Replica Arms

I just came upon 4 pistols new in boxes by Replica Arms.
1-an 1860 army with box has all the original paperwork and the original bill of sale for $72, in 1968 They are selling it for $200.
2-1848 Walker new in box for $350.
3-1847 If I remember right it was the 3rd model dragoon, might be the 2nd. $350 also.
4-1838 Paterson for $325, new in box with a capper.
My questions are how good are Replica Arms pistols.
And are these good prices? I handled all 3 and they seem to be in excellant shape. Are parts hard to get? Anyone have any info on them?

I'd buy them all at that price, Replica Arms were very good quality.

Poor Private said:

I just came upon 4 pistols new in boxes by Replica Arms.
1-an 1860 army with box has all the original paperwork and the original bill of sale for $72, in 1968 They are selling it for $200.
2-1848 Walker new in box for $350.
3-1847 If I remember right it was the 3rd model dragoon, might be the 2nd. $350 also.
4-1838 Paterson for $325, new in box with a capper.
My questions are how good are Replica Arms pistols.
And are these good prices? I handled all 3 and they seem to be in excellant shape. Are parts hard to get? Anyone have any info on them?

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The 1848 should be a First Model Dragoon--possibly a Second Model.
The 1847 should be the Walker.
Check the address on each box. Where the guns were imported to makes a difference as to parts availability and sometimes to quality. If you are thinking about laying out over $ 1200 for guns from a long gone importer a little homework is in order. Somewhere on each revolver is the maker's touchmark and a mark showing the year it was made. When you have this information, let us know.

When looking at any of these guns you see a rectangular box with letters or numbers in it the gun is Italian and the letters/numbers indicate the year the gun was proofed.

The letters PN with a star in a circle and a shield with a little star in a circle are both Italian proof marks.

An octagon with a rifled bore and a capital U in it is Uberti. (Almost always top quality).

A circle with DP in it is Pedersoli (also top quality).

A diamond with FAP in it is Pietta (usually good quality).

A circle with a DGG is Armi San Paolo (fair to good quality).

A circle with a palm tree in it is Palmetto (usually poor to fair quality).

Often the maker doesn't stamp any marks on the guns or stamps the importers name. It's difficult to know who made these guns so you have to examine them for fit and finish. That's about the only guide you will have to how well they are made.

The only Replica Arms guns I have seen have been very good quality and, if new, those prices seem more than fair. If you decide you don't want them I'll be more than happy to write the check if truly in that condition.

Yesterday(sat) I went back to On Target in Kalamazoo Mich. I purchased the 1860 Colt army. here is the info I have on it:
Original Registration card
Original Brochure listing products
Original directions for loading and cleaning sheet
Warning tag for wedge that states "adjust wedge before firing" in bright red
Original box red with Replica Arms Inc. Marietta, Ohio on the top
Important Instruction sheet for loading, shooting, and care of Replica revolvers
4 page blue brochure on loading and shooting which also includes how to determine the ball size, and powder load. and a suggestion on joining the NMLRA.
A layaway sheet listing cost of revolver, and layaway amount and where purchased. Urich's Car and Home Supply 12911 E. Whittier Blvd. Whittier Calf. At cost of $72.76
A Gun & Reel Silicone cloth stating Custom made for Urich's
Now a bit about the revolver:
1860 Army, set up to accept the shoulder stock, case hardened, has never been fired but has stop marks on the cylinder from years of people turning it. has the Navy scene on the cylinder. All fitting are tight. Brass front blade sight.
it does have all the proof Markings that Zonie stated along with the roman numerals XXIV on the frame and barrel. The only Id is above the wedge whch says Replica Arms Inc.Marietta, Ohio Made in Italy.
No stamping that says "use black Powder only" anywhere.
S/N:A3110
I bought it for a whooping $199.99.

Here is the information on the othere 3 Replica Arms revolvers there at On Target Kalamazoo Mich.
all have original boxes and paper work. all have not been fired.
1848 2nd Dragoon S/N:1009 $329.99
1847 Walker $299.99 (didn't get S/N)
Texas Paterson S/N:869 $329.99 including capper
All are in excellaent condition

XXIV is 1968.

1968!!!!! :shocked2:
Why, THATS almost an Antique of an Antique! :rotf:

Uberti started production of their version of the Colt 1960 in April 1963. With Colt being the first manufacturer of this model during the Civil War, the second was FAUL in Belgium who made this model from 1959 through 1973. Uberti was its 3rd manufacturer, however. Uberti's S/Ns of the 1860 began with an "A" during the 1960s. Therefore, it is fair to assume that Uberti is the manufacturer of your 1860 clone. The interesting observation here is, however, that Uberti appearantly only made bit more than 3000 specimens of the 1860 between 1963 and 1968.
Long Johns Wolf

:wink: I sometimes get confused but----XXIV---from my old Latin days is---24---

Pasquenel said:

