Replica Arms 1860 army .44

[Papa]

Hello all. I am new to this forum. I have a question for the board. I have an 1860 Replica arms .44 Army. I have had it for 30 years. I inherited it from a family friend that was into guns and gunsmithing and got me started in black powder.

Can someone tell me about Replica arms... Their history, demise and quality of their firearms. This particular one is wonderful. It handles and shoots better than any handgun I have ever handled.

Thanks for any info.

Papa

[Singing Bear]

Sorry can't help you on Replica Arms, but maybe can if you tell us what's stamped on the barrel.  Usually the manufacturer.  Good chance it was imported and made by one of the Italian makers.

[Papa]

Singing Bear, This revolver is manufactured by Replica Arms, Inc., Italy. I wrote to Navy arms. They actually bought out Replica arms but could not tell me any history, about the revolver or the company. I think Replica arms must have been their competition in the 60's and 70's. Nice revolver. If anyone has more info I would appreciate the news.
Thanks,
Papa :grin:

[Singing Bear]

Well, there you go.  Thanks Papa.  :-)  Thought they were importers.  :wink:

Time frames a bit too early for me.  Didn't get my hands on a Navy Arms c&b revolver till the early 80's and those were made by ASM.

Good luck.  :-)

[Cowpox]

Hi Papa. I am even newer to this than you. I was starting to wonder if I had the only Replica Arms 1860 in captivity. It's nice to know there is at least one other out there. I bought mine new in 1970. I don't know much about the Company, but I will try to provide what little I know. On the top of the barrel on mine, and I am sure on yours too, it says, REPLICA ARMS INC. MARIETTA OHIO  made in italy. Marietta was indeed, the importer, and in competition with Navy Arms. In fact , our Replicas are the exact same revolver Navy was selling at the time, made by the same maker in Italy, UBERTI. If you look on the left side of the frame, below the front of the cylindar, you should find a stamping that looks like the muzzle of a hexagon barrel with a U in the middle of the bore. That was the logo Uberti put on their guns back then. I went to my old friend and gun dealer to buy a Navy Arms 1860 Army, which if I remember correctly, were $90. He told me to order the one from Replica, because it was the same revolver, made by the same company, but I could use the $30 I would save, to buy some powder (DuPont Superfine, $5 a pound), Some caps (German made RWS, $1.25 per hundred), a Nipple wrench ( $2.50) a set of replacement nipples, because the ones on the pistol were too soft an would deform and start welding caps ($8), and a capper ($6, Ah the good old days ! ). He was right about everything. For $90 I got the pistol and the stuff I needed to shoot it for a couple of gopher stooting sessions.  Navy Arms did buy Replica about that time.  Not much, but now you know what little I know. Sure wish we could still get Dupont Superfine.  Cowpox

[Papa]

Cowpox, Thanks for the info. The mark is there. Now that makes me wonder if Uburti can supply extra cylinders to fit. I still have a can of Dupont FG. I have never had need for the 1FG but have hung on to it all these years 'just in case' :lol: . I guess that I can use it in my smoothbore.

Papa

[Cowpox]

Hey Papa, You are one lucky dog, to have a specimen of Superfine. I personally would just keep it. Some place, some time, (maybe at a gun show)you will run into a serious collector, who would be happy to take it off your hands for enough change to get yourself a larger amount of Goex or Swiss, in whatever granulation you need. Whatever you do, don't burn it in a shotgun. 1f was intended only to prime flintlocks, and for use in small bore handguns. It might be a bit too fast burning for the thin mild steel in a shotgun barrel. If you want to burn some of it, to try it, by all means use it in the smallest bore handgun you have. If the 1860 is the smallest you have, reduce the charge to the smallest amount that will still allow you to seat the ball against the powder and slightly compress it. The smallest charge I use in mine is about 22 grains. But, you want to remember, Du Pont powder went up in a big mushroom cloud for the last time (many times in their history) in the 70s. What was left of their opperation was perchased by Gary Owens (G.O.I.). He took over making powder that was in no way the hi quality product Du Pont made. A short time, maybe 2 years, later, G.O.I. disappeared in a big fireball, killing Owens himself. I still keep my empty Superfine cans, and G.O.I. cans with a small amount of G.O.I. powder. I feel they are part of history now, and what remains of their product lines should be preserved for posterity. Maybe I feel that way, because I have attained an age where I am hoping someone will buy what's left of me, and save it.   cowpox

[Cowpox]

Hello Papa, I was just checking to see if you had replied, and I noticed that I had given you a false reply. I don't know why, but the first time I read your comeback, I read 4fg not 1fg, as you plainly wrote. By all means, if you decide to use some, it (as we all know) was intended to be used in shotguns and large caliber muskets. Sorry about that. cowpox

[Papa]

Hi Cowpox,

Thanks for the comeback. I sorta assummed that you had misread the previous post. I will save the dupont powder instead of using it.

I had the opportunity this past weekend to visit the son of the man from which I acquired the replica arms 1860 revolver. He had invited me to go through his dad's gunshop that his mother had  boxed up in 1978 3 days after his dad's passing. This was the first time he has seen the gunshop 'stuff' since 1978. There in the 'Stuff' was the original box that my revolver had been purchased in. It had Replica Arms stamped right on it and the paperwork inside with a pamphlet the company had about their products. The serial # of my revolver was stamped on the end of the box. The son gave me the box and I returned the revolver to it's original box 30 years after I acquired the revolver. I previously did not know that the box even existed.

If that wasn't enough, he then showed me his father's gun collection which included a pair of original 1860 army colts. I got to hold and fondle them. Man what a thrill!!!!  It rarely gets much better than this!!!!!!!!!

Papa

[Cowpox]

Hello papa, When summer rolls around, I tend to neglect the  computer. I live in west central Minnesota, and like to use the nice weather for shooting, fishing, or just sitting outdoors in a lawn chair (mosquitoes need to eat too). That is why it takes so long to reply. I'm glad to hear you have decided to sit on that Du Pont, and I sure wish I would have saved the box and papers for my 1860. I don't know how they got away from me, I seem to have most of my other gun cartons in the garage rafters. It's kind of neat that you were able to get the box and literature for your's. Those original Colts certainly have an appeal, and feel "right" in the hand. None of my Italian clones come close to the balance of the the originals. I think, maybe, a guy should get to a place where they sell the newly made Colt cap & ball guns, and if they feel "right", bite the bullet and pay the price ! cowpox