Stainless Steel Uberti Percussion Colt's

[Fingers McGee]

Stainless Steel Percussion Colts

In the early to mid 1980s, Uberti produced a line of stainless steel percussion Colt revolvers that were imported to the US by Allen Firearms, Santa Fe, NM; Southwest Muzzleloaders Supply, Inc. Angleton, TX, Uberti USA, and possibly others. They are now also known to have been sold in Europe under the HEGE dealer name.

Phil Spangenberger did an article about these stainless revolvers in the October 1983 issue of Guns and Ammo Magazine. According to the article, the models that were being imported were the 1851 Navy, 1860 Army, 1861 Navy, 1862 Pocket Navy, and 1862 Pocket police. Thanks to Dr. J.L. Davis of RPRCA, Claremore, OK, I have a 1984 price list for Uberti products that lists fourteen different models of Stainless Steel Colts produced by Uberti at that time. Subsequent price lists expanded the line to 16 models by adding 4 ½ inch barreled Pocket Navy and Pocket Police. The known model list is:

1851 Navy, Oval Trigger guard Revolver, Cal. .36
1851 Navy, Square back Trigger guard Revolver, Cal. .36 *@
1851 Navy, “Sheriff’s Model” Oval Trigger guard Revolver, Cal. .36 *
1851 Navy, “Sheriff’s Model” Square back Trigger guard Revolver, Cal. .36
1860 Army, Military, Cut For Stock, Cal. .44 *@
1860 Army, Military, With Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .44*@
1861 Navy, Military, Cut For Stock, Revolver, Cal. .36 * @
1861 Navy, Civilian, Revolver, Cal. .36
1861 Navy, Military, With Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36*
1861 Navy, Civilian, With Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36
1862 Police, Semi-Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 4 ½”@
1862 Police, Semi-Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 5 ½”*@
1862 Police, Semi-Fluted Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 6 ½”
1862 Pocket Navy, Engraved Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 4 ½”*
1862 Pocket Navy, Engraved Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 5 ½”*@
1862 Pocket Navy, Engraved Cylinder, Revolver, Cal. .36, Barrel 6 ½”
(* - have identified location of examples of these models)
(@ - have this model)

The current total of known revolvers is thirty five. I have nine of these revolvers and know of twenty six in the hands of other collectors or BP shooters. Two of the known revolvers are in Switzerland, one is in England, one in Spain, one in Poland and an 1861 Navy sold on GunBroker in Feb ‘19. The Swiss and Polish models are marked Original Hege on the barrel, the English model has the typical Allen Firearms barrel address, and the one in Spain has a blank barrel. Markings for the one sold in Feb are unknown. Seller wouldn't respond to inquiries.


Anyone with information concerning Allen Firearms, Southwest Muzzleloaders Supply or any other Uberti Stainless Steel Colt style revolvers is requested to contact [email protected] I am seeking information as to models, manufacture dates, serial numbers, barrel markings, barrel lengths, trigger guards, and any other characteristics as well as catalog, brochure, and original packaging information.

Of course, if anyone has any for sale, I

 

[Fingers McGee]

Here are my SS Ubertis

 

[cowboydave]

Interesting info and I had no idea they even existed. Beautiful collection. Thanks for posting.

 

[expat_alaska]

Even though I am not into stainless repros as you are, I really like the 2nd pistol down on the right side of the photo. It appears to have a blued part round barrel, though. It is a L&R with a square back TG (which I am fond of) but not historically correct, and as if any stainless guns are historically correct!

Thanks for the photo, Fingers!

Jim

 

[Fingers McGee]

Even though I am not into stainless repros as you are, I really like the 2nd pistol down on the right side of the photo. It appears to have a blued part round barrel, though. It is a L&R with a square back TG (which I am fond of) but not historically correct, and as if any stainless guns are historically correct!

Thanks for the photo, Fingers!

Jim

They are all 100% stainless, For some reason I couldn't get the lighting right for those on the right side, so the barrels look blue. The second one on the right and second one on the left have consecutive serial numbers

Ken

 

[holl]

One for sale at my lgs if anyone is interested. First one I've ever seen.

 

[Fingers McGee]

One for sale at my lgs if anyone is interested. First one I've ever seen.View attachment 858601

His is a 2nd Gen Colt, only 490 made but still overpriced. I'm looking for ones that were imported in the mid 80's by Allen Fire Arms. Thanks for the info though.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

His is a 2nd Gen Colt, only 490 made but still overpriced. I'm looking for ones that were imported in the mid 80's by Allen Fire Arms. Thanks for the info though.

Fingers, how close are your Ubertis to the Colt 2nd Gen Stainless models?
Were they connected to 2nd Gen parts in some way?
The unusual specimens always seem to have the most interesting stories for me!

 

[Fingers McGee]

Colt canceled the 2nd Gen program in 1982; just at the time they were gearing up to produce the SS models. In fact, their 1982 catalog & price list catalogued 6 different models. This left Uberti with a bunch of SS parts that were going to be used for the line. Uberti evidently found an American wholesaler or two (Allen and SMLS) to pick up the slack. They also got a European company, since I've found some models stamped Hege. . While I haven't done a side by side comparison of my Colt and Allen FA models, I'd say they were about as exact as can be; although I think the Allen FA models have a higher grade polish. As it turns out, Allen FA and SMLS imported & sold a lot more of them than Colt did based on the Allen FA serial number range.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

What is the date range of the ones you have identified so far?

 

[Fingers McGee]

The earliest one I have record of is SN 109xxx with a 1981 date code; highest SN is 124xxx with unk date code; but the next most recent had a SN of 123xx and a 1987 date code.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

The earliest one I have record of is SN 109xxx with a 1981 date code; highest SN is 124xxx with unk date code; but the next most recent had a SN of 123xx and a 1987 date code.

Curiouser and Curiouser!!! My earliest ASM with a Colt barrel address is 1980 and my latest is 1987. Was this the "Golden Age" of replica variants?