I was in a pawnshop in Omaha on Oct 21 and saw in their gun case a SAA clone . I could barely make out that it seemed to be a Schmidt brand gun and said it was made in Germany. I did not ask to examine it directly, so I only read the barrel through the case glass and fighting reflections,etc. Has anyone heard of this company? I believe the caliber was supposed to be .44 but not sure.
Question about Schmidt revolvers
- Thread starter moewadle
- Start date
- Status
Herbert Schmidt, Ostheim an der Rhon, Germany. In the late 50s and early 60s there were a number of westerns on TV. I believe the were as many as 30 running at the same time. This set up a craze for Colt type single actions. This was also the time frame when Colt stoped making the Peacemaker, good timing right? Several companys imported or assembled single actions from Spain, Italy and Germany to meet the demand. Schmidt was one of those makers whose guns was sold under as many as 25 diffrent names, incluing Great Western, Hawes and Herters. Schmidt has been out of firearm bussiness for a number of years now. The ones I have seen were well made ( Not Colts by any means ) and most were decent shooters. However they were not clones and very few if any Colt parts will interchange. If any parts are needed you are in a world of hurt. Gun Parts carries some parts but not all. By the way as a side note, The 7 1/2 inch Colt that Matt Dillon carries on Gunsmoke, is really a Great Western clone.
Ron James, thanks for your knowledge,
I appreciate you sharing. However, may I gently question one statement you made? I have read about the Great Western product and one article in an old Gun Digest stated that many people think Great Western guns were imported but that, in fact, they were a Los Angeles company that domestically manufactured their product. This article went on to say that at first there were problems with the company being in a hurry to succeed so their quality was not the best but they did improve. However, the author of this article goes on to say that the demise of Great Western was hurried along by the decision of Colt to start making the SAA again. The GW company was only in business a very few years.
Also, I will add, if it isn't obvious that Great Western pretty much only made western style revolvers. I have read a brief reference to the company in an old Gun Digest (I have all the Gun Digests from 1955-present) and the article was talking about the fact that the Great Western guns were getting better but that there had been problems with the quality previously. I forget the date of this Gun Digest but it in the late 1950s. I will check some of these old Digests and let you know if they state whether or not the revolvers are imported or not if they are listed in the products section.
I appreciate you sharing. However, may I gently question one statement you made? I have read about the Great Western product and one article in an old Gun Digest stated that many people think Great Western guns were imported but that, in fact, they were a Los Angeles company that domestically manufactured their product. This article went on to say that at first there were problems with the company being in a hurry to succeed so their quality was not the best but they did improve. However, the author of this article goes on to say that the demise of Great Western was hurried along by the decision of Colt to start making the SAA again. The GW company was only in business a very few years.
Also, I will add, if it isn't obvious that Great Western pretty much only made western style revolvers. I have read a brief reference to the company in an old Gun Digest (I have all the Gun Digests from 1955-present) and the article was talking about the fact that the Great Western guns were getting better but that there had been problems with the quality previously. I forget the date of this Gun Digest but it in the late 1950s. I will check some of these old Digests and let you know if they state whether or not the revolvers are imported or not if they are listed in the products section.
You read my reply too fast Moewadle, If you reread it I stated " imported or assembled" and if you go back and reread the article it should read ( I'm going by my memory also)that they used the best imported parts to assemble the guns.However I erred in relating Great Western to Schmidt, The parts ( the finest alloys using investment casting and asssembled in Los Angeles) Great western used to assemble their guns were from Italy.
Bart Noir
Member
So when they talk about the Schmidt hitting the fan.....
Bart Noir
Shameless punster from waaay back.
Bart Noir
Shameless punster from waaay back.
Ron James, thanks, but I read that line
in my Catalog of Firearms as meaning the components were made and assembled in Los Angeles. I guess it could mean made someplace else of the "finest alloys" and assembled in Los Angeles. Anyway, thanks for the info.
in my Catalog of Firearms as meaning the components were made and assembled in Los Angeles. I guess it could mean made someplace else of the "finest alloys" and assembled in Los Angeles. Anyway, thanks for the info.
moewadle, I could be wrong, been wrong before and I sure as he** will be wrong again. I believe that the parts were imported, at that time there weren't too many stateside companys that could do that type of peice work while Spain and Italy were already turning out Colt clones.
Didn't mean to say you were wrong
I just meant to say that is how I interpreted the meaning. It could as easily mean what you say and that is fine. I just like to know the history of firearms and I like to grow in knowledge. You have helped me here on this although now we are far adrift of the Schmidt, though I do not mind.
I just meant to say that is how I interpreted the meaning. It could as easily mean what you say and that is fine. I just like to know the history of firearms and I like to grow in knowledge. You have helped me here on this although now we are far adrift of the Schmidt, though I do not mind.
- Status