ASM Italy Firearms. (Fixed the title)

northwestgrizzly · January 27, 2010, 04:09:15 PM

Does any one know much about this company and there products, quality and such? I am un able to find much about them on-line. Thank you.

Curley Cole · January 28, 2010, 12:44:14 AM

Did you mean ASM?

If you did (Army San Marcos) is/was an Italian gun. I don't know much about the rest of their products, but EMF had their SAA's made by them for a short period of time. Reason it was short period of time waz because they were mostly terrible. None of the parts fit any other Colt/clones, and the screws were a metric.

I believe they did rifles and I think they were pretty good.

If you ment AMS, then ignore the above.

good shootin
curley

Steel Horse Bailey · January 28, 2010, 02:31:45 AM

I'm not 100% sure, but I think they were swallowed up by Uberti ... which was swallowed up (bought) by Beretta ... which may now be a division of Benelli.

Clear as mud, right?

Curly mentioned their quality control issues; it may be true, but at some times you could get a very fine product.

northwestgrizzly · January 28, 2010, 03:27:51 AM

Quote from: Curley Cole on January 28, 2010, 12:44:14 AM
Did you mean ASM?

I did mean ASM...I just fat fingered the title. Thank you for the information!

Quote from: Steel Horse Bailey on January 28, 2010, 02:31:45 AM
I'm not 100% sure, but I think they were swallowed up by Uberti ... which was swallowed up (bought) by Beretta ... which may now be a division of Benelli.

Clear as mud, right?

Curly mentioned their quality control issues; it may be true, but at some times you could get a very fine product.

I was looking at getting a Colt Walker 1847 repro....but I've not been reading good things about them, so I may beg off on it.

Major 2 · January 28, 2010, 06:10:54 AM

ASM= Armi San Marco was rather small compared to Aldo Uberti, FLLI Pietta, Davide Pedersoli & C. it was run by then Son in Law of Aldo Uberti.
The Shop had some quite capable artisans , and they often offered pieces the others did not ... outside the main models Colt Army's ,Navies ,SAA etc. & Remington's,
The issue was, QC on many, partly because importers ( Traditions, EMF, Navy Arms, later even Cimarron and for a short time USPFA ) clamored for the the products.... ASM barely kept up.
Traditions and Sportsmans Warehouse, were selling them hand over fist and at discounts even closeouts. I remember prices were
below $100 at these two large lot wholesalers.
ASM could and did make some good guns, If you were lucky and got one, you would have a nice piece.
I had one of their Walkers, it was a nice as any I've seen including 2 Gen. BP series.

American Frontier Arms, Dave Anderson develop the conversions , his were good. There are a fine set shown in Adler's book Metallic Cartridge Conversions.
But, a lot were assembled in Gardone and these more often than not suffered.

However, if and quite often someone did get a gun with issues, Navy Arms, EMF and Cimarron had to take many back on warranty issues. they quit importing them.
ASM finally through in the towel, most of the employees are with the other makers now.

Jamie · January 28, 2010, 07:30:13 AM

I've got an ASM Walker with stainless cylinder and barrel, the frame is color cased, and the grip is brass. It's an excellent shooter, and the only complaints I've got are the fact that rapid cocking causes the cylinder to spin past the notch nearly every time. The same thing is true in two other Walkers that I've fired, though I have no idea who made them as they belong to friends. I assume that it is somewhat a design issue - tiny notch - HUGE cylinder - lots of inertia. I did say complaints, and the second one is that it is hard work to get the cylinder off the base pin, and I mean HARD work once the gun has been fired. I mean HARD!
The other ASM's in my possession are an 1860 Army (half built for a stock attatchment, but not all machined out etc.) an 1958 brass framed Remington, and a pair of Police Pockets, one brass framed, one steel. All work fine, and I've got no complaints, but I don't shoot 1-200 shots per week out of them either.
Jamie

Long Branch Louie · January 28, 2010, 11:49:39 AM

I've had a Walker for some years, don't shoot it real often, but the pin is hard to get out of mine dirty as well. I don't know who made mine, insides were OK, but brass was a little rough, so I disassembled it and polished it up a little, now it's a very nice Walker. They are fun to shoot, the thing is so heavy even if you fill the cylinder with powder it don't recoil much....

Texas Lawdog · January 28, 2010, 12:49:58 PM

I found a nice ASM 1860 Army in a pawn shop last year for a low price. At the NCOWS SW regional this year, Steel Horse Bailey and Ottawa Creek Bill checked it and cleaned it for me. I've finally got all my components to shoot Cap and Ball.

Chance · January 28, 2010, 05:11:25 PM

Before the UK government confiscated our handguns I used a pair of ASM SAA clones in .44/40 and they never missed a beat. Parts from these pistols would fit Colt revolvers and vice versa. To my mind they were the most accurate Italian copies of the SAA. There are still a few ASM percussion revolvers available over here.

Chance

Major 2 · January 28, 2010, 05:30:59 PM

Quote from: Steel Horse Bailey on January 28, 2010, 02:31:45 AM
I'm not 100% sure, but I think they were swallowed up by Uberti ... which was swallowed up (bought) by Beretta ... which may now be a division of Benelli.

Clear as mud, right?

Curly mentioned their quality control issues; it may be true, but at some times you could get a very fine product.

Wellll ...not exactly

ASM's owner married in the Uberti Family , Son in Law of Aldo Uberti..... Beretta, Uberti & Benelli merged ... Bought Importer Stoeger.

Beretta Corporate banner includes:
Uberti
Benelli Armi S.p.A.
Luigi Franchi S.p.A.
SAKO Firearms
Stoeger Industries
Burris Optics company
and a twenty per cent interest of the Browning Arms Company.

northwestgrizzly · January 29, 2010, 03:24:57 AM

Wow! Thanks for the info folks. Hmm I want one but I am going to try and do some horse trading by trading my NIB Taurus Gaucho 45LC 5.5" barrel for one. We'll see Thanks again folks.

Steel Horse Bailey · January 29, 2010, 04:59:45 AM

Quote from: Major 2 on January 28, 2010, 05:30:59 PM
Wellll ...not exactly

ASM's owner married in the Uberti Family , Son in Law of Aldo Uberti..... Beretta, Uberti & Benelli merged ... Bought Importer Stoeger.

Beretta Corporate banner includes:
Uberti
Benelli Armi S.p.A.
Luigi Franchi S.p.A.
SAKO Firearms
Stoeger Industries
Burris Optics company
and a twenty per cent interest of the Browning Arms Company.

OK - I said I wasn't sure, but I knew somebody would know the full deal. Thanks, Major! I was pretty sure those Italian companies were in cahoots with each other in some way!

Wow! I notice Sako is on the list you wrote. I thought they were in Finland. (?)

But, of course, the British monarchy is totally interwoven with the German (ex)Royal family! Those pesky Europeans! They sure get around, don't they ?!?

Major 2 · January 29, 2010, 05:55:11 AM

Quote from: Steel Horse Bailey on January 29, 2010, 04:59:45 AM

OK - I said I wasn't sure, but I knew somebody would know the full deal. Thanks, Major! I was pretty sure those Italian companies were in cahoots with each other in some way!

Wow! I notice Sako is on the list you wrote. I thought they were in Finland. (?)

But, of course, the British monarchy is totally interwoven with the German (ex)Royal family! Those pesky Europeans! They sure get around, don't they ?!?

Yes Sir ...Sako Finland own by Beretta
Beretta itself is a 500 year old Company still owned and run by the same family , currently run by Ugo Gussalli Beretta.