Cute little Baby Dragoon – When was it manufactured?

[Makinster]

I bought this little sweetheart - used - sometime in the 1970s. It’s stamped with “Replica Arms” name and address, which I recall began producing black powder revolvers pretty early in the replica period, around the 1960s? Their products were fairly good quality.

I added the front sight so I could hit the targets during our black powder club shoots. The trigger and timing is pretty decent, so no modifications were needed. Pretty decent shooter.

I would like to learn when this revolver was manufactured. This might by difficult, as there appears to be no date code stamp. In fact, even though it’s stamped “MADE IN ITALY”, there are no Italian proof stamps ”“ and I thought they were required.

Any thoughts or recollections ”“ even wild guesses ”“ on its mfg date would be appreciated. I know, I’ve had this shooter for about 40 years and just getting around to pursuing my curiosity on when it was made.

Thanks in advance for any input.

MAK

 

[junkman_01]

All I can add is that Replica Arms was not a manufacturer, only an importer.

 

[Long Johns Wolf]

If memory serves the Armi san Marco company of Italy started making these Colt Pocket replicas from ca. the mid 1960s, after the Walkers and Dragoon from the early 1960s. ASM is out of business for more than 10 years now so we cannot check back with them. If you provide the serial number Dr. Davis of RPRCA might be able to provide the year of production.
During the early days of the replica industry the proof marks were sometimes "covered" like underneath the loading lever or in front or on the breechside of the cylinder. You surely checked with a magnifying glass?
Long Johns Wolf

 

[mjulihn]

Yep - pretty sure proof marks have long been required for all European-made firearms. May have to do some disassembly to find one.

 

[aeatwood]

Up til now, I thought Replica Arms only imported guns from Belgium. Those were VERY well made, by a company that had originally been licensed to build the same guns for Colt.

Learn something every day.

 

[Makinster]

Agreed: Replica Arms did not manufacture, but imported and distributed.
"Baby" is serial number 1575. I field-stripped pistol: 1575 on grip, frame, barrel, ...and wedge (!). #575 on face of cylinder. There are no other numbers or markings. Did not remove backstrap or trigger guard.
Cylinder scene consists of horse-back soldiers (?) one aiming pistol, chasing horse-back Indians. Under magnification, scene appears to be etched, not rolled or engraved. Between beginning and end of scene is a stylized oval containing the word "patent".
Are we any closer to date of manufacture... or even the name of the manufacture itself? I'm certainly curious.
I wish I hadn't traded off all my old Gun Digest magazines. There might have been a clue there.
Thanks for all your efforts!
MAK

 

[wulf]

Anybody with a really old Dixie catalog ???

 

[CaptainKirk]

I have one almost identical, imported by EIG.
No proof makings, maker or date code either.

If you get an answer, please PM me. I'd like to know as well!

 

[Makinster]

Capt Kirk:
Looks identical! But lower ser #, same “etched” cylinder scene, nicer grips. I notice the high post front sight. Mine has been fired, yours looks pristine. Wish I had something positive to report.

I Scroogled “Replica Arms Marietta Ohio”. Went through the first 100 sites, cherry-picked and edited, produced the following:

“Replica Arms started out in El Paso, Texas”¦later bought out and moved to Marietta, Ohio, eventually bought out by Navy Arms. These will be marked Replica Arms Ridgefield NJ. During the transition period you will find both the Navy Arms name and the Replica Arms logo on the revolver. They were manufactured by Armi San Marcos, Uberti, and Pietta at different periods”.

“Most of the Ohio guns were made by Uberti. The roman numeral code on the right side of the frame, below the cylinder, will tell you what year it was produced.”

IN CONCLUSION: I’ll probably never determine exact date of manufacture ”“ 1960’s (mid) will probably be as close as I can hope to come.

Thank you all for input and insight. MAK

 

[CaptainKirk]

I'm in agreement with you on the positive ID. Without a date code We'll never know.
I find it strange that the Serial # on my backstrap and frame don't match, also that there are no proof marks ANYWHERE. I've had this stripped down to it's Whitey Tighties and gone over it with a 10X magnifying glass. No proofs. Not on the cylinder either, which would be a dead giveaway for a defarb job.
As for the front sight; the P.O did that (nice job, too!) so he could sight the gun in at 15 yards.
I've stripped it down 3 or 4 times and done a trigger job on it, but have yet to fire it!
It is clean!