Replica Arms Inc. Dragoon

[triple w]

I just pick up a unfired, in the original box, Replica Arms Inc., Marietta, OH,  dragoon. It has a three digit serial # and is unfired.

Woody 

[44caliberkid]

It looks like a 2d Model Dragoon (rectangular bolt slots, squared trigger guard).  Most of the Ohio guns were made by Uberti.  The roman numeral code on the right side of the frame, below the cylinder, will tell you what year it was produced.   Other than the reproductions made for Colt and sold by them, Italian repro collecting is still a pretty narrow interest.  Most Replica Arms guns are going for $275 - $325.  Not much compared to a new one, but substantially more than they sold for brand new in the 1960's.
I'd say it's a 50/50 proposition.  You might sell it to an Italian repro collector, or go ahead and shoot it.   You aren't ruining a piece of history.

[Fox Creek Kid]

Look at the wedge. 

[triple w]

Look at the wedge. 

I notice it is on the opposite side. Here photo of a original Colt Whitneyville-Walker with this configuration, not sure if this is the way some dragoons were made or not??

[Fox Creek Kid]

It was a screw up by the Italians for a limited time. 

[Dalton Masterson]

Why did Colt move it to the other side???
DM

[Fox Creek Kid]

Why did Colt move it to the other side???
DM

Because it was there. 

[Delmonico]

Why did Colt move it to the other side???
DM

Most likely it was handier for a right handed person that way, it is said Sam Colt was left handed.  I know some don't agree, but a cap and ball revolvers, and the later cartridge guns are really made for leftys.  Bill Ruger continued it with his guns and he was also a lefty.

A guy named Bill Grover tried to make true right handed mirror image SA's in the early 80's but the company failed.

[Cuts Crooked]

It was a screw up by the Italians for a limited time. 

Which might make it moderately collectable?

[St. George]

Accent's on 'moderately', since Italian black powder replica firearms aren't looked at as being collectible items.

In an odd way,- it's an un-tapped collecting field, since you can buy them really cheaply - especially at the gun shows and pawn shops, where they're a drag on the market for most sellers - and you could build up an impressive accumulation for relatively little money.

Perhaps the best way to collect them is to get an example for every one of the importers/manufacturers that flooded these shores since the Civil War Centennial - to show a display of how many stepped up to fill the demand.

However - who'd care?

There's no 'history' to them, nor intrinsic value - and they've been discounted for too many years and the production's been too high to interest most folks buying for investment.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[44caliberkid]

St. George re-emphasizes my point from my first post.  Collecting cap and ball replicas is a narrow field, which I participate in because they are cheap and I like to shoot stuff, don't want no safe queens.  As an example, I just purchased a fully engraved Pietta 1851 navy, blued with "in the white" frame (not the commonly seen whorish nickle versions) for just $200.  It has very nice faux ivory grips too, which have some character and grain, not just white plastic.  I was the only bidder and couldn't believe no one else was interested.
   I have an early ASM Dragoon and a late model Uberti which both have the wedge entering from the left.  As you know, Walkers take the wedge from the right, so I suspect, the guy making them just finished a run of Walkers and didn't know the difference. It doesn't make it more valuable, just weird.

[drjldavis]

I posted this on another forum but in light of some of the reponses to this topic I felt it might be informative here as well.  In the 1960's I built the largest collection of Model 1911-1911A1 pistols.  I use to hear the same "stuff" from some collectors as I have read on this topic,  "These pistols will never be collectable because there were too many made, and a .45 is a .45 and that is all they ever will be".  Last time I looked the Model 1911-1911A1 is one of the most collectible firearms in the world.

"Take good care of your Replica Arms 1860 Army.  Too bad you are shooting it.  This revolver NIB with papers, etc. could bring over $500 to a serious collector.  Since I am a collector and no longer a shooter I concentrate on historical information about the modern production black powder percussion revolvers and their collectiblility.  Replica Arms was one of the first in the business.  Most of these guns were make by Uberti and Armi San Marco."

By the way, Blue Book is worthless for finding true value of replica revolvers.  They do not even list 1/4 of the revolvers manufactured and/or distributed.  I love to buy these guns at their listed values.  Have you ever wondered how they come up with their values?

Thus far in doing research for a book the following have been uncovered.  There are:

240  Colt Models and variations
14    Remington Models and variations
5     Other Union Models
14   Confederate Models and variations
39   Non-Historic Colt Models and variations
16   Non-Historic Remington Models and variations
13   Non-Historic Confederate Models and variations

Manufacturers and Distributors Who Marked their Guns

4    All American made replicas
5    American Assembled replicas (Included Colt)
21  Foreign Manufacturers
53  Distributors who marked their guns.
24  Possible markings but not yet observed

In addition there are probably over 100 commemorative and special edition revolvers that have been produced.

RPRCA, Ltd has over 800 revolvers in its collection with very few duplicates.  As you can see these revolvers constitute a very wide group of collectible revolvers.  Value is based on supply and demand.  The 2nd & 3rd Generation Colts have pretty much stabilized in price because these were aimed at the collector as well as the shooter.  Therefore, there are many NIB Colts available.  Not so with other replicas such a Replica Arms which were directed primarily toward the shooter so there are very few of these that can be found NIB.

[drjldavis]

I forgot to mention that I bought this Dragoon from Triple W for his asking price and am looking forward to receiving it.  Also, if there is no interest in collecting these replica percussion revolvers someone needs to inform the 400 to 500 hits the RPRCA web site receives each DAY from all over the world.  RPRCA has around 1000 members with around 25% being from overseas.  Currently further membership in this organization has been closed.   http://rprca.tripod.com        http://drjldavis.tripod.com

[44caliberkid]

Jim, I'm interested in your book about repro revolver production, when will it be for sale?

Also, did you see that Perdersoli Cowboy Commemorative 1851? (see my post, "Look at the pics of this beauty)  What's the story behind that?
   

[drjldavis]

44caliberkid

Yes, I saw the "Pedersoli" 1851 Navy on Gun Broker.  I bought it also.  Pedersoli never made an 1851 Navy.  I contacted the seller about this and was told that it was a consignment guns and that is what they were told.  What this revolver is, is a New England Collector's Association Frederick Remington Commemorative "The Cowboy".  RPRCA did not have this in its collection so it was added.  The New England Collector's Association also produced a Frederick Remington Commemorative "The Rattlesnake", on a Remington New Model Army, also a beautiful revolver.  I, at this time, have no information on who actually produced the commemoratives but the two "Rattlesnakes" in our collection are from Uberti and Pietta.  This issue was for a run of 5000 guns.  Our highest number is a Pietta made #966 of 5000.  Sales I know of these are bringing upwards of $750

A note about the Pedersoli revolvers.  My research thus far indicates the Pedersoli never produced any revolvers from scratch but purchased complete guns and parts from Uberti and Pietta for their Remington New Model Army.  These were completely reworked, assembled, and finished to extremely high specifications.  They sell for $600 to $1000 but are a special order and may take up to six months for delivery.  I was told by Taylor Co. that they might be able to get one in six weeks to two months.

Since the Rogers & Spencer has only been produced by Armi San Paolo, now Euroarms, this is their source of supply for the Pedersoli Rogers & Spencer.  These sell for around $1300.