Virginian Dragoon

[1984CJ]

I recently acquired an Interarms  Virginian Dragoon.  It is a great revolver but it is big. the previous owner put packmeyer grips  on it and it doesn't fit my hand as well as the original grips would. 
Does anyone have a set of wood grips for this pistol that they would like to sell?

Does anyone have any advice for mounting a scope on it?

Thanks

[Graybeard]

Does anyone have any advice for mounting a scope on it?

Yup my advice is don't.

[warrior1]

if it is already drilled and tapped, try one if you need a scope, if it isn't drilled and tapped,try it with open sights.they are pretty accurate revolvers. dan

[COR]

If you promise to NEVER put a scope on it....I will send you a set.    

[doghawg]

 1894

 Here's mine....it would be shame (IN MY OPINION) to scope it. The grips aren't much but they're original. I like the fact that it makes four sweet sounding clicks when the hammer is cocked. 

[1984CJ]

I'm fairly comfortable with it out to 50 yards so I will actually listen to ya'lls advice and leave it scopeless.  My wife will be happy that I am not spending any money on the scope and mount.  I was hoping that some one knew of a weaver style mount that had been made for this revolver that would preclude me having to have the frame drilled.

I really like this revolver. It is the first colt style SAA that I have had and I also like the 4 clicks.  It is a really sweet shooter.

Thanks for the advice guys.

[DURAMAXHAL]

Why all the negativity on scoping it??  I bought one for myself last week, I have only got to shoot it once and I agree it seems really accurate with iron sights but I really want to deer hunt with it and had thoughts on scoping mine,  its a .44 mag with 7 1/2" barrel in stainless

[Sverre A.]

I let a gunsmith make some changes on mine - so I could use Ruger`s rings.
It became a perfect huntinggun 

[DURAMAXHAL]

I let a gunsmith make some changes on mine - so I could use Ruger`s rings.
It became a perfect huntinggun 

I thought of that, I dont know whether to trust the weaver style rings.

[DURAMAXHAL]

Here in Alabama you can deer hunt with it scoped,and turkey hunt with it unscoped.

[COR]

I just do not like scopes on SA wheelguns.  It just ain't right.  Not a damn thing wrong with it, I just prefer it au naturale.  As a matter of fact if it helps someone to more humanely harvest game, then I say "Gas on it, brother". 

BTW 1894CJ,  I was dead serious about the grip panels.  I do have a set off of an UNSCOPED .44 Dragoon that got tweaked a little.  Email me your address.

[Lloyd Smale]

if you insist on scopeing a sixgun. Sell your Viginia Draggon to someone that will apreciate it and pick up a ruger hunter or super red hawk that is allready set up for mounting a scope.

[knight0334]

Mine was drilled and tapped for a scope prior to my purchasing it.   ...the scope is long gone now.  I have the 10.5" barreled Silhouette model with the factory equipped Pachmyr grips.   Be careful, some grips will crack on the Dragoon guns because all that holds their alignment is 2 pins at the edge of the straps.  They crack at those points.  Only use strong wood or synthetic grips - cheap ones and some of the "pretty" show grips WILL break.

With American Eagle 240gr JHP's, I can hit 4" steel plates at 25+ yards with open sights 6 out of 6 shots.  They are fairly warm loads for factory 44mag ammo at about 1100ftlb energy where as most production 44mag is right under 1000ftlb.

[1984CJ]

Many Thanks to COR! 
Here is a picture of my Virginian Dragoon with the beautiful new to me grips.  These grips make this revolver fit me so much better!  I will leave it unscoped in deference to his wishes and since there is no clamp on type mount for it.  It also means that I don't have to get a new holster for it.
 

After doing some research it seems that I own a Silhouette model in .44 mag with a 7.5" barrel.  It would have come from the factory with the pachmeyer grips and a pair of wooden grips that I didn't get.

Not a bad trade for a .38 special Cobra derringer that I didn't like!

[DURAMAXHAL]

What are the distinguishing characteristics  that make it a silhouette?

[1984CJ]

I ran across this article www.singleactions.com/VADragoons.pdf
and in it was a description of the various models.  Mine seem to fit the Silhoutte Model. I could be mistaken- wouldn't be the first time..

Bicentenial Edition – built in 1976. The bottom of the backstrap was engraved with, “We the People, 1776-1976”.

Yorktown Edition – built in 1981. These were either blued or stainless and had “Yorktown 1781 – 1981” engraved on the bottom
of the grip frame.

Blued Frame .44s – adjustable sight guns with blued, not color-case, frames.

Silhouette Dragoons – introduced in 1982 in either blue or stainless. The majority were 10.5” barrels, but a 7.5” & 8 3/8” could
be ordered (partridge front sights were standard). The barrels were free-bored ½” and they came with two sets of grips..….Pachmyrs
and plain walnut.

Deputy Model – a fixed sight gun with blued frame and gold hammer/trigger. Calibers were .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, and .44
Magnum. Introduced around 1983 and most had 5” barrels. Some
.44s and .357s were done in stainless. Serial number prefix was “D”

[COR]

Glad to hear they worked out.  They look like they belong there. Great rig.  Lee Martin has a forum on that site you mentioned, I bet he could tell you for sure about your gun, he seems quite knowledgeable when it comes to the Virginian Dragoons.

[knight0334]

What are the distinguishing characteristics  that make it a silhouette?

The different type front sight and the 1/2" of freebore or so + the 10.5" barrel makes it distinguishing features.

The Silhouette model came with a different front sight than the others.

[knight0334]

Many Thanks to COR! 
Here is a picture of my Virginian Dragoon with the beautiful new to me grips.  These grips make this revolver fit me so much better!  I will leave it unscoped in deference to his wishes and since there is no clamp on type mount for it.  It also means that I don't have to get a new holster for it.
 

After doing some research it seems that I own a Silhouette model in .44 mag with a 7.5" barrel.  It would have come from the factory with the pachmeyer grips and a pair of wooden grips that I didn't get.

Not a bad trade for a .38 special Cobra derringer that I didn't like!

Silhouette models only came with the target type front sight like mine.