12,501 of these rifles were manufactured by Remington between 1862-1865 during the Civil War for the Union. Government records listed them as "Harpers Ferry Pattern" rifles, and they have similarities to both the Model 1841 and Model 1855 rifles that were manufactured at Harpers Ferry prior to the Civil War but are of a unique pattern.

Whether or not any of these rifles saw use in the war remains unclear and debated. Some say the rifles were designed and built for military regiments modeled after the French Zouave Light Infantry in North Africa, but associated documentation is limited.