About a Stainless steel Colt 1860 replica

I own this revolver dated from 1983 (AL), made in Italia as attested by the Gardone test bench punch.

The riddle is that it has no marking or punch of the maker.

Among you all, is there anybody who could know what italian maker having produced stainless steel (not polished steel) Colt 1860 in the eighties?

On the third picture the parts are made of austenitic stainless steel

1. frame
   Cylinder
   under guard and trigger guard
   pusher and lever

On the forth picture, the parts are made of martensitic (magnetic) stainless steel

• hammer
  barrel
  key

Thanks by advance for your attention.

Quelle différence cela fait-il

One is curious or not

Aside from the Ruger Old Army, I have not seen a black powder revolver made in stainless steel. Could this be hard chromed?

Uberti made a bunch of different stainless steel models, one of which was the Model 1860. I would have to search to find my records but off the top of my head, the 1860, 1861 and 1851 were all brought out in stainless.

Kevin

murphydog said:

Aside from the Ruger Old Army, I have not seen a black powder revolver made in stainless steel. Could this be hard chromed?

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I know ROA in Siainless steel, I had one.

My Colt 1860 Army is realy in Stainless Steel, since it do not take the magnet (and it is not also in GRP )

It's true that polish or chromed steel is often called stainless steel, that is a mistake.

StrawHat said:

Uberti made a bunch of different stainless steel models, one of which was the Model 1860. I would have to search to find my records but off the top of my head, the 1860, 1861 and 1851 were all brought out in stainless.

Kevin

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Thanks Kevin,
I know for Uberti, but also ASP (Armi San Paolo) and Palmetto made black Powder revolvers instainless steel.
These company broke down, but not Uberti.
I have asked to Uberti Italia for more information.
I wait for the answer...

I found this information, posted by another collector.

“…Phil Spangenberger did an article about these stainless revolvers in the October 1983 issue of Guns and Ammo Magazine. According to the article, the models that were being imported were the 1851 Navy, 1860 Army, 1861 Navy, 1862 Pocket Navy, and 1862 Pocket police. Thanks to Dr. J.L. Davis of RPRCA, Claremore, OK, I have a 1984 price list for Uberti products that lists fourteen different models of Stainless Steel Colts produced by Uberti at that time. Subsequent price lists expanded the line to 16 models by adding 4 ½ inch barreled Pocket Navy and Pocket Police. The complete model list, known so far, is:

1851 Navy, Oval Trigger guard Revolver, Cal. .36
1851 Navy, Square back Trigger guard Revolver, Cal. .36 *
1851 Navy, “Sheriff’s Model” Oval Trigger guard Revolver, Cal. .36 *
1851 Navy, “Sheriff’s Model” Square back Trigger guard Revolver, Cal. .36
1860 Army, Military, Cut For Stock, Cal. .44 *
1860 Army, Military, With Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .44*
1861 Navy, Military, Cut For Stock, Revolver, Cal. .36 *
1861 Navy, Civilian, Revolver, Cal. .36
1861 Navy, Military, With Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36*
1861 Navy, Civilian, With Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36
1862 Police, Semi-Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 4 ½”
1862 Police, Semi-Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 5 ½”*
1862 Police, Semi-Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 6 ½”
1862 Pocket Navy, Engraved Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 4 ½”*
1862 Pocket Navy, Engraved Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 5 ½”*
1862 Pocket Navy, Engraved Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 6 ½”
(* - have identified location of examples of these models)…”

The Colt blackpowder revolvers from the 20th century were also available in stainless steel, at least some models.

Kevin

StrawHat said:

I found this information, posted by another collector.

“…Phil Spangenberger did an article about these stainless revolvers in the October 1983 issue of Guns and Ammo Magazine.

The Colt blackpowder revolvers from the 20th century were also available in stainless steel, at least some models.

Kevin

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Thanks Kevin for the information.

I have read that when italian replicas were dedicated to US market, it was not unusual that marking except regular punch were not engraved on the revolver.

It could explain why I dont find the name of the maker on my Colt 1860.

Nevertheless, all the other have been engraved.

