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Post by rjm52 on Dec 11, 2015 9:34:47 GMT -5
As I recall the Italian parts guns will have an stamp on the underside of the barrel that says "UBERTI, ITALY". Mine also had a caliber stamp on the left side of the gripframe just in back of the triggerguard.
Also what does the stamp across the top of the barrel say.... If it is U.S. Pt. Firearms Co. it would be Italian parts..
Still for $500 it is a great deal...
Bob
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Post by CraigC on Dec 11, 2015 11:21:23 GMT -5
I would agree a good price. But this US assembled Italian gun is no better than the AWA, which was also US assembled and finished Italian parts. Don't agree. I've handled quite a few AWA's and never could pull the trigger on one. Don't consider AWA and USPFA to be equal. Plus, AWA is not commanding collector prices either. Are we sure it's not just a really early all US gun? If it's "US PFA", it's definitely all Uberti. They didn't go all domestic until well into "USFA" production.
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Post by buckheart on Dec 11, 2015 11:28:04 GMT -5
He has a nickel finish(maybe chrome) gun as well. That one says uberti italy on the underside of the barrel right next to the ejection rod housing. That one says U.S.Patent on the top of the barrel. That's a nice one as well but not as nice as the blued one. I noticed some sploog on the casting of the loading gate and the trigger isn't as nice on the nickel gun. Can't find any marking on the blued gun that says Uberti. I wonder if they may have put that under the trigger guard on the frame. As you mentioned rjm52 it does say us patent manufacturing Hartford Conn. on top of the barrel. It has the box and paper work with it and to boot he knocked off an additional 15% for a cash sale. I guess I should feel like the blind pig that found an acorn!
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wtf
.30 Stingray
Posts: 179
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Post by wtf on Dec 11, 2015 15:54:24 GMT -5
Just got off the phone with my LGS... I guess it's merry Christmas to me. Yes, Merry Christmas! (More pics, please) -Bill
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Post by rjm52 on Dec 11, 2015 23:06:03 GMT -5
...make sure you kiss him....you will probably triple your money when you sell it...
Bob
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Post by nolongcolt on Dec 11, 2015 23:18:35 GMT -5
Considering the amount of mention these guns get here and elsewhere, I find it hard to believe you never heard of them, LOL!
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Post by buckheart on Dec 12, 2015 8:24:56 GMT -5
Considering the amount of mention these guns get here and elsewhere, I find it hard to believe you never heard of them, LOL! I've of course heard of USFA and lusted over the pictures of them here and elsewhere but I was not aware that they started out as united states patent fire arms and that they had to change their name because of a law suite from Colt. It's hard to believe that they ended up making those zip things instead of beautiful single actions. I'm always up for some schooling from the guys on here with PHD(piled High and Deep) gun knowledge. Does any one know exactly what year they went all American made and stopped using Italian parts? My LGS guy tells me that the original bill of sale is in the box with all the other paper work. I'm going to enjoy shooting this one what ever it's pedigree but it would sure be nice if it was a thoroughbred.
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Post by outlawben on Dec 12, 2015 14:26:53 GMT -5
Buckheart, I believe you've done a little better than you know. I haven't seen any photos of your barrel roll marks, but your serial number prefix indicates it's the late 90's (1998) USFA production gun. The"DFC" prefix is a run of guns that USFA did for Davidsons distributor. I have to look up what Gary told me the DFC stood for-found it - Davidsons Firearms Corp. Many think the serial "DFC" stands for David Clarks initials, but it doesn't. Notice the gun is missing a lot of other marks that would make it a copy of a David Clark artillery gun copy. No grip cartouche or other inspector stamps. I initially thought the same thing bout the serial prefix when I saw one for sell on gunbroker some years ago., but was confused as well because of the lack of other inspector markings. I then discussed the gun with Gary Granger and he told me about the prefix and it being a run made for Davidsons. Someone has added an older USPFA box to your gun I believe. If your gun is what I think it is, the correct box will be a black hinged-top box with a blue/white label that says 5-1/2 and 45LC printed into the label. They almost never have the serial penciled in, so it's possible to find one. It still is Uberti parts- all guns still were at that time, but USFA's did not have the Uberti stamp on the bottom of the barrel and did not have the imported safety hammer as the USPFA's did, But still were Uberti parts. The USPFA guns would have USPFA rollmarked barrel and say Uberti on the barrel underside and have the caliber marking on the left side trigger guard. The hammer would also have the import required (at that time) little screw in the top arch of the hammer. USFA did not have any Uberti markings even though the parts were Italian up through early 2000's . the parts changeover occurred approximately serial 22XXX in the early 2000's and was not a cold turkey switch over. Hit and miss. One will have to know how to identify Uberti from USA parts up through about serial 23XXX , but still eyeball the parts up through 24XXX.. You never know. Ben
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Post by outlawben on Dec 12, 2015 14:56:28 GMT -5
The reason the USFA's in the black boxes with the barcode type label command a few bucks more ( hundreds usually) is that all the single action guns were considered to be all USA parts by the time that label was used. I've only seen a couple of fake labels on gunbroker, but there have been a few to sell an early production Uberti parts gun as a later usa parts gun by pairing it with a late production lift top long box and make a fake label. That's still uncommon thank goodness. . I would always look at the serial number, parts origin of the gun and condition to determine what I think it's worth.
