Spiller & Burr

[Poor Private]

The wife and I took a trip down to Kalamazoo to buy groceries---Low and Behold right next door is "On Target" gun shop (was this planned? you guess). Soo we went in to brouse thrugh the BP pistols. Found a unusual Spiller&Burr in thier case. BRass frame as per normal , but heres the kicker- the barrel,cylinder, screws and hammer are browned instead of blued or blacked. It has the original box. Selling as used, but on inspection it is unused. Cost $199.00. The tag says it is a Traditions,with custom hot brown finish there are no marking on it at all except the initials stamped in the right side of the frame under the loading rod C.S.
Serial number is on the bottom of the back strap #B 7074 and thats all the markings on the pistol.
The box says it is made by Pietta,authetic replica it has the matching serial number on the box.
OK OK I walked out the door with it- couldn't help it I don't have a Spiller&Burr. Now here are the questions I have regarding the S&B
1. Anyone have any idea of age?
2. Did Pietta make browned pistols?
3. Where can I find out more about this pistol if no-one here can help?
4. Was this a good deal or is this about the price of em?
I am sure there will be more questions as I get answers.
Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Coot]

Price sounds ok to me. There is a Spiller & Burr repro by Richland Arms on Gunbroker right now for $320 including a flap holster.

 

[Zonie]

The folks at Dixie Gunworks seem to think a S&B is worth $232.50 plus postage.
I note they are also selling a kit of it for $195.00.

It sounds like your pistol may have been one of the kits and the builder filed off all of the proof marking that Pietta put on it.

It's against the Italian law for Pietta to make a pistol and not have it proofed and then mark the gun with the Italian proof marks.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

When I built my Spiller & Burr from a kit, I removed the markings (which were quite shallow) and browned the iron parts and then "aged" it to look like it had some holster wear. I've done the same to a couple of other brass framed revolver kits over the years just for the fun of it. I even did a Walker that way. So you may well have a kit gun there. If it is still in time and shoots well, you've no worries. My S. & B. was a good shooter as I recall.

 

[torn moc]

Glad ta hear ya Bought IT! Thats a mighty fine pistol with a GREAT History!

BUT!!!

 

[hawkeye2]

I have serial #'s 65 & 66 from Pieta's first run and a friend has #1. The steel parts are blued with a casehardened hammer and rammer. They have safety notches on the rear of the cylinder like a Remington which I have not seen on later reproductions. The barrel has SPILLER AND BURR CAL.36 on the top flat with BLACK POWDER ONLY on the left and MADE IN ITALY upside down on the right along with 2 proof marks. The frame has some proofs on the right below the cylinder and the serial # and Pieta's trade mark on the bottom of the grip frame. These lock up tighter than any Italian revolver that I have ever seen and the gap between the cylinder and barrel is almost non existant. They have a heavy top strap and a lot of meat in the frame so I don't think shooting loose would be a problem with reasonable loads.

I shot one in N-SSA competition for a year or two. It shot well but I had to hold about 8" below the bull to stay in the black and I didn't want to alter the sight. The reason I gave up was that the front of the grip was so close to the trigger guard that it struck the joint on my finger when I fired and it was painfull to distraction after only a few rounds even with light loads.

Hawkeye2

 

[torn moc]

still waiting on the photos!

 

[Poor Private]

Sometime or other or another family memeber has already signed up my e-mail for photobucket, so I can't use it cause I don't know the friggin password. I guess I am going to have to grill my family memebers on who has the account and get the user name and password-- sheeesh.

 

[mykeal]

The accounts are free, just open another one. And don't give them the password this time.

 

[Zonie]

I tried setting up another account at Photobucket but their computer knew my computers numbers so it refused to allow me to do it.

I sure hope Poor Private gets access to the password. It might improve the chanches if he warns everyone that he's going to want it in a few days.
That way, if one of his youngsters has a bunch of stuff posted there that they don't want the old man to see it gives them a chance to erase it.

If this offer isn't made, it may be a loooooooooong time before the real owner raises his/her hand. :rotf:

 

[mykeal]

Photobucket's tech support will help correct the problem. He needs to claim ownership of the account and state that his access has been compromised by unknown persons. They'll do due diligence to confirm his ownership (details withheld on purpose) and arrange for a new account, moving his files to the new account.

 

[B. Miller]

According to Pietta's web site they make three models of the Spiller and Burr revolver. They do not describe the other models either. I have only seen one. It sounds as though you may have found one of the others.
Bruce