Buying a dragoon...

[DutchmanDick]

Someone on one of the other forums I frequent offered to sell me a repro 3rd model dragoon revolver (I had put out a WTB in the classifieds). Asking 270.00 for it. From the pics he sent it looks really nice. I asked him if it was Uberti or ASM, and he said ASM. The grips have a medallion set into them that has the likeness of Sam Colt, with the words "Authentic Blackpowder Colt" around the picture. He said the grips were original to the gun. Is this a 2nd generation Colt? I know they were made from imported parts. Or is this something else?

 

[Smokin_Gun]

and he said ASM

Colts of the 1836,48,50's,60's ect,(may be defarbed) ... don't or didn't have Colt Medallions... and he did say ASM ... good price on that Walker.

 

[mykeal]

At one time (1980's I believe) Armi San Marco attempted to market Colt replicas made from parts made by Uberti for Colt Manufacturing Co. These parts were the same as those supplied by Uberti to Colt for the 2nd Generation Colt replicas, but they were not assembled by Colt. Authentic 2nd Generation Colt guns do not have the medallions in the grip.

 

[DutchmanDick]

I wonder why the medallion, then? It's oval in shape, and near the bottom of the grip, and there is one on both sides of the gun. It is gold colored and from the photos it looks like the background for the letters is black (or maybe dark blue - hard to tell). Wouldn't ASM have run into licensing problems from Colt using a medallion that says "Authentic Blackpowder Colt"? And it's definitely a 3rd model Dragoon, with a pivoting (rather than a sliding) loading lever catch, and NOT a Walker.

 

[mykeal]

ASM did run into licensing problems with Colt Manufacturing Co., who sued for copyright and trademark infringement. I'm not sure of the details, but in the category of rumor, I've read that ASM went to Colt Manufacturing with a proposal to license the guns and they were so sure of agreement that they'd already made and sold some. Colt was allegedly not impressed with the design, nixed the deal and sued. Like I said, that's unverified rumor, so if you quote me, be sure to add that qualifier. Someone on the forum may have the real story.

 

[PRM]

Mykeal - you are correct about Armi San Marco making up some guns with the Colt stamping on the barrels. I remember Dixie Gun Works selling them for a short period of time around 1981. In fact, I had one of the 1860 Army models for a brief period, and my first Walker was one of them. The Walker was defective, and I took it back. It was the last one they had in stock at the time, when the next shipment came in the stamping was dropped. I've thought about that gun a lot over the years - should have kept it and fixed the problem.

 

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

I don't know much about the Dragoons as a whole. I stick with the '47 but I do own a 1st model. I'vd only shot it 6 times and then cleaned it and put it away but it handled very nicely....Stan..