All that said, any descent shooter, whether USPFA or USFA , is worth what you paid or usually much more, IMO
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Post by outlawben on Dec 12, 2015 20:25:02 GMT -5
USFA also did a run for Cherry's guns along the same time in 1998. It does have the artillery marking's and is a copy of the SAA that was in the Battle of San Juan Hill. Thusly it's a copy of the Rough Riders "San Juan gun" in the National Firearms Museum and has all the cartouche markings and various inspector markings... The gun is still all Uberti parts too. I have one of these guns and the prefix is NFM-XXX . Mine is NFM046. USFA did 50 of them I believe. I did verify with USFA ( before the doors closed ) that my gun was built in 1998 and shipped to Cherrys in Greensboro, NC.
I can't find a photo at the moment.. Maybe take one sometime if I can't dig one up.
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Post by outlawben on Dec 12, 2015 20:41:14 GMT -5
In final.. In case you receive conflicting information, here is a link to a cascity post where someone else discussed their DFC prefix gun. You can see in the photos that it has a early hinged style USFA box and Gary Granger ( former management at USFA) answered the question of the serial prefix. I think all of this doesn't make a whole lot of difference in the overall value of your gun.. It's shooter condition with the heavy turn line, Uberti parts, but the USFA's in a USFA box tend to sell a little faster if you ever have the desire.... And most of all, you now know exactly what you got. congratulations. It's put together well and a very nice gun. www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=52954.0
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cubrock
.401 Bobcat
TLA fanatic and all around nice guy....
Posts: 2,831
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Post by cubrock on Dec 12, 2015 23:43:34 GMT -5
Didn't know that re: the DFC prefix. I always thought it was for David F. Clark. Thanks for the info!
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Post by outlawben on Dec 12, 2015 23:55:56 GMT -5
Didn't know that re: the DFC prefix. I always thought it was for David F. Clark. Thanks for the info! I did too until Gary set me straight. I've seen a couple of them surface for sale on Gunbroker. They've done well and I'm sure that DFC prefix probably had a lot to do with that.. Certainly doesn't hurt it. Btw, it's been too dang warm in eastern NC so far this year to wear my new Colt Carhartt jacket. We've have a lot of winter months left to go though. I'm sure we will see cold here. It's still as new like you sent it to me. I believe that was you. My memory with names is not the best- I think I wear a name tag mostly for me
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Post by buckheart on Dec 13, 2015 5:38:14 GMT -5
Outlawben - Thanks for the info. It's good to know exactly what I have. I may have to print this out and keep it in the box with the other paper work. As far as the box goes the box in the photo was the box for the nickel gun. The one I purchased was in the display case, it's box in the back room so it may have the box you pictured. In any case I am very pleased with the deal I made and more so now that I know exactly what it is. This gun did certainly have a much better overall feel and look than the one marked uberti.
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cubrock
.401 Bobcat
TLA fanatic and all around nice guy....
Posts: 2,831
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Post by cubrock on Dec 13, 2015 7:17:36 GMT -5
Didn't know that re: the DFC prefix. I always thought it was for David F. Clark. Thanks for the info! I did too until Gary set me straight. I've seen a couple of them surface for sale on Gunbroker. They've done well and I'm sure that DFC prefix probably had a lot to do with that.. Certainly doesn't hurt it. Btw, it's been too dang warm in eastern NC so far this year to wear my new Colt Carhartt jacket. We've have a lot of winter months left to go though. I'm sure we will see cold here. It's still as new like you sent it to me. I believe that was you. My memory with names is not the best- I think I wear a name tag mostly for me Yep - that was me. I am sure you'll get lots of opportunity to wear that jacket this season .
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