Help! Fie ".32"

[kBob]

Walked into the gun section of our old time Feed seed & lumber store and was attacked by a little COlt-ish Brass frame.

They know nothing about it and neither do I.

It seems smaller than an 1851/60 frame and the grip frame's rear strap has no recurve at all. One the other hand it does not seem as small as I recall an 1849 being.

It seems solid as a little bank vault and has no cylinder drag line

The ONLY markings on it are the standard Italian national, Italian BP, and the date stamp XXVI in the correct places and ITALY-FIE on the bottom of the grip strap.

It does seem to be a .31 and those holes do not seem small in the cylinder though the barrelseems a bit thick. Grips are rather plain.

Any idea what the heck it is and its likely value would be appreciated. Sorry I can not post a picture as I did not think to snap one with my phone, we dinosaurs are like that.

My cheif fear is that it is a "family gun" from the Valley of the gun that can not use anyones parts should it develop a problem in the furure and that it is neither an 1849 nor an 1851.

They have agreed to hold it til monday for me at any rate when I must put up or shut up.

Help, please.

-kBob

 

[zimmerstutzen]

For bout guns from several makers. The only one still in business is Uberti.

It's insignia would be on it somewhere.
But even then tooling and deaths changes may have been changed. has been around a

 

[kBob]

I think that is "FIE bought guns from several makers..."

Thanks, That I knew. They bought whatever they could make a dime on. A friend had one of FIEs little .380 pistols back before Colt started selling and making Star clones. For the price it was not bad and as small as the little Star D which it sure looked like. Another bought one of their little .22 Single actions with an apparently zinc frame that last I heard is still going after 35 years.

My current plan is to take one of my replica nothing Brass framed .44 Colts out Monday AM and compare sizes.

-kBob

 

[Fingers McGee]

XXVI = 1970 manufacture. As stated, FIE bought fom a variety of mom & pop Italian gun makers - PR, COM, BLG, etc.

If it's a five shot and .31 caliber with a loading lever, it's a '49 pocket model - look under the loading lever for possible makers mark. Witout loading lever, it's a '48 baby dragoon.

 

[kBob]

Fingers,

D'oh! Moment. I did not even notice if it is a five or six shot. I was so busy trying to find markings I completely over looked the most obvious identifying feature.

I even swiped some accumulated grease sludge under the loading lever to check for markings. The Barrel is octagonal and bare of markings other than the proofs. No "Black Powder Only" or "Made in Italy" or name on any flats.

Even the serial number was only marked on the frame/reciever and not the ajoining barrel or trigger guard.

Why would anyone have made a .31 ".32" 1851 clone?

-kBob

 

[kBob]

Well it turned out to e your garden variety "corn-fed irrate" .36 Navy...

except it has a smaller than the pietta frame and grip frame and arrel and cylinder. Did not pull it appart so do not know if the cylinder axis is oof an odd size.

I took a Pietta .44 brasser "51" to compare it too AND I took Das Klunker as well. Guess what? cylinder is the same length as the mystery gun. Back strap was sans Pietta ducktail like Das Klunker as well. It was a near thing until I recalled that it took me 16 months to finally get Das Klunker working. Fear of breaking parts kept me from buying it. If it stays there very long though I may get tempted again because hey I do not have an unknown make .36 Navy brasser.

I had est stop efor I talk myself into it.

Missed a .36 G&G type that was on GB yesterday for Buy it now at a rediculously low price with belt, holster and pouch. Although I do look at stuff on Sunday I do not "do" commerce on Sundays and this AM it was not surprisingly gone.

Not a good shopping day for kBob, perhaps enhaling sulferous smoke will make me feel better.

-kBob