Went To Buy Powder...Bought Gun!

[rbertalotto]

Went to the local gun shop this morning to pick up some powder.....Quick look in the gun case....1873 Colt Bisley (ASM) in 38-40!

Big deal...a repro of an 1873 SAA by the Italian firm Armi San Marco....

But...This is Massachusetts. A revolver like this is near impossible to get in this state. If it wasn't here before 1998, it can't be brought in and sold here. In fact, the only SAA revolvers that you can buy new here are Ruger Vaqueros...And just a few models. Unless they were here before 1998 and are grandfathered. I hate it here!

So..38-40, my favorite cartridge...Bisley with a great feeling grip and that low hammer....a real dog gone firing pin!...Perfect new condition...And at a price that was well below what I thought he should be asking..... SOLD!

[Pettifogger]

Now comes the tough part - finding a second one!

[rbertalotto]

Exactly!! Last year I bought an 1851 Conversion at a local gun show.....Same thing, good luck finding a second one.....A few weeks later one showed up in a local classified ad!!! Just need to figure out what grips I like better and get a second set

[Blackpowder Burn]

The Republic of Texas is accepting qualified immigrants from the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts...............

[rbertalotto]

I'n there once a month for business and it gets harder and harder to leave. I love Texas!

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

   In the early-mid 80's, I bought an EMF / Armi Jaeger Colt Bisley, 5-1/2" Bbl,
chambered for MY FAVOURITE ( and Granddads ) handgun cartridge: .38-40!
The longer barrel on yours looks nicer, however...!

                 M.T.Marfield

[Major 2]

Armi San Marco gets a bad rap....and I seen the reasons why....

But when they got them RIGHT they got it right .... They did fall victim to the BIG Box retailers demanded price point and ASMs guns suffered ....

Congrats on the Bisley, rbertalotto 

[Coffinmaker]

HOW DID I MISS THIS???  I must have been asleep at the switch.  NEVER MIND!!

ROY!!!  Stop That!!!  You keep stumbling onto such SWELL TOYS!!

Don't know if you know the history .... But .... When still in business, Armi San Marco built reproductions of the Colt, Second Generation SA that were actually better than the Colt.  EXCELLENT guns.  Then for various reasons, some alluded to by Major 2, ASM quality went into the Outhouse.  Still dimensionally more Colt than Colt, but crap for lock works parts.  But ....

If one got a good one, those guns are a joy.  It looks like your Bisley may well fall into the Excellent category.  Because of the reputation for garbage parts, most ALL ASMs are valued in the basement, good or bad.  Now for some interesting tidbits.

With just a little fitting .... Second Generation Colt parts will fit an ASM.  Vice Versa too.  Also, the other "better" Second Generation Colt is a Pietta GW II.  Colt parts will fit a GW II, minor fitting, and vice versa.  However, if you publicly admit you have used Pietta parts to return a Colt to serviceability, the "Coltistas" will form a Mob with a Rope.  Blasphemy don't ya know.

Generally, I'd suggest swapping out for a Pietta SA Trigger/Bolt spring and the After-Market Main Springs from VTI Gunparts or Lee's Gunsmithing.  That Bisley is a really super find.  But ...... STOP THAT!!

May the Fourth be With You

Coffinmaker