United States Arms Abilene SA

[silicosys4]

Not many people have heard of United States Arms. They werent around long and there isnt a huge amount of information out there except a basic history of the company.

The Abilenes aren't really rare but they are pretty uncommon. They are kind of an odd duck. Think Ruger Super Blackhawk size and shape frame, but forged instead of cast. The machining on them is exceedingly good (with the exception of the hammer).
I do believe they interchange at least some parts with Rugers, but I have not seen a Ruger yet that matched its fit and finish.

The action is decent, but not amazing, and it's a transfer bar action, which I believe Ruger sued them over. It is an accurate gun, and very soft shooting because it's a .357 magnum in a .44 magnum size frame. I've seen them in .44 and .357 magnum, and I've heard they came in other calibers.

What is striking about this gun is the bluing. It is the nicest polish and bluing I have seen on a handgun, better than any Colt I've seen, including Royal Blue. Its hard to photograph, it's so shiny.

Please post any examples of this short lived company you have, or information.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

They were a small company in Riverhead, LI 1977-1980 or so. I actually spoke to one of them on the phone.
The salient points of their story as I heard:
1. Ruger alleged patent infringement.
2. The partners split, one moved to Arizona, started a company called United Sporting Arms, produced a similar revolver called the Seville.
3. Mossberg bought US Arms, was planning to produce the Abilene through their AIG division. They were planning to get into handgun production, also produce a 45 ACP semiauto from a design by Bo Clerke. I have read that was a real Rube Goldberg design. Those plans were dropped for whatever reasons. I have a Mossberg/AIG Abilene, well finished and machined, good shooter.

 

[CraigC]

They're good guns and as you see, very well finished. Dad has a 5.5" .357. Local dealer in Florida was blowing out a whole collection of them for $250, about 25yrs ago but only had .357's. They made .44's and .45Colt's. They had two different ignition systems. The transfer bar on Dad's gun broke and I had Jim Stroh replace it with a Ruger part. Idiot that runs a local pawn shop has one for way over $2000 and I couldn't help but laugh. They're usually $500-$800 on Gunbroker.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

My brother worked for the guy that moved to Arizona. He found out the hard way about working for an outfit on the brink of bankruptcy. Bounced payroll checks and no checks at times. They didn't last long here either.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Was just looking at the photos again and noticed the Ruger beauty ring on the cylinder. I think they might have been sued into the stone age by Ruger for patent infringement. Or the bolt timing is way off.

 

[Mizar]

I think they might have been sued into the stone age by Ruger for patent infringement.

They couldn't - the patent for the bolt (cylinder stop as called by Ruger) was granted in 1956 and expired in 1973 - #2733529.

 

[CraigC]

If think if that was true, there wouldn't be a BFR.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Maybe it wasn't over that particular part. Who knows, they're gone regardless. From what I saw of the facility they were turning out a quality product. Remember AMT?

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Probably like a lot of small companies they were undercapitalized. Dornaus and Dixon and the Bren Ten, e.g. AMT-had my Hardballer since 1978, served me well, a product of Harry Sanford-he who designed the Automag, The Version I Heard was his skills as a designer were not matched by any business skills.
The transfer bar goes back to Iver Johnson well over a century ago-"Hammer the Hammer".

 

[balin]

I have one of each in.44 and .357. Beautiful finish. I find keeping small groups can be done . Seems they are set up for shooting at a distance and not the short range that I have available at my indoor range.

 

[halfmoonclip]

They couldn't - the patent for the bolt (cylinder stop as called by Ruger) was granted in 1956 and expired in 1973 - #2733529.

Not only that, the Iver Johnson "hammer the hammer" transfer bar reached back to the early Twentieth Century.
But Ruger has deep pockets for lawyers.
Moon

 

[vanfunk]

Blued!?!? I could have sworn from the photos that it was high polished stainless or bright nickel. Wow! Very interesting gun and story; thanks for posting!

 

[Miami_JBT]

Neat, never seen such a revolver. But then again, there are a lot of small batches of guns from the 1960s-1980s that hit the market, flopped, and folded. Hell, AMT at one point had a Wonder-Nine in the works as a duty pistol for the LE market in the late 1980s.

 

[Reinz]

Neat, never seen such a revolver. But then again, there are a lot of small batches of guns from the 1960s-1980s that hit the market, flopped, and folded. Hell, AMT at one point had a Wonder-Nine in the works as a duty pistol for the LE market in the late 1980s.

‘Thanks for the memory jolt!

I came across one of those AMT nines in the late 80’s , early 90’s. I can understand why it never made it, it was a real clunker.