Western Arms Corp. 1860 Army

[Bad Karma]

Yep! And the stocks don’t have all that much red color like a lot the Uberti’s have! And that’s a good thing for me.

Many of the early GU guns had those fiddleback walnut stocks to a lesser or greater extent. Those are nice and yes, walnut colored!

 

[glenniconway]

You got a good deal on that pistol. Less than half price. Your pistol is a steel frame pistol not brass frame and has a brass trigger guard. I have a steel frame Western Arms 1851 but It does not appear any better than other Uberti 1851's. The guy in that Guns International add was blowing a little smoke. You don't see many Western Arms revolvers for sale so they are more sought after by some collectors. It is more the scarcity of the piece than any noticeable quality difference that adds some to the value.

Yes sir, with the way the write up was presented I could see the “smoke”, but kinda cool regardless.

 

[glenniconway]

Ok fellows, I took the new pistol apart for a good cleaning and found NO carbon on any of my patches or cleaning rag!

All six chambers were clean, no carbon. No black at all.
Only some light red (rust) from the base pin and base pin hole! But that cleaned up easily.

I think this pistol was never fired, contrary to what I was thinking before?

The rifling was perfect with a bright mirror finish!

I put a light coat of gun oil on everything and she even became even prettier.

Only thing that could be any better about this would be to have the original box and paperwork. Wishful thinking, but I’m thrilled no matter what!

I’m second guessing myself if I want to shoot it, save it, or sell it for a nice profit? IDK?

Any advice?

 

[Hawk54]

Yes sir, with the way the write up was presented I could see the “smoke”, but kinda cool regardless.

It is a very nice pistol and it came from a company owned by one of the early founders of the Italian reproduction revolver market. That in itself to me adds to fun of ownership. You did well. Shoot it and enjoy it.

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Glenn, you did very well for your first cap and ball revolver purchase. Your Uberti looks well fitted and finished in your pictures. The grips are really nice.

Think you will regret it if you sell the 1860. Remember this ain't a dress rehearsal.

Deals in the condition and price you scored are scarce.

 

[Wes]

Gentleman, I have been pondering for a while now about getting my first cap and ball revolver. I’ve been spending lots of time reading posts here on this forum, learning about the different models, calibers, brands, histories, and the like, with hopes of purchasing one for my present this Christmas. I was leaning towards a Uberti 1851 Navy.

Well, those plans just went out the window when a coworker friend of mine told me about a cap and ball revolver in the display case at a local pawn shop. It had a sticker price of $179.00 marked down from $249.00. I went right away to the shop and there it was, so I ask if I could check it out.

Turns out it was an 1860 Army in what I would describe as in excellent like new condition. It appears to have been fired, but very little, if not just once!
No scratches anywhere, bluing was deep and shiny, case coloring is nice, and walnut stocks are perfect. Timing seemed good. What rifling I could see looked crisp.

It’s got A.UBERTI stamped on the frame left side on the brass frame. And, under the loading handle, bottom of the barrel, "BLACK POWDER ONLY" Cal. 44 and what looks like a laid down “L” shape, then the serial number 104106.

The odd thing is it has “Western Arms Corp. Santa Fe NM” stamped in small print on top of the barrel?

I offered the pawn shop guy a $100 bucks and he quickly countered with $130.00. I said what the hell, ring it up.

So, gentlemen, any insights on what I have purchased and was it a really good deal?

I’m feeling really good about it and excited to get it ready to shoot, except now I have to try to source some #10 caps, 3F powder and .454 projectiles, dang it!

Those things are dime a dozen but I’ll do you a big favor and take off your hands for $200.

 

[Mikekj]

Very nice.
Looks like it was manufactured in 1979.

 

[glenniconway]

Very nice.
Looks like it was manufactured in 1979.

Thank you.
I was 12 years old in 1979. I wonder where this pistol was the last 44 years? Well kept in a drawer somewhere I imagine?

 

[glenniconway]

Those things are dime a dozen but I’ll do you a big favor and take off your hands for $200.

Ok, it’s a deal!
I just need $489.00 for shipping and handling.
Hahahaha………

 

[wiscoaster]

Ok, it’s a deal!
I just need $489.00 for shipping and handling.
Hahahaha………

Sounds like a Gunbroker auction.

 

[springfield art]

It's interesting that replicas have their own status of collectability and studies dedicated to them. They are fascinating, and we owe it to the early 1960's replica guys that had the first ones made. I read where the collectors of actual antique guns at that time decried the replicas, saying they would water down the price and demand for real antiques. The opposite happened, and those old timers are now gone.

