USPFA - USFA ??

[RRio]

I had always been told that United States Patent Fire Arms dropped the "Patent" out of their name to avoid a lawsuit from Colt.

Now, I can't seem to find any reference to that.  Does anybody else remember reading that or hearing that, years ago?

[Major 2]

remember it quite well

[RRio]

Thank goodness!! I thought the mind was starting to go! 

I got started searching for any reference to it, after I noticed a sale of a USPFA gun and the final price that it brought in. Evidently, the USPFA guns have achieved "Collectors Status".

[Major 2]

Here is a link http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=130415
that mentions it as well.

I was lucky enough to purchase a USPFA Richards several years ago.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Rawhide - I remember the "patent" incident between Colt and USFA and you are correct about Colt's objection to USFA's use of the word patent in their name.

I also have one of the 1851 Navy, Richards-Mason conversions.  Mine is stamped USFA, not USPFA.  I have been led to believe, by the good folks at USFA, that fewer than 35 of these revolvers were made.

[Pettifogger]

The USPFA guns were made from Uberti parts that were fit and finished in the U.S.  The USFA version single action army even had the goofy Uberti safety in the hammer.  Wouldn't own one of those short of getting it for free.  USFA is now American made and their quality is excellent.  But, it has taken years to shake their reputation as selling expensive Italian guns.

[RRio]

Here is a link http://www.coltforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=130415
that mentions it as well.

I was lucky enough to purchase a USPFA Richards several years ago.

Thank you for that, Major 2.

Rawhide - I remember the "patent" incident between Colt and USFA and you are correct about Colt's objection to USFA's use of the word patent in their name.

I also have one of the 1851 Navy, Richards-Mason conversions.  Mine is stamped USFA, not USPFA.  I have been led to believe, by the good folks at USFA, that fewer than 35 of these revolvers were made.

That's really got to have collectors value. I know I would love to have one.

The USPFA guns were made from Uberti parts that were fit and finished in the U.S.  The USFA version single action army even had the goofy Uberti safety in the hammer.  Wouldn't own one of those short of getting it for free.  USFA is now American made and their quality is excellent.  But, it has taken years to shake their reputation as selling expensive Italian guns.

The .357 magnum I have is one of such guns. If it did not have that goofy hammer safety, and Uberti stamped under the barrel, you would never know that it has Italian parts on it. And the grip also has that "feel" to it.
Ya got to figure, USFA did not achieve their status by starting out with crap Italian guns. I feel the Italian guns helped them achieve their status. In a way, it's kinda like owning a piece of history.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

The transition from imported to all American parts was a gradual one that took place over the span of a couple of years.  I have seen USPFA's with and without the hammer block safety.  I have seen USFA guns with Italian frames that still had the recess in the hammer channel for the hammer block safety.  It is hard to tell what was, and what was not, imported on some of those early, "transition guns."  I do remember that USFA was pretty vague about it back in the 90's. 

[Hobie]

I have a USFA SA gun which frame has a cut for the hammer safety but doesn't have the hammer safety.  It has serial 1248XX and I was told that it was manufactured in March or April of 1996.

[Doc Sunrise]

One would have to wonder now that USFA has their own patents if they could still use the USPFA?