish chambering in a bolt-action repeater like the Keene-rather than the ubiquitous Rolling Block-is quite rare for collectors.