 

[Rich44]

He bought it at a pawn shop. The pawn shop made money. Whoever pawned it and lost money by pawning it did so willingly. Who knows what their motive was? Feeling sorry for them without knowing the context is a misplaced emotion, IMO.

Never said you need to feel sorry for the circumstances of sale and have misplaced emotion. I doubt you were the person pawning the gun so your fairy tale story of who lost money put your story in the makeup zone.

I would assume the person taking it to the pawn shop and selling it, did not know its proper worth. Maybe gifted, or stolen, or any other one of a 1,000 reasons. Since the real history story of this 1860 is not known we can only wish the new owner good luck.

Was only simply stating for every action there is a equal and opposite reaction. If you have any sorrows, that would be on you.

 

[wiscoaster]

 

[BuffaloSoldier]

Great buy!! Anytime it wants a new home, I'd be happy to welcome it into my home.

 

[Mcat]

I’m curious about this 1860 I bought out of an online auction in Alberta Canada for about $500 CDN with taxes etc. Came with case etc. As photos show. The site advertised it as a Westerner‘s Arms Pietta with issues that might require a gunsmith. The Westerner‘s Arms barrel stamp doesn’t look like anything in this post. I see a stamp on the left frame that appears to be a Uberti U. I will post a few more pics below. I found the cylinder jammed up when securing the wedge a bit too tightly. I read other post about Arbour lengthe issue and added three thin washers. Before doing that I fired it no probs. After the washers the wedge seats ok and the cylinder spins adequately. One other curiosity is that the date on the cylinder for the etched battle definitely reads as May 1848 instead of 1843. ???

 

[Mcat]

Here are other photos that show no text under the loading lever and a mixed brass and steel trigger guard and blackstrap. Any idea what this Frankenpistol is all about? Thanks.

 

[wiscoaster]

....Any idea what this Frankenpistol is all about? ...

Well, if you don't want any "Frankenpistol" lurking about your abode, I'm sure I could remedy that by making it disappear.

 

[azmntman]

VERY good deal. Don't ever sell the deals like that, you will regret it. SHOOT IT! I got several really nice deals myself on 1851's here on the forum. One new in box with 7 boxes of balls and the paperwork and box (from Cimarron) for $325.00 The other was also a 1851 new with no box put with a holster for about the same. Last year I really wanted an 1851 .36. Including the sheriff I got in very used condition and had goonerized (still have not found time to shoot in Mike) I now have THREE! God is good.

KEEP IT.

 

[Hawk54]

I’m curious about this 1860 I bought out of an online auction in Alberta Canada for about $500 CDN with taxes etc. Came with case etc. As photos show. The site advertised it as a Westerner‘s Arms Pietta with issues that might require a gunsmith. The Westerner‘s Arms barrel stamp doesn’t look like anything in this post. I see a stamp on the left frame that appears to be a Uberti U. I will post a few more pics below. I found the cylinder jammed up when securing the wedge a bit too tightly. I read other post about Arbour lengthe issue and added three thin washers. Before doing that I fired it no probs. After the washers the wedge seats ok and the cylinder spins adequately. One other curiosity is that the date on the cylinder for the etched battle definitely reads as May 1848 instead of 1843. ???

Westerner's Arms and Western Arms Corp are two totally different companies. Your pistol is not a Pietta but an Uberti. Westerner's Arms was a company created by Uberti to market Uberti pistols in Europe and the US. Western Arms Corp was created by Leonard Allen in Santa Fe, NM to sell imported Uberti pistols. Two different import companies. Nothing wrong with your pistol having a brass trigger guard and a steel back strap.

 

[Mcat]

Westerner's Arms and Western Arms Corp are two totally different companies. Your pistol is not a Pietta but an Uberti. Westerner's Arms was a company created by Uberti to market Uberti pistols in Europe and the US. Western Arms Corp was created by Leonard Allen in Santa Fe, NM to sell imported Uberti pistols. Two different import companies. Nothing wrong with your pistol having a brass trigger guard and a steel back strap.

Thanks for the information. When the gun is cocked it has the Colt four click which I’m told Ubertis also have but not Piettas. Part of my reason for referring to the pistol as a Frankenpistol is I thought maybe the frame was Uberti but the cylinder and maybe the barrel might be Pietta as advertised by the auction. Why I thought that was because I bought Slix Shot nipples for Uberti and they would not thread, but they did on a Uberti Remington Army.
searching on the Internet led me to another forum that described why that was so. See screen shot of comments.