[apachejack]

I just got a baby dragoon with nothing on it about caliber or who built the thing. It just says Drake on the bottom of the grip and black powder only on the bottom of the barrel. Brass frame and I'm sure it's a 31 caliber cause I put the old calipers on it. Just wondering if anyone has heard of Drake in the black powder community. I haven't shot it yet (soaking in sweetshooter) but I think I'm going to have fun with this one.:)

[bigbadgun]

Where did you get this thing and do they have a web site that I might check them out.
And please post some pics.

[Pancho]

apachejack, I googled the Drake firearms and came up with nothing. Like B.B.G said give us a picture and maybe we can help.

[apachejack]

I'll post a pic just as soon as I get it out of the sweetshooter solution. I will get it out the 25 of this month. I have tried to find out something about this gun but no luck. I got it from a man who was down on his luck and had to sell a few things. He used to work at a gun shop and he got it in the 70s. I can't remember if he said he bought it new or the other one I got from him was new, but I will post a picture of both when I get them out. Thanks

[apachejack]

Gentlemen, in my haste to get the gun soaking in the solution, I didn't quite get the name right. The name on the bottom of the gun says DART, Italy. I am very sorry for the misinformation and I will get a pic of the gun on here tomorrow. Does anyone know about DART?

[arcticap]

I researched this DART outfit for a person who had a brass frame 1858 Remington made in 1975 with that same trademark.

There is an Italian reference site that lists the names of all the gunsmiths in Italy from 1945-80:
http://www.earmi.it/armi/database/armieri.htm

It contains this listing:
Riva Esterina - Dart
Brescia 1971

When I inquired about a BP revolver with the DART trademark to the site administrator, he responded by email as follows:



Subj: Re: DART revolver Inquiry (?)
Date: 7/13/2005 2:55:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: e.mori@earmi.it (Edoardo Mori)
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX



It is possible, but I do not find other informations. The company Esterina
River does not exist more. I know that he had produced one copy of the
revolver Python cal. 9mm Flobert with smooth bore and a carbine (Texas
carbine). EM

So it appears that the DART trademark belonged to this company, but there aren't any records currently available to identify all of the products that were made by it.

[riggs0008]

I have this same gun in really good shape i have had it in storage for about 5 years got it from an older gentleman i did some work for i do not have any use for it thinking about selling it. how could i find out what it would be worth?

[mykeal]

There is a group called the Replica Percussion Revolver Collector's Association (RPRCA) that might be able to help with a valuation, or perhaps even some history.

RPRCA Web site (http://rprca.tripod.com/)

[apachejack]

Articap, thanks for the research. I have looked everywhere and come up with nothing about Drake making the baby dragoon. I'm sure they did, cause mine has it on the bottom of the gunbutt. I don't really know how old the gun is but it shoots like a dream. I really enjoy shooting the little thing.