Help with Manufacturer

[OK2Smoke]

On a previous post I asked about possible manufacturer of this pistol but did not have any photos.

It was imported by Richland Arms and most suggested that EuroArms was probably the source. In searching I find that their pistols were made by multiple manufacturers, Palmetto, Armi San Paulo and others.

There is such a wealth of experience on this board that I hope someone will recognize the marks so I can find correct parts. I would like to replace the hammer and bolt and hand if possible.

The only marks are on the cylinder except for a #410 under the barrel and on the grip frame. the Richland name is rolled on top of the barrel.

The cylinder matches the current Pietta almost exactly but the other parts do not.







Thanks much, --John R.

 

[necchi]

Lower picture, proof mark on the left looks like Palmetto, PN is the Italian proof mark.
I think the Double Diamond is Dixie Gun Works, I could be wrong on that (?)
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/236956/
1862 Spiller and Burr?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Believe the double diamond is MORFRA di Mainardi A. of Brescia since about 1972...at least how they're registered with Italian makers lists.

 

[OK2Smoke]

Thanks Wes/Tex...you put me on the right track to search. Found a post by "pbrevolver" from a couple of years back with some good info quoted below;

"The Patersons appeared in the mid 1960’s with the markings of Mofra and the Double Diamond. It is interesting that the Mofra marking has only been observed on the barrels of Paterson revolvers. The Double Diamond started in around 1970 and the Mofra markings disappeared. This information is based on observations of the 950 revolvers in the RPRCA collection. The Double Diamond appears on other model replica revolvers into the late 1970’s. Other Double Diamond revolvers noted are the Spiller & Burr" and the 1862 Pocket Navy.

Also I found that MOFRA di Mainardi A.was the founder of EUROMANUFACTURE.

Looks like in the early days there were a lot of small shops making parts for each other that eventually morphed into the industry as we know it today.

Thanks, your input was right on the mark!

 

[Wes/Tex]

Glad I could help. Agree it's a fascinating sport the way many of our current makers started out doing parts work for other bigger companies or importers. Some survive, some don't...following the twists and turns can be fascinating.

 

[OK2Smoke]

At first I thought it might need some parts as the action was not very smooth. Took it apart and dressed the top edge of the cam on the hammer, spread the fingers on the bolt a bit, dressed the top edge of the bolt, cleaned everything up, put it back together and now it's working great.

Action is perfect and timing and lock-up are fine. It's an old one but should be a good shooter.

--John R.

 

[CaptainKirk]

If anyone should know, it is "bprevolver"..aka Dr. JL Davis who has the largest black powder museum in the U.S.
A complete guru of BP guns and a super-nice guy, to boot.

 

On a previous post I asked about possible manufacturer of this pistol but did not have any photos.

It was imported by Richland Arms and most suggested that EuroArms was probably the source. In searching I find that their pistols were made by multiple manufacturers, Palmetto, Armi San Paulo and others.

There is such a wealth of experience on this board that I hope someone will recognize the marks so I can find correct parts. I would like to replace the hammer and bolt and hand if possible.

The only marks are on the cylinder except for a #410 under the barrel and on the grip frame. the Richland name is rolled on top of the barrel.

The cylinder matches the current Pietta almost exactly but the other parts do not.







Thanks much, --John R.

Pull down the loading lever. Look on the bottom flat of the barrel, near the frame and see if there is any letters stamped there.

Next, what is the date code on this piece?

X 1954
XI 1955
XII 1956
XIII 1957
XIV 1958
XV 1959
XVI 1960
XVII 1961
XVIII 1962
XIX 1963
XX 1964
XXI 1965
XXII 1966
XXIII 1967
XXIV 1968
XXV 1969
XXVI 1970
XX7 1971
XX8 1972
XX9 1973
XXX 1974
AA 1975 Note, 1975 and later, the date code is in a square, ie. [AA]
AB 1976
AC 1977
AD 1978
AE 1979
AF 1980
AH 1981
AI 1982
AL 1983
AM 1984
AN 1985
AP 1986
AS 1987
AT 1988
AU 1989
AZ 1990
BA 1991
BB 1992
BC 1993
BD 1994
BF 1995
BH 1996
BI 1997
BL 1998
BM 1999
BN 2000
BP 2001
BS 2002
BT 2003

I believe that you may have a very early Pietta.

 

I, just, referenced this:

2 elongaced diamonds:
Mofra (Mononi Gino)-----------None
MOFRA di Mainardi A.----------Brescia 1971
MOFRA This has been found on Patersons sold by Replica Arms. Two longcated Diamonds with side points touching. Also found on Replica Arms.
MOFRA was bought by Euromanufacture around 1980.

 

[OK2Smoke]

The only other marks on the gun are a s/n 410...one under the barrel and the other on the grip frame as in the photo below.

I strongly suspect this gun may have been a 'kit gun' and other marks may have been filed off in the finishing of the gun. The guy I got it from said when he got it the barrel had heavy mill marks on it and the frame had mold marks and some casting pits all of which he 'smoothed up'.

In this case any other marks or date codes have been lost except for the Richland Arms roll mark on top of the barrel.



--John R.

 

[OK2Smoke]

Actually regarding the idea that it might be an 'early Pietta', The cylinder is almost exactly like the current Piettas, in fact a Pietta cylinder will fit and index perfectly in this gun.

On the other hand the company that produced this piece may have been a small Ma and Pop operation supplying parts to what later became Pietta.

--John R.