Ever Heard of this Interarms Virginia Dragoon?

[BigNate]

Obtained a strange Interarms Virginia Dragoon (says Interarms on Bottom of Bbl, says Virginia Gragoon on Side of Bbl) this past weekend. Anyone know much about it? Here's the scoop...Serial #B00010X, chambered for ".45 Colt", has a 4 & 3/4 in Bbl with Mother of Pearl Grips. One cylinder chamber has 2 "dots" on each side of it. On botton of frame says "made in 1976" and on side of frame it says "Patented 1974". Appears to have bright blued Bbl and cylinder with Case colored frame. On the bottom of the grip is a engraved "Don't tread...on me" with a snake in the middle of the message.
Any help out there?

 

[mec]

sounds like one with some embelishment. I remember them well. Heavy single action with kind of nice looking grooves running along the top strap. I don't believe I ever shot one but the general opinion of them at the time was that they were good guns. they did have standard single action lockwork with flat springs and the two-pronged trigger bolt spring.

At the time these were made it was hard to find Ruger Super Blackhawks and interarms, US and Abilene came out with sa .44s .

 

[CMcDermott]

Good guns, they were also made in 44 and 41 Magnum. Treat it just like an Old Model Ruger as far as strength and safety - load only 5 cartridges etc

 

[Shear_stress]

Good guns. A friend of mine had one that he has great luck with. The early ones were actually made by Hammerli.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

The early ones were actually made by Hammerli.

I was about to say the very thing; they Hammerli ones are particularly nice and have something they call the "Swiss Safe System" where there is a second notch cut into the cylinder pin. Depress the cylinder pin, retaining pin in, like you were going to remove it to take out the cylinder, but actually push the cylinder pin in so that it locks in the second notch. Now the cylinder pin protrudes through the frame and and blocks the hammer from falling all the way to the frame. TA-DA! Single action revolver with a safety!

Pretty tricky those Swiss.

And yeah, I have the El Monstro 7.5' stainless steel model in .44. Nifty.

 

[bannockburn]

The original Interarms Virginian was introduced in 1974 by Interarms. Made by Hammerli, it was available in 357 mag or 45LC with barrel lengths similar to Colt's. The Virginian Dragoon was a slightly different gun, being manufactured here in the U.S. and only in 44mag. It also featured an adjustable rear sight, large ramp front sight, and a blued/color case-hardened finish or stainless construction. The frame was larger to accomodate the 44 mag than the original Virginian. It was introduced in 1977. Prices for both guns at the time they were introduced were around $179 to $249.

 

[BigNate]

Any of you folks know if ever was a "Commemorative" of some description that had the "Don't Tread on Me" insignia with the snake inscription? This is the first .45 Long Colt one I ever saw! (Seems like they're ALWAYS .44)

 

[Bad Flynch]

>On the bottom of the grip is a engraved "Don't tread...on me" with a snake in the middle of the message.<

The Blue Book does not list that as a factory option, so maybe it was added afterwards? There was an engraved model that had a star and sic semper tyrannis. (Thus always to tyrants) That is the motto of Virginia.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

If I had to guess; I'd say it was a commemorative edition for the Bicentennial in 1976. I don't recall the Blue Book having anything specific on it though.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Hey check it out! I found a great pdf with a ton of information regarding the Virginian and the Virginian Dragoon.

Good read: http://www.singleactions.com/VADragoons.pdf

 

[Southern Raider]

was an engraved model that had a star and sic semper tyrannis. (Thus always to tyrants) That is the motto of Virginia.

And also what John Wilkes Booth was supposedly to have shouted after assassinating Lincoln...