Armi San Marcos

[JKinsella]

Well, I’m just getting into the bp shooting hobby from CW re-enacting (71st PVI).
I bought a used ASM1860 Colt Army at a local gun shop for $250 as my first revolver, because I thought it was a good deal compared to a new Pietta or Uberti. And it looked real good. And it was the 1st bp revolver I ever picked up. Love at first sight, I guess…
THEN, did my research on ASM, DUH.
My question: What has been your experience or thoughts about ASM?
Thank you…

 

[Smokerr]

Its really about condition not reputation. If the timing is good, good barrel then at the least its fun to shoot.

I don't have an ASM, I was given an ASP (76 date) and while it had a timing issue I fixed, its a very nice slick functioning gun. I have not achieved any real accuracy with it but I have had fun and its lead to 3 other BP buys. The timing was annoying as it was half cock.

Really important/critical is lock up being in line with the barrel on full cock.

The cylinder does need some assessment. By that I mean the chamber and how well it seals what sized ball (I would not try conical 's as those are harder to get and no return for plinking/target shooting (my view).

The Modern take is shaving a lead ring but my ASP does not do that. I has a tapered chamber and it gets a very good wide band in all chambers (.250) with the .457 ball that my wife had with it.

And frankly the chamber fit and the possibility of chain fires is a much debated issue. My take is a good sealing band and you don't need grease or wads.

But I have the tools to put a ball in the cylinder and then push it out and measure it.

Safer is a wad behind the bullet. Best safety is grease in front of the bullet.

That is not true of any brand or era BP Revolver. Its a factor for all of them and a bad chamber can be present in any of them.

The ASP did not do the shave a ring of lead, though it clearly squeezed the ball. But not much knowledge of the ASP and it may well have changed how they did things depending on year it was made.

The safe practices and a good checkouts apply regardless of mfg and or era.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

ASM are good guns if they're in time.
One of my favorite brands if you get ahold of a good one.
Proper chamber to bore alignment has been the most common issue ive seen in them. I've had quite a few come through my way

 

[hawkeye2]

ASM made a good gun for years. It was rumored their parts would interchange with original Colts. Where they seemed to have gotten the bad reputation was with their copies of the Colt cartridge open tops which had poor QC and may have driven them under.

 

[Hawk54]

I have a couple of ASM’s and they look great shoot very well.

 

[DrLaw]

I had an ASM that needed so much work that I left it with the gunsmith as the repairs exceeded the price of the gun. The mainspring would break, the hand spring would break, the spare parts never worked and the grip was bent making the gun looked like it was used as a hammer. I had bought it new, sight unseen from that importing firm in Florida that goes by its initials. That was in the early 1980's, iirc. It was a Navy Colt clone in .36.

The Doc is out and not fondly reminiscing now.

 

[Smokerr]

And there you have it. A lot that were fine and a really bad example that had no reason to work.