Need help identifing this Italian pistol

[BAC]

Hi, I am new to this forum. I have not posted before. So, please bear with me.
I recently purchased several BP pistols. But I can't find any info on this pistol.
It has marked on it MARCO made in Italy. It'S 44 cal with a extra barrel. Size unknown at this time. This pistol looks like a revolver but it is a single shot with flat side plates with ingravings on them.
I don't think it has ever been fired. Very clean!
Ingraved on right side,man panning for gold on stream and two bears watching,on left side covered wagon.
I would send photos but I don't know how to attach them. Will send photos if I can figure it out.
Thanks for any help.

Bob

 

[NRAJOE]

Sounds like a Tingle Italian copy?

 

[BAC]

Here are the photos. I hope.

 

[BAC]

Here is one photo. I can send more later. I think. The barrels are octagon.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

That looks like the copy of the Tingle target pistol that Dixie used to sell. I think they were made by Armi San Marco.

 

[Zonie]

Dixie Gunworks offered this pistol in 1980. They called it "NO. D-E-001 THE TROPHY WINNER .44 SINGLE SHOT PISTOL".
The NO D-E-001 was their part number. It sold for $79.95 back then.

Their catalog says:
"This is a trophy winning single shot pistol that will give years of trouble free enjoyment. Each gun has a beautiful casehardened frame that is etched with a western scene on both sides, which really adds to the beauty of this gun. The 10" blued octagon barrel is .44 caliber and has 7 grooves and 7 lands of equal width. Groove to groove diameter mikes .445.(misprint?) Land to land mikes .442. (misprint?) We recommend a .435 ball. Use No. 11 caps on the .245 X 28 nipple.
The fixed ramp blade front sight and adjustable rear sight gives a ery good sight picture. The weight of this gun is 42 ounces and overall length is 12 3/4. We have test fired this Italian made gun using 125 grains of 3FG powder and three lead balls. (NOT RECOMMENDED!) The convenience of owning this pistol is that we now have a smooth bore shotgun pistol barrel that will interchange with the rifled barrel that is on the pistol. This pistol barrel is listed below..."

The second barrel is a 28 guage smooth bore, 10 inches long and it sold for $12.95. (Ahh the old days!).

The text says, "...All that you do is remove two screws in front of the trigger guard, slide the rifled barrel out and insert the shotgun barrel. Takes a .245 X 28 nipple and No. 11 caps.
In loading this barrel, we suggest that you load with 1 3/4 drams of black powder and use old newspaper on top of the powder load at least 3/4" thick and then a half ounce of shot and place just enough newspaper on top to make sure that the shot will not fall out..."

It was made by ARMI SAN MARCO in Italy.

My questioning the bore and groove diameter is because the dimensions they gave would end up with a rifling groove depth of .0015 which would darn near be a smooth bore. I suspect the groove diameter is in error.

 

[RADeO]

Oops! Zonie was quicker on the draw than I.:redface:

Mr. Frizzen hit the nail on the head as far as identification goes. :hatsoff:

My 1977 copy of the Dixie Gun Works catalogue shows one on page 23. Here is a photo of the page.

Sorry for the poor quality of the picture. I just grabbed my camera and shot without a tripod. Hope you can read all the info.

 

[BAC]

You Guys are so helpful and knowledgable. I can't believe it!!!!
I can't thank you enough. I will probably have more questions in the future.
Thank you.

Bob

 

[Zonie]

Acorn: I note in your 1977 picture they have the same strange sizes listed for the bore and groove diameters! :rotf:

If their dimensions are correct those grooves would have a depth of only about 1/2 the thickness of a human hair. :rotf:

 

[bob308]

i have one got it at a gun show for $40. tried all kinds of patch ball combo. could not get it to shoot. got bob hoyt to make me a barrel for it. it shoots now.

 

[RADeO]

If their dimensions are correct those grooves would have a depth of only about 1/2 the thickness of a human hair.

You're right Zonie. Never noticed that before! One-and-one-half thousandths for groove depth does appear to be a tad shallow. Maybe that particular barrel was really intended for shooting round corks propelled only by a cap. :rotf: