China Camp Model

[dunnyboy]

According to the information I have found, the China Camp models were made from 2000 to 2003. Does anyone know if all the China Camps were made after the USFA switch to all USA parts? I have a pair, and both are marked with the USFA stampings, conical firing pins, and everything looks just like my other more recent USFA revolvers. Boxes are also marked with the USFA logos on the inside, and labeled as such on the outside. I had someone tell me that they made some of these before the switch, but I can find no mention of it anywhere or see any sign that it may be true. Any opinions?

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Dunnyboy,
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that the China Camp model was introduced prior to 2000 and that the first models were, in fact, made up of either Uberti, or a mix of Uberti and U.S. sourced parts.  Without knowing exactly when your guns were made it would be hard to tell.  My guess, with any China Camp model, would be that there is a strong possibility that there are at least a few imported parts.
The China Camp model was one of USFA's first "specialty guns" and many were made prior to their conversion to all U.S. manufacture.  I remember that when they were introduced USFA listed them as having their "patented Silver Steel finish."  This was a bit deceptive as the finish was (and is) nothing more than polished steel.
CJF

[dunnyboy]

I guess that begs the question of when the USFA marking started, as oppsed to the US "patent" FA marking? and what that change may have signified as to the production parts? any opinions on this? I know the USPFA marked revolvers were largely imported parts, but my belief was that when the USFA transition occurred, that the main components if not all, were being produced in Hartford as opposed to imported.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

USFA dropped the word "Patent" from their name very early in the game as the result of a threat of legal action brought against them by Colt.  It wasn't until several years later that the transition was made to entirely U.S. made guns.  Founded in 1993, name change, I believe, in 1994, all U.S. made sometime around 2000 or shortly thereafter.  The transition from Italian to all U.S. made parts was a gradual one.  All guns made in the 90's were either entirely Uberti, or a mix of Uberti and U.S. made parts.

[dunnyboy]

That is helpful. Based on that I feel certain the two China Camps that i have are all US made, as I know they were made after 2000. They do have the neat, early eagle US style stocks. Very pretty and pristine pistolas.

[new_guy]

My serial number CC is in the 490-range, and usfa confirmed that it was "all US Made"... For what thats worth.

[mtone]

Call USFA and ask when they left.  The early China Camps were all Italian.  USFA did do some later China Camps with the CC serial numbers and in the white but they didn't include the target.   The early ones had the box label with the specs in pen as opposed to the computer generator end labels that we see today (or used to see).  Also, if you send a pic to USFA, they'll probably be able to tell you whether the gun is Italian.  The Italian cylinder flutes are slightly different than the USA made cylinders.   

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

The only "fly in the ointment" here is those eagle grips he mentioned.  USFA stopped using those prior to transitioning over to all U.S. made parts.

[mtone]

I had a set of USFA Eagle grips some time ago.  When I took them off the gun, Colt Mfg Co was stamped inside the grip.  Spoke to someone at USFA back in 2002 or 2003 and he admitted USFA would buy the Colt grips and send them out to have the Colt emblem taken off and the US logo machined in it's place.