Help with ID'ing manufactorer.

[madcratebuilder]

This steel frame, nickle (chrome??) plated 58 is from Navy Arms. AB (1976) date code.  Grips are smaller than Pietta's.  Normal proof marks and BPO-made in Italy-caliber.44 stamped on barrel.  Any ideas gentlemen?

[hellgate]

Look under the barrel. If you see a  circle with superimposed/overlapping letters DGG it is an Euroarms gun. I've also seen early Piettas, especially a commemorative that had the small grips and frame with similar dimensions to the Euro guns. If you find an octagon with a "U" inside it is an Uberti. Typically, the Piettas have the most metal surrounding the barrel, the Euros have the least (like the originals) and Uberti  just a bit more than the Euros but not much. If there is a big "step" from the frame to the top of the barrel it is probably a pietta. I can't tell real well from the photo. A closeup of the barrel/frame  juncture would help but check for markings first.

The Ubertis and Euroarms guns typically have dovetailed front sights whereas the Piettas usually have fixed post sights. I cannot comment on the ASM guns as I last handled one in 1995 and can't remember.

[Wolfgang]

Looks to me like a bit too much barrel thread showing for a  Euroarms.  And Armi San Marco ?   ASM under the barrel ?  What'd ya find ?   

[hellgate]

Yeah, Wolfie,
I think you're right. The Euros are more of a slightly modified Beals with only about 2-3 barrel threads showing.

[madcratebuilder]

The under barrel stamp is a double stamp, possibly FSF.  I just picked up Pietta 'shooters' model and I think I have a close match with the rear of the frame.  The cylinders swap and front sight is identical, the small grip frame is the big difference.  It does have a good 'step' from the barrel to frame.  Pietta is a good bet with me.  Thanks for the help.

[Wolfgang]

All Piettas I'm familiar with had pretty clear Pietta markings.   FSF . . . ?   Seems to me there was a thread a while back about a stamp like that.   Anyone remember ? 

[madcratebuilder]

All Piettas I'm familiar with had pretty clear Pietta markings.   FSF . . . ?   Seems to me there was a thread a while back about a stamp like that.   Anyone remember ? 

I agree, the FAP inside the diamond is normally a clear stamp, as are the Uberti stamps.  This FSF, both of the 'F' stamps are fairly clear, the 'S' is more of a laid over squiggly line.  Squiggly, hows that for a descriptive term

Here is another gun from an estate buy, nickle plated brass frame, "pinto" style.  I have never seen the 'SM' that is just before the BPO and notice the over stamp on the caliber.  .36 first, then .44.  Nice shooting revolver and I bet it would a great one if I reamed the chambers to bore size.

[hellgate]

I believe the SM stands for San Marco as in Armi Sam Marco but i have no idea why one company would use two different marks. Maybe it's like Armi San Poalo (?) becoming Euroarms and also using the overlapping DGG  inside a circle on their early guns.

[Wolfgang]

I don't know what other makers guns would take a Pietta cylinder.   I have both Armi San Marco and Euroarms pistols as well as Piettas and they neither will take a Pietta cylinder. 

[hellgate]

I have successfully dropped in a Uberti cylinder into a euroarms and all is well.

[madcratebuilder]

The Uberti 58 cylinder is about .010 longer than the Pietta 58 isn't it?  I guess I need to acquire a Uberti 58 so I well know these things.
With these replicas being around for forty years or more have there been dimension changes within the same manufacturer over the years?

[Oldelm]

Howdy madcratebuilder,......I think it's the other way around. The '58 Pietta cyls. are about .010 longer than Ubertis.