Madison Import Corp.

[expat_alaska]

Does anyone have any info/background on this importer?

Just ran across an ASM 1848 Pocket Rammerless (advertised as an 1849) on GB

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=501967775

and was curious as I had never heard of them. A Google check shows Tennessee and New York addresses as importers of all manner of items, if it is the same company.

Thanks in advance,

Jim

 

[sltm1]

Expat, I'm not sure about the importer, but I am sure that little shooter is about $200 too much! Also, it's considered to be the "Wells Fargo" model of the 1849

 

[expat_alaska]

Expat, I'm not sure about the importer, but I am sure that little shooter is about $200 too much!

Agreed, and I sent the seller a Q or 2 about the pistol.

Also, it's considered to be the "Wells Fargo" model of the 1849

It would be except, according to Flayderman, the 1849 so-called "Wells Fargo" model had the small round trigger guard. The seller's pistol is a squareback, which would make it an 1848, BUT...

If one reads P.L. Shumaker's treatise on these series of pistols, nothing is set in stone, especially considering that Sam Colt was an astute businessman and would probably have used any parts in stock to complete building pistols until the inventory of old parts ran out, no matter what. Mix and match...

I have an unmarked Replica Arms El Paso Texas 1848 Pocket .31 squareback 6" barrel with load-lever S/N 288 (date: XIX 1963).

[I have it on good opinion from Dr. Jim L. Davis (http://rprca.tripod.com/) email:

What you have is a first year production ASM revolver. ASM produced all of the small and large frame revolvers in the beginning. Indeed there is very strong evidence that the parts supposedly sold to Colt through Uberti were actually ASM parts. Thus the 2nd Gen Colts were part ASM, not Uberti. Interesting bit of trivia.

Jim Davis

that it is an ASM] which looks exactly like the 1848 Pocket .31 with load-lever depicted in Flayderman's book/catalog except the load-lever pivot screw enters from the right side of the pistol. Shumaker states that Colt did that only from ~11,600 to ~12,000, which accounts for ~400 pistols. Did ASM have one of these oddities to copy for production? I dunno, but interesting to consider.



I have read that Uberti purchased ASM ~1973. If so, it would make sense.

I digress and am still looking for info on Madison Import Corp.

Jim

 

[shunka]

With a date stamp of XXII (1966) and ASM markings that puts this in the heyday of unidentified Italian BP guns, imported by anyone who could pull it off...

madison arms corp was last listed in 2007 ( dissolved 2011) as a domestic import co in brooklyn

apparently this name gets used and reused fairly regularly.

as a gun importer, they were known to import inexpensive pot-metal 22 revolvers and 25 acp pistols; and the occasional .22 and .38 derringers; in the '60's mainly made by Hermann Schmidt, Germany.

apparently they were opportunists as we see the name appear on a few cheap shotguns and even fewer BP revolvers. Including an ASM Walker:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=341028&page=110

I would suggest, that the maker "ASM" is more important than the long defunct importer

 

[expat_alaska]

Wonderful response, sir!

You dug deep to find a thread concerning Madison Import Corp., but that still does not answer my question about who and what they were.

From 2010:

Madison Import Corp. 1847 Walker

I just acquired an 1847 Walker with "MADISON IMPORT CORP." on the left side of the barrel flat above the barrel wedge. It was manufactured by Armi San Marco. This is a new marking that I had never seen in my 18yrs of researching and collecting replica revolvers. This raises the total of identified importers who marked their guns to 59. Wonder what will show up tomorrow?

I sure would like to know all of the importers' names if the list is up to 59. Anyone have a comment on this?

Thanks very much!

Jim

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

I have a nice Uberti 1848 and 6 shot R&D.32 S&W conversion cylinder that I would sell together for $115.00 more than this seller is asking for his 1848 alone. I have the R&D cylinder shimmed with brass washers to eliminate the common Uberti "short arbor" problem, just haven't made it permanent so you can adjust them if the need arises. I was going to post it for sale but pressing family matters have been more of a priority until now. If you are interested I can take and send you some pictures.