Found!...1851 Open Top!

[rbertalotto]

Ok, big deal...I found a Armi San Marco 1851 Open Top in 38 Special.....Here is why it is a Big Deal.
If you live here in the horrible state of Massachusetts, we have a law that you can't buy any handgun (ANY!!!) that was not in the state of Massachusetts before 1998 (and you have to have proof) or it must pass a very involved test to assure it is safe to sell in Massachusetts if built after 1998. So just about any SAA revolver except Rugers (and only certain models) are available for sale as new firearms here in Massachusetts. Colt, Uberti, Pieta and all the rest have not gone through the nearly $10,000 per revolver required to get their SAA revolvers certified.

I wanted a pair of open top 38 special revolvers for years. At a gun show here in MA a few years ago I found one. 1851 Armi San Marco in 38 special. The price was $400 and I didn't think a second and bought it. The odds of finding even ONE pre 1998 open top 1851 is remarkable!




The chance of finding this pre 1998 revolver here in Massachusetts was a miracle!

A few days ago while sitting at the airport waiting to get on a plane for Australia I was scanning the local want ads and I found another "Mass Complaint" 1851 Armi San Marco for $400  . I contacted the seller and explained my situation. He said he would hold it until I got back. Nice guy!

Once I returned home I contacted him and made the deal.




So now I have a pair!





I also ordered a nice set of holsters from Western and Wildlife Wonders



Now I just need to resolve the grip issue. If they were two piece grips I could just swap them around and have checkered on the outside and smooth on the inside of both guns.

Or I'll just get the smooth grips checkered to match........

I need to go buy a lottery ticket............How rare are two Armi San Marco revolvers here in Massachusetts and both Mass Compliant!

[Pettifogger]

Very nice!  I like the checkered grips on the first one.

[Octagonal Barrel]

Very cool story, and very cool guns.  I love the look of open tops too, and would love to have pair like yours.

I'm thinking about the grips in a little different light.  Both pairs of grips look good on the guns.  (I personally particularly like the checkered pair on the original OT you got.)  I don't know you really have to change them at all.  Seems to me I heard that in the somewhat unusual case a cowpoke owned two revovlers, they were not necessarily a matched set since he probably didn't have the money to buy both guns at the same time (maybe a complete mismatch and not even the same make or model).  If you leave your guns as they are, the grips would make them look like your persona bought (or aquired somehow...) two '51 conversions, but didn't aquire them both at the same time.

Of course you could hardly be blamed for lusting after matched stag or ivory grips if that's where your fancy takes you...

[Major 2]

You might try VTI,  they stock the grips for the Smoke wagon which are checkered along the same pattern.
There could be minor fitting, but I think you may be surprised being the SAA & 51 Navy ( ASM & Uberti ) will be close .

If on the other hand, you want smooth , we could try a swap and see if they work  , I'd trade a set of smooth for your checkered ....

[Abilene]

Nice find in good ol' MA!

Just FYI, if you are planning to use that set of leather for SASS, the crossdraw as pictured has an illegal cant angle.

[rbertalotto]

I might take you up on that trade of my checkered for your smooth. I actually like smooth better.

I've got a bunch of Uberti, Pieta and Colt pistols. I'm going to spend some time trying to figure out what swaps with what.

The holsters I bought are two strong sides. I'm a strong side shooter.

[Major 2]

I might take you up on that trade of my checkered for your smooth. I actually like smooth better.

I've got a bunch of Uberti, Pieta and Colt pistols. I'm going to spend some time trying to figure out what swaps with what.

The holsters I bought are two strong sides. I'm a strong side shooter.

works for me 

[Paladin UK]

Fer rbertalotto

I cant believe what I read regarding Handgunz

you can't buy any handgun (ANY!!!) that was not in the state of Massachusetts before 1998 (and you have to have proof) or it must pass a very involved test to assure it is safe to sell in Massachusetts if built after 1998

So.... is what you are saying is that You can`t buy ANY sort of  (Inc Cap and Ball and .22) NEW handgun in Massachusetts

Paladin (Whats astounded ) UK

[rbertalotto]

Cap and Ball can be shipped right to your house here in MA. They screwed up when they wrote the law and forgot all about BP firearms.

But to buy caps, powder and bullets, you need to attend a class and get an FID or an LTC card, at the discretion of your local police chief. And we can not mail order ANY reloading components. The AG here in MA sent letters to all the mail order houses threatening to press charges if they ship any reloding components to a private individual.

The only NEW handguns we can buy are most S&W, a few Rugers, a few SIGs, a couple PARAs, and one or two more brands. The ONLY SAA you can purchase as a new gun are certain Ruger Vaqueros. Not all, just the ones Ruger put through the AGs testing procedure.

Yup, Be very careful out there........These Attorney Generals talk to each other......Be sure to get out and vote!

[rifle]

Glad you found yer pair of shootin irons Hombre. They are nice lookin guns. Hope they shoot well fer ya.

That strange law you mention in that state is almost unbelievable. Talk about infringement to have and bear firearms. That safety test law and the money involved is a crime and a sin. One day all those types laws will be struck dowm as unconstitutional infringements to the 2nd ammendment. I'd move to the mountains in Tenn. in the meantime if I lived in yer state. 

[Abilene]

...But to buy caps, powder and bullets, you need to attend a class and get an FID or an LTC card, at the discretion of your local police chief. And we can not mail order ANY reloading components. The AG here in MA sent letters to all the mail order houses threatening to press charges if they ship any reloding components to a private individual....

Holy cow!  I knew about the MA's draconian handgun laws, but had not heard of these ridiculous restrictions on reloading components.  I feel for you, man.  Vote indeed!

[rbertalotto]

So I finally got to shoot my 1851 Open Tops in competition.

38spl loaded with black powder and 158g bullets. (I've now got a mold for 125g bullets)

One revolver worked flawlessly but the other pierced every primer. Upon looking at the firing pins on both, they were filed to nearly a point!

I ended up having to turn two new firing pins on the lathe out of water hardening drill rod.

Both work beautifully now!

Nice revolvers to shoot. Good in the hand and very accurate.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Sounds like you guys need to start making changes at the Voting booth !

[sfc rick]

Very beautiful 1851's ! It is a shock to me when you stated your living conditions in what was once a bastion of Liberty! Your people were once Free, but are not now. My Ancestors once lived there in the 1600's and 1700's so that must be the reason we live in Texas now.

[Tinker Pearce]

A very nice find- glad that they are working out for you. I have a couple of ASM guns and like them quite a bit.