Armi San Marco Dragoon

[PJ Hardtack]

I've got a chance to acquire an Armi San Marco 2nd Model Dragon in 'as new' condition. Would this be worth acquiring? What about parts availability?

[hellgate]

Parts are gonna be hard to come by. The ASMs are not as high quality as the Ubertis but the steel seems good compared to the older Piettas. Uberti parts might fit better than Pietta parts (the small ones like hands, bolts, screws). The ASM '51 Navies in 44 sure varied a lot in quality depending on the importer. Their "Hartford Models" were a cut above their regular line. If yours is a Hartford then I would trust it to be better fitted like my ASM  HM 1860 Army is.  I don't know about the Dragoons. At one time I briefly owned an ASM Walker but the cylinder rubbed against the frame at the "water line". That did not impress me.

[pony express]

Might depend on how old it is, I have one from the '70s, the bolt is nothing like an Uberti bolt, the ASM part is larger and longer, so I can't file the Uberti one to fit. I understand that the later ones are different dimensions than the old.

[PJ Hardtack]

Hellgate

The current owner tells me it is a 'Hartford' Dragoon with squareback trigger guard and rectangular cylinder notches, made in 1985. He test fired it and it's been a 'safe queen' ever since.

Sound like something I oughta buy?

[hellgate]

It should say "Hartford" on the barrel if it is anything like my Hartford 1860. Keep in mind that you will not be able to put it into most all holsters. Maybe he has one for it to sweeten the deal. My Dragoon fits my Walker holsters which I sold with the Walkers so now I will end up putting it in a sock or something. I guess it depends if he wants the same as a used Uberti then I'd pass but if it is fully functional then OK if theprice is acceptible. Don't ask me what it's worth. I've screwed myself several times selling guns for too little. Never sold a Dragoon.

Here's one thing I did years ago when I was buying a Sig Series Walker for CAS matches. I told the guy that if the gun didn't shoot correctly windage wise that I could not accept it (elevation wise, they usually shoot high and there are several fixes I could do) so I offered to pay his price IF I COULD RETURN IT if it didn't shoot straight MINUS $50 he could keep for the hassel and diminished value of the gun. The gun was UNFIRED. I took real good care of it but it shot way to one side so I cleaned it up & sent it back and he refunded all but the agreed upon 50 bucks for my shooting the brand new gun. Maybe you could arrange something like that if it turned out the gun doesn't shoot straight or doesn't work. I've gotten some real lemons when people said "Function fired only" or "only used for re-enacting" and they played dumb with where it hit. Caveat emptor.

[PJ Hardtack]

Thanks, Hellgate. I'll get a little more info from the seller. He is not and was never into CAS.

I have both a military flap and a Mexican double loop holster for my Colt 3rd  Model Dragoon, so leather won't be a problem. I'd like another Colt 2nd gen, but the prices are getting ridiculous. Soon they'll be too expensive to shoot.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

My 1st Model, 2nd Gen. Dragoon will NEVER be that expensive.  It's already been shot a lot, so ... a little more won't might not hurt it.

But I DO take a little extra-special TLC of it.
 

[PJ Hardtack]

The owner is asking $400 OBO. He asked me to make him an offer.

What would you pay for this gun considering that there may be a parts issue with it someday?

[hellgate]

You can get a brand spanking NEW UBERTI (parts available) 2nd Mod Dragoon from Cabela's right now for $420 and they are not even on sale. So, I wouldn't give him any more than $300 and $250 is more like it. Google Cabelas then keyword (search) dragoon and there they are. $400 is way too much to ask. Plus, if you don't like what you get from Cabela's then you can send it back.

[PJ Hardtack]

Thanks, guys, but I'm a Canadian.

Cabelas/Canada stocks lookalike non-guns, high power rifles and shotguns, but not cap & ball pistols. In Kanuckistan, cap & ball guns are regarded as any other handgun, which means registerable as a restricted weapon. Unless it is an original like a '51 Navy. Go figure the rationale behind that.

They referred me to Cabelas/USA and they can't ship to a Canuck.  They can't ship binoculars or rifle scopes either!

Osama may be dead, but he won. 'Fortress America' is impregnable - not!

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

I've had an ASM 3rd Model Dragoon for about 20 years...lots of rounds through it, I'd get another.

[Major 2]

I'll agree with Mike... I've had a ASM Walker I bought in 1981.....many rounds through it.

I paid,  if I recall correctly $129 ...what would that be in 2012 dollars today ?