1848 Colt Baby Dragoon variations

[jiminy criquet]

I've got an old Armi San Marco replica Colt Baby Dragoon that is a 6-shot .31 caliber model.  I got it in a gunshop about 15 years ago, and it was old then ...I'm guessing an early production run...1970's maybe?  Serial number is 28xx.  No loading lever.  Beautiful color case hardening on the steel frame, hammer and trigger.  Brass backstrap and trigger guard.  4" blued barrel, and a blued cylinder with the scroll engraving of the mounted Texas Ranger chasing Indians.  It also has square notches on the cylinder as opposed to the circular notches.  The question is, does anyone with a copy of Flaydermans see a variation of the 1848 Baby Dragoon that matches this model...as all I see are the 5-shot variety with the round cylinder notches.  (I'll try and post a picture of the little beastie later).

By the way, these little .31's really pack a wallop for their size when you stuff them full of powder.  I can see why they were popular in their day.

Thanks in advance

[jiminy criquet]

The case color hardening is hard to make show up correctly in the picture, as then the rest of the gun is too dark to see well.  Suffice it to say that the picture doesn't do it justice, and the same swirls on the frame are on the hammer and trigger)





(Sorry, its got a little oil on it in the photos, as I took it apart and cleaned it today for the first time in years.)

[jiminy criquet]

Well, since I'm getting such a huge response here I went ahead and ordered a copy of Flaydermans for myself

In the meantime I've come across an article that talks about the 1848 Baby Dragoon, 1849 Pocket and Wells Fargo models.  Evidently 6 shot cylinders were available.  The Texas Ranger/Indian scene was engraved on the cylinder until 1850, upon which time it was changed to the stagecoach scene, and many other details of the Colt pocket models.   Nothing on when the cylinder notches changed from round to square on the 1848 Baby Dragoon, though

http://www.texasranger.org/dispatch/15/pages/Colt_1849.htm

[Yankee John]

Pretty little 1848 you have there JC!  I love these pocket pistols, and am trying to find an affordable genuine 1849 myself.

I didn't see this post until now, so I'm not not going to spoil it for you; You can research it for yourself when you get your Flayderman's!

It is a facinating book. Believe me, you will spend hours reading thru it, then re-reading it again!

John

[Lone Gunman]

Flaydermans has a little info on these but what you really want is:



there is currently one listed on ebay for $100 but you can probably do better if you keep an eye out.

The shortest and most accurate answer to your question is 'NO', however as with pretty much all Italian reproductions, the more palatable answer is 'well, sort of '. There weren't any 1848's produced with six shot cylinders, but nearly 70% of the last 150,000 1849 "Improved Old Model Pocket Pistol" were of the six shot configuration. Similarly all of the six shot models had the rounded triggerguard instead of the squarebacked one and all of the cylinders with rectangular stops had the 'Stagecoach Holdup' scene instead of the 'Indian Fighting' scene. None of these inconsistencies will be apparent to 99.9% of the folks who will see you shoot that little gun

[jiminy criquet]

Thanks for the reply.  That pretty much confirms what I already gleaned from Flaydermans.  And yes, I've been working on finding a copy of that book at a somewhat more reasonable price   The number is probably more like 99.99999999999....% too   (Unless they read this thread.)

I wonder how Armi San Marco came up with that particular 'variation' for their Baby Dragoon?  Probably something like what Colt did...practicality of manufacturing and the reusing of old or extra parts, etc., from other models.  The cylinder scene is probably left over from making a Patterson, and the 6-shot cylinders from the 1849 Pocket.  Add the two together and all they had to make 'new' was the squareback trigger guard and the barrel sans loading lever slot.

I think I'm going to refurbish my .31 CVA brass frame Wells Fargo model.  I hate that frick'n CVA logo, though  

[Smokin Gun]

I got this 1848 Baby Dragoon 5 shot .31 caliber dated XX9 that's 1973 vintage. Works like a Swiss clock perfectly timed. Excellent piece.

[Judge Roy Bean]

Hi to all, a newbie here ,Q. does any one know wear i can get a set of poly/ivory grips.That is for a Uberti baby dragoon or Colt style pocket pistol.

[Judge Roy Bean]

Ive looked at a few aftermarket grip makers but none seam to make any for a pocket pistol,any one got any idears?

[Goody]

I recently purchased some grips for a ASM conversion from this guy. Good work and really good prices. You'll notice that he gives all major dimensions so you can compare to your gun before ordering. Here is his website, he sells from an ebay store. I've also included the specific link for a Uberti Baby Dragoon.

http://www.tombstonesilver.com/servlet/StoreFront

http://cgi.ebay.com/Imitation-Ivory-Grips-1848-BABY-DRAGOON-31cal-22_W0QQitemZ200009808753QQihZ010QQcategoryZ39425QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Again, I was very pleased with his product and would not hesitate to use him in the future.