I'm going to ask Uberti Italia if they have referenced the serial number of my gun in their catalog.Thanks Kevin for the information.

I have read that when italian replicas were dedicated to US market, it was not unusual that marking except regular punches were not engraved on the revolver.

It could explain why I dont find the name of the maker on my Colt 1860.

Nevertheless, all the other marking have been engraved.

I'm going to ask Uberti Italia if the serial number of my gun refer to one of their productions.

The riddle remains...

Euroarms also made stainless steel black powder revolvers. I have a Remington New Model Army that was bought in Germany about 1975.

Back in the time period Colt sold some stainless steel percussion revolvers but they're quite rare...numbers in the very low single- or double-digits. They almost never come for sale due to such low numbers...when they do they trade hands between a few well-heeled collectors and the buying public never knows about it.

They're not a lot of information out about them...who made them for under Colt license or anything more than that.

old tanker said:

Euroarms also made stainless steel black powder revolvers. I have a Remington New Model Army that was bought in Germany about 1975.

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Euroarms may be also a possibility, but I've been told that it was not sure that they have produced Colt 1860 made of Stainless Steel.

SnidelyWhiplash said:

Back in the time period Colt sold some stainless steel percussion revolvers but they're quite rare...numbers in the very low single- or double-digits. They almost never come for sale due to such low numbers...when they do they trade hands between a few well-heeled collectors and the buying public never knows about it.

They're not a lot of information out about them...who made them for under Colt license or anything more than that.

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Yes I heard about that, but I have no fortune, I pay 390 Euros for this Colt 1860, so I don't believe that I could be the owner of such exceptional revolver...

I have a Model 1858 Remington .44 cal replica in stainless. It was made by Filli Pietta sometime in the last quarter of the 20th Century. It has served me well. I shoot it regularly, but mostly with a .45 Colt conversion cylinder and Cowboy Action loads.

erikpolcrack said:

I have a Model 1858 Remington .44 cal replica in stainless. It was made by Filli Pietta sometime in the last quarter of the 20th Century. It has served me well. I shoot it regularly, but mostly with a .45 Colt conversion cylinder and Cowboy Action loads.

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I have two replicas of Remington 1858 New Model Army made by Pietta: the Sherif model and the 8" model, all two in stainless steel, and I'm also very pleased with them at the range.

I think I still have the 1983 G&A with the article about the stainless BP guns and I once owned a stainless 1858 Remington repro, both items mentioned previously here. The Remington was not Uberti. I have an unfired early 80s 1860 Cimarron/Uberti that I got a few years ago NIB covered in hard grease. Under that grease was a beautiful factory polished steel gun. I just double checked if it is stainless but everything but the brass trigger guard is magnetized. All the Uberti markings are hidden under the barrel under the ramrod. If your gun is a Colt reissue I think it’s pretty pricy in stainless.

Wyatt Burp said:

I think I still have the 1983 G&A with the article about the stainless BP guns and I once owned a stainless 1858 Remington repro, both items mentioned previously here. The Remington was not Uberti. I have an unfired early 80s 1860 Cimarron/Uberti that I got a few years ago NIB covered in hard grease. Under that grease was a beautiful factory polished steel gun. I just double checked if it is stainless but everything but the brass trigger guard is magnetized. All the Uberti markings are hidden under the barrel under the ramrod. If your gun is a Colt reissue I think it’s pretty pricy in stainless.

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Wonderfull Colt with flutted cylinder!
Often people say stainless steel for polished steel, and only the magnet test can reveel the truth.
Nevertheless there are stainless steels that take the magnet, they are call martensitic stainless steel and have the particularity of having the possibility to be annealed.
Its the reason why the hammer, the barrel (often but not always) and the key are made of this kind of stainless steel.
Otherwise, the stainless steel is alloyd and it exists many nuances. The 304L that is more generaly used by the makers of black powder replicas, is rather "soft" its the reason why its not used for parts that are submitted to contraints, mainly where resitance to heat is recommanded.
The best Stainless steel is 316 Ti that is alloyd with titan and could be used for parts that must resist to heat, but it is more expensive.