Mistakes I've Made!

[yahoody]

Ya, don't think it is as easy as all that guys.  The engraved guns are China Camps.  Which are Italian parts guns.  The Nickel gun is also an Italian parts gun...check out the front sight..dead give away as are the firing pins on all three.  All are very early USFA however.   Some of the first after the change over from USPFA to USFA.   The 7.5 is a late production serial #27xxx series USA gun.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Thanks, Buck!
You are no doubt right, just a photographic illusion.  Too bad... would have been an easy way to differentiate between Italian parts USFA's and US made guns if those pointed, Italian flutes had been a bit longer.
CJF

[Buck Stinson]

Well now I'm really confused.  The other thing that I question is the shape of the firing pins.  I have one gun in the 22,55X serial range (2002) that has the 1st generation Colt type flutes, Turnbull case colored hammer and frame and the first generation Colt type firing pin.  This pin has no taper out to the point.  I have another gun in the 27,46X range that has the same 1st generation Colt cylinder flutes and firing pin, but with darker USFA case colored hammer and frame.  The third gun, 21,39X has the 2nd and 3rd generation Colt style long pointed flutes and the firing pin is tapered to a point.  This gun also has the Turnbull case colored hammer and frame.  When did Turnbull start color case hardening for USFA?

[TDW]

   I just had to go look at my Sheriff's Model and Custer Battlefield. I assume they are fairly late production, and both have the cone shaped firing pin. The hammer knurling on the Custer appears to be rolled in and is longer and not as sharp as the Sheriff's Model hammer (Italian??). The fluting on both cylinders is the rounder shape of the late model production pistols ( a different end radius or ogive, than the more pointed early production guns....).
    Dug the boxes out of storage, each with the receipts. The Sheriff's Model was delivered in January of '08 and purchased about a week later. The Custer Battlefield was purchased in June of '08. The Sheriff's was fresh from Lew Horton, and the Custer was just delivered from the factory to 10ring Precision.
   For what it's worth, both boxes have the sleeve insert in them that say 100% American Made. I suppose that could be interpreted in a lot of ways....
The Custer box has the dark brown bag and the Sheriff's has the light gray one.
   Don't know if this helps or adds to the confusion, as neither pistol has standard production serial numbers......
Tom W. 

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

To the best of my knowledge, Turnbull did the CCH for all of the USFA's, Italian and US made.

[yahoody]

Turnbull did the CCH for all of the USFA's, Italian and US made.

my thoughts as well