:wink: I sometimes get confused but----XXIV---from my old Latin days is---24---

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You need to translate it from the Italian to Latin first, then from Latin to English. :shake:
:rotf:

Thanks Mykeal for the 1968 date.
I figured that out earlier with a bit of deduction.
1- the original bill of slae is dated July 20, 1968
2.-I found the XXIV with a bit of a jewelers loupe and a set of younger eyes.
3.-Someone had posted the strange procedure for dating pistols and weapons. I had to scroll down to find the 1968.
Now my next question? is there any value in the pistol (other than what I paid for it :grin: )? Since it is unfired should it be kept this way? (Boy do I have an itchy trigger finger).
Alot of current civil war weapons it is reccomended that they be defarmed. Which means removal of all that modern stampiongs on them like "Black powder use only", Caliber .44 and all the advertising of the maker and importer.
Fortunately the only marking on this pistol is the proof markings on the frame, and above the wedge. the only manf. info is very small above the wedge also. About the size of the proof markings, you need a magnifiying glass to read it.
The original reason for purchase of this pistol was: "dear, I have this civil war military pistol holster, cartride pouch and belt that is empty. There is no designated pistol for it. This 60 colt will fill it nicely."

Replica Arms imported some pretty good guns at the time...and they're still pretty good now. The 44's will have a smaller cylinder diameter than most current imports. Think most took .451" balls if memory serves! There were actually 4 different Paterson revolvers imported with barrels from 4" to 12" which is interesting. They're well made guns and the price is fair by today's standards.

In the marketplace the gun is worth pretty much what you paid. It's age does not command a premium yet. However, check with the Replica Percussion Revolver Collector's Association (RPRCA). They should be able to say for sure.

Defarbing a replica revolver is, in my opinion, an act of deceit. The reenactors often require it because they somehow want to believe that everything everyone uses in the reenactment is truly authentic hardware. So, they require one to intentionally deface the gun by removing any marks that show it's a replica and then pretending that it's not. In the world of antique collecting this is called fraud, but the reenactors say that the since the intent is not to falsely market the guns, it's ok to do it. As if that's never been done. Again, just my opinion. Perhaps I'm too anal.

IMO, organizations that would require the removal of barrel/frame markings are the ones who are being anal.

When I 'aged' my Confederate revolver I intentionally left all of the Italian proof marks and the "Made in Italy" that was on the barrel in place so that some future buyer would know it was not an original.

Is the Paterson capper embossed with the running deer as the originals were for the "Patent Arms" Patersons? I think it could be worth nearly the asking price of the pistol alone. Just an unembossed Paterson styled capper from someplace like VTI or Dixie is pretty expensive, and the embossed ones that Replica Arms initially made with the Patersons are all but unobtainable...at least I havent been able to find one. I think Colt had drawings and patents for the capper and the charger that went with the Paterson pistols, and eventually for the loading tool as well. (Early Patersons had no loading tool, but the spindle itself was cupped to allow it to be used for seating a ball in the cylinder.Eventually a few Patersons were made with the "new" attached loading lever, but like with the early Walkers, recoil often dislodged the lever from its weak spring holder allowing the lever to plunge into the cylander effectively jamming the gun at least until the lever was fumbled with and the gun recocked.)

$329 for an unfired and early Replica Arms Paterson with capper sems very reasonable, but I think keeping it unfired would be the best way to keep its value at this point, or so I have been advised.
T.Albert

There are some people that just find the crappy finish and Italian markings to be an eyesore on what could otherwise be an attractive gun. Though I suppose that there are some people who could be fooled by this process, the lack of the correct markings and many other differences would generally be a dead giveaway to any but the most novice collector. I don't think the process is fraud unless you carry it to the extreme.

Alexander L. Johnson said:

There are some people that just find the crappy finish and Italian markings to be an eyesore on what could otherwise be an attractive gun. Though I suppose that there are some people who could be fooled by this process, the lack of the correct markings and many other differences would generally be a dead giveaway to any but the most novice collector. I don't think the process is fraud unless you carry it to the extreme.

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Intentionally misrepresenting the item being sold is fraud. The culpability of the purchaser is not a factor in that definition. Caveat emptor is honorable only insofar as the seller does not intentionally lie about the goods, and defarbing is intentionally misrepresenting the guns as authentic. Giving it the old, 'wink-wink' and describing the seller as stupid or novice, and therefore somehow deserving of being duped, does not excuse the act.

I understand the theory behind Defarbing a gun wether it be pistol or long arm. In my many years of experience in civil war reenacting I have never ever seen any enfield or springfield or any variation of long arm or hand gun being misrepresented as such. Mykeal you sound like a person that has been burnt by an unsrupulous seller/collector.
The more authentic side of reeenacting are trying to be as period correct as possible, including getting lice(just kidding). These guys will spend $500 just to have thier muskets defarbed, the only consession is that the s/n and the manuf. are hidden, but are still there.
It's is no different than someone in the F&I, or Mt. Man, voyager doing the same to thier flinters.