The Gun That Started It All

[expat_alaska]

This is an article by Dennis Russell that I found on Dr. Jim L. Davis' site RPRCA.

http://rprca.tripod.com/Articles-Links.html

















Hope you enjoy!

Regards,

Jim

 

[arcticap]

Great article.
At first I thought too bad that he didn't contract with Erma-Werke to build those 1st reproduction revolvers.
But then I realized that over the long term, the guns would have become much more expensive today as a result.
So it probably worked out better after all that the guns were eventually produced in Italy rather than [West] Germany.

Erma-Werke made a very fine .22 target pistol that was used to establish a world record back in the 1990's or so, that was made with a Lothar Walther barrel.
Erma-Werke also made a .22 clone of the M-1 carbine, an excellent copy of the Gallager breech loading BP rifle, a .38 match revolver,
a lever action .22LR rifle, and several small caliber clones of the Luger pistol including in .22LR, .32 acp and .380.
Before they went out of business, they worked on developing a $10,000 sniper rifle for the German military but when
the military didn't contract to buy it, they ended up going out of business.
Erma-Werke also made what many would call "junk guns" which were also part of their legacy,
but the company's ability to make copies of working models is well recognized.

In hindsight, Val Forgett probably did make the right decision to contract with the Italians to produce the C&B reproductions.
They're probably much more affordable today as a result of that crucial decision that was made so many years ago.

 

[bannockburn]

Jim

Thanks for the great article! I love reading about all the "behind the scenes" efforts that were needed to get the Colt 1851 Navy replica built.

 

[PapaG]

I have one of the first run, serial 77X. Brother and I each chipped in about $35 each to buy it.

 

[Navy Six 2]

Thanks for posting this fascinating information. Makes me again realize how lucky we are today to be able to buy almost any percussion pistol, thanks to the foresight of a few individuals.

 

[expat_alaska]

I have one of the first run, serial 27X. Brother and I each chipped in about $35 each to buy it.

Do you have any pics, sir?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[PapaG]

Can take a few. I'll work on it.

 

[ShotgunDave]

That was a really good read Jim. Thanks for posting it.

 

[PapaG]

Do you have any pics, sir?

Thanks,

Jim

Here you go. Number is in 700s, we got this in the early sixties from Turner Kirkland who was starting to deal with Val. At the Aledo, IL, gun show.

 

[expat_alaska]

PapaG,

I love the wood! The rest of the gun is great also, sir!

Jim

 

[PapaG]

PapaG,

I love the wood! The rest of the gun is great also, sir!

Jim

It still shoots great. Waaaay back in time, our county had a fall festival and since it was the birthplace of Wyatt Earp, they had a marshall's contest. Dad got a loaner Colt Buntline from Colt and the high average shooter got to be the grand Marshall. (Hugh O'Brian wanted 30k to do it). Little bro and I used to shoot the match after the "men" we're done, using the Navy 36. We always, one or the other, had high score, but since we were kids, we weren't eligible.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

Thanks Jim!

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Man the wood on that handle is quality...unlike todays usual wood grips. Back then getting a nice grain of hardwood that was tight grained heartwood was common...but now u usually get some lighter sapwood portion of the hardwood. I prefer my wood grips to atleast be dense...recently ive been getting lighter colored lighter weight wooden grips on my guns. Sorry i ranted there...but again...them grips are eye catching especially for stock wooden grips.

 

[PapaG]

Man the wood on that handle is quality...unlike todays usual wood grips. Back then getting a nice grain of hardwood that was tight grained heartwood was common...but now u usually get some lighter sapwood portion of the hardwood. I prefer my wood grips to atleast be dense...recently ive been getting lighter colored lighter weight wooden grips on my guns. Sorry i ranted there...but again...them grips are eye catching especially for stock wooden grips.

We picked it from his selection of five or six.

 

[PapaG]

Also, down in the safe, is an early Zouave, imported by Hy Hunter which had the "Remington" stamp on the lockplate that they were made to "X" out as well as a choke bored barrel. Two of us in our club in the mid/late sixties dominated the matches with them. My friend made his own minie mould along with a false muzzle and starter. I shot mine in BR matches with an "adapted" Lyman 77 front and Redfield rear. I added a Numrich 7 groove barrel and set a record at Friendship in the 50 yard musket match. Fun, these old memories. Keep priming us.

 

[bannockburn]

PapaG

Got to say that's some beautiful wood there; the rest of the gun is in great shape as well! Thanks for sharing your '51 Navy and the memories!

 

[4v50 Gary]

Thanks Jim. I actually knew Bill Edwards and he visited my (former) home in San Franciscograd. He also wrote the introduction to my first book on the blackpowder sharpshooter. His store in San Francisco was on 2211 Clement Street. He mused that Dirty Harry's star # may have been based on his store's location. This cannot be confirmed. I visited him in Afton, Virginia on one of my research trips. Somewhere I have a small plaster bust of George Washington that he had made. His wife gave it to me after he passed away. RIP to both of them (and Hafner, the snake who lived in their cellar).