need help/clueless

[sparsons]

my brother gave me this cap and ball revlover and I need help finding out what is may be. It has "shields, pn" stamped in several places. In front of the trigger is stamped "D 1706"   It appears to be a .32 or .36. any idea how get the cylinder to release so I can clean it?  On the butt of the handle is a word ending in Itlay but the first part is hard make out. I am totally ignorant of these type handguns. I have muzzleloader rifles but never messed with ball and cap revlovers.  The cylinder has etchings all around  it

[radio2]

Can you post a picture of it?

[Cowpox]

Does the frame have a top strap over the cylinder ? Or is it an open top ?
     Also, how many chambers are in the cylinder, 5 or 6 ?

[sparsons]

No I cann't post a picture as  i am not that good at puter stuff. sorry. The cylinder is open and has 5 chambers. There is also a metal wedge that slides out just under the barrel and above the ramrod. It has a groove in the middle. The rear of the trigger guard comes straight down instead of rounding or flairing off.

[Rickk]

does it look like this?



If so, you have an Italian reproduction 1848 Baby Dragoon. It is most likely 31 caliber.

The wedge you mentioned holds the barrel in place. If you tap the wedge out (there may be a spring loaded latch on the wedge that needed to be sqeezed while doing this), the barrel will come off and then the cylinder will slide off.

If it hasn't been cared for or is extremely new and tight from the factory the wedge may be a little tight , WD-40, a wooden dowel and a hammer may be needed. Tap gently... don't go wailing at anything.

[sparsons]

Yes that is it!   Thanks alot  and to all you other guys too.

[Rickk]

No problem... be aware that there is more than one manufacturer of these things, so if you go looking for parts and such you will have to figure out who made it. "Uberti" and "Pietta" are the two big ones.

[mykeal]

"D 1706" is probably a serial number.

Check for the following somewhere on the barrel or frame:
The letters FAP contained within a diamond shape - this is Pietta's manufacturer's mark. Others are a capital letter U within an octagonal shape for Uberti, the letters DP or dp, either alone or within an oval shape for David Pedersoli, a palm tree in a circle for Palmetto, the letters AC in a circle for Armi Sport and the letters DGG with the two G's in a vertical line to the right of the D, either in a circle or alone for Armi San Paulo (Euroarms). Armi San Marco may also be stamped on the barrel for that manufacturer.

There may be two capital letters within a square box; these are date stamps and can be used to determine when the gun was made.

Finally, there will be two Italian proof marks together, usually on the barrel, the frame and the cylinder. One consists of a five pointed star within a garland above the letters PN, and the other looks like a coat of arms within a square with the same star and garland above it.

[m-g Willy]

WOW
good info Mykeal

Thanks

Willy

[mykeal]

Here's the decoder for the date stamps:

There should be two capital letters within a square box; these are date stamps and can be used to determine when the gun was made. AA means 1975, AB is 1976, etc. AG, AJ, AK, AO, AQ, AR, AW and AV are not used, so AZ is 1990. BA is 1991 and BE, BG, BJ, BK, BO, BQ, and BR are not used so BT is 2003. My list stops there, but I presume that BU is 2004, BZ is 2005 and CA is 2006.

Before 1975 Roman numerals were used: X for 1954, XI for 1955, etc. through XXVI for 1970. Then XX7 was 1971, XX8 for 1972, XX9 for 1973 and finally XXX for 1974.