El Dorado 44 magnum single action

Breakaway500 · #1 08-21-2020, 10:51 AM

I picked this up at an estate sale last night. Not much info out there on them,but seemed very well built and priced right at $350 with holster. Anyone more familiar with them personally? It fits my hands well but I have not shot it yet.

Breakaway500 · #2 08-21-2020, 10:54 AM

Couple more shots

P.44 · #3 08-21-2020, 11:25 AM

For $350 you did very very well

Here is some more info:
United Sporting Arms Sevilles

P.44

Pisgah · #4 08-21-2020, 11:31 AM

I've only handled one, years back, that belonged to a friend who came by it in a trade, never fired it, and soon sold it off -- just not his cup of tea. My impression was of a very well-built revolver. I seem to recall that the company (or companies) that built them were made up of the same people who also at one time or another made the Virginian Dragoon, the Abilene, and maybe one or two other very similar guns.

As I recall, there were numerous starts-stops of production and changes of ownership, and quality control was questionable for some periods of production. Overall, though, I think they were as serviceable as a Ruger.

Breakaway500 · #5 08-21-2020, 11:51 AM

Interesting reading!! Thanks for the link. It looks like this was the first stainless steel .44 Magnum revolver ever built. Not this particuar one..but this model.

"The first United Sporting Arms advertisement contained a 9 ½”
stainless El Dorado in 44 Magnum and a 6 ½” 45 Colt Seville with stag grips. The serial numbers were 44-00001 and 45-00002 respectively. Both of these prototypes were later given to John Himmelmann by Sig for safe keeping and to this day they remain in like new condition. Now this is where things get a little confusing. John remembers the ad being from late 1974 or early 1975, yet the El Dorado is in stainless. Some believe the first stainless model didn’t come along until 1976 or 1977, but this suggests it may have been earlier. Regardless of the year, the El Dorado was still the first stainless 44 Magnum revolver.
In 1976 United Sporting Arms completed the first stainless 44 Magnum revolver and called it the El Dorado. As with the previous two models, the El Dorado was named after an Old West, Texas town. It would be another two years before Smith & Wesson
unveiled the 629, three before Ruger released the Redhawk, six until the stainless Super Blackhawk, and seven before Freedoms Arms offered the all 17-4 Model 83."

needsmostuff · #6 08-21-2020, 12:02 PM

O , be still my heart, you did very well.
Not a common gun closely related to the Seville and distantly related to the Abilene. Not at all related to the Virginian Dragoon.
Truly a convoluted history of production.
Grips are interesting , probably home made and maybe better for a lefty . If they drive ya nuts it seems like I remember repurposing a set of Super Blackhawk grips to a Seville and it was a pretty close fit.
Looks to be a 10 inch monster so may have been a Silhouette gun.
Plenty of info and interest out there on them but few spare parts ,,,,, so don't break it.

Breakaway500 · #7 08-21-2020, 01:19 PM

They do seem like lefty grips but do feel good for me righty. I’ll try some 44 special rounds out of it. Good to know super Blackhawk grips may work. Thanks!

Wyatt Burp · #8 08-21-2020, 01:34 PM

With those grips and a custom linger barreled beautiful holster with it? Quite the deal. Are you left handed? Looks like left palm swell and thumb rest.

Breakaway500 · #9 08-21-2020, 02:02 PM

Im not a lefty but the previous owner must have been as many of the guns in this estate were configured for a LH shooter.