No, I’m not talking about the SIG Alerts we get here in California when there’s a traffic jam on our freeways. This is about a sale at SARCO, a preferred military surplus outlet, on SIG police department trade-ins. When police departments upgrade to different weapons, they sometimes sell their older handguns. That’s what’s happening here. What makes this sale special, in my opinion, is that the trade-in guns are 9mm SIG P226 sidearms. You follow the blog, and you know that I consider the SIG P226 to be the world’s finest handgun. With a SARCO price on the P226 at just over $700, I think it’s a great deal.
My SIG P226. I consider it to be the world’s finest handgun.
I’ve never seen SIG P226 police trade-in guns for sale. It’s a hell of an opportunity to pick up a great handgun at a bargain price. I once owned a Smith and Wesson Model 659 police trade-in and it confirmed what I thought about police sidearms. They are carried a lot and shot very little. That means there might be some cosmetic shortfalls (holster wear, etc.), but the guns’ internals are probably in superb shape.
A Smith and Wesson Model 659 police trade in that was a lot of fun. Like most police sidearms, it was carried a lot and shot little.
I’ve purchased military surplus equipment through SARCO before (in my case it was a replacement gas cylinder for my M1 Garand, which fixed my rifle’s cycling issue). SARCO is a reputable outfit.
SARCO’s SIG P320 police trade-in pistols.
SARCO is also selling SIG P320 police trade-ins. I don’t have any experience with that model, so I can’t tell you anything about it (other than that it’s SIG, so it’s probably good). The SARCO price on the SIG P320 police trade-in is only $425; that’s a superb deal.
What might be fun is to pick up either handgun from SARCO and send it to good buddy TJ (at TJ’s Custom Gunworks) for a full cosmetics and action job. That would be fun. If you have ever entertained any thoughts about picking up a SIG or a custom pistol, this might worth looking into.
At the time of this writing I am sitting in my hotel room, which happens to be in an underground cave in the tiny opal mining town of Coober Pedy. Normally this would sound crazy, but 50% of the residents in this town live underground so it’s perfectly normal to be living as someone on the desert planet of Tatoonie would live. It is deep in the Australian Outback hundreds of miles from nothing. How I even ended up in this town is something I am still piecing together, but alas, here I am typing this up as an aboriginal drum beats from the distant hills and echoes into my cave dwelling.
I apologize for being on a brief writing hiatus. My travel schedule has been beyond nonstop (even for me). I have only had two days off since leaving New Zealand in early April. In doing so there were multiple countries I toyed with visiting. Australia was one that kept being recommended, but I didn’t really feel the calling for it. So was hesitant when I booked a one-way ticket to Sydney and was expecting a short stay to just check the box. Well, life had other plans for me as I am currently six weeks into this giant country with no end in sight.
When I say no end in sight, I literally mean no end in sight. Having motorcycled much of the Southwestern United States over the past six years I think I have a pretty solid grasp on distances and expansiveness with large pockets of isolation and nothingness. I knew what large areas were and how to negotiate them, even on two wheels. I couldn’t have been more ignorant of what expansiveness really is.
Expansiveness is driving 100+ miles and not seeing another car and only a random oncoming truck towing three or four trailers that when it passes you throws your tiny rental off the road due to the wind gust. Expansiveness is slowing down to some type of an unknown road hazard in front of you only to realize it’s an emu that decides to attack your car so you must quickly swerve and speed up. Expansiveness is clicking search on both AM and FM radio stations only to have it indefinitely spin without a station to be found for hours. Expansiveness is Australia.
Australia is my home for the time being and I am trying everything possible to do more than just scratch the surface of this foreign and incredibly large part of the world. With every type of climate you can imagine and wildlife that is other worldly, cute, dangerous, and some a combination of the three. This article series will take you through my journey of Australia as I make my way towards Ayers Rock (Uluru) in the great Australian Outback.
Good buddy Bob Orabona, a fellow rider and shooter, sent in this story about his encounter with one of the Doobie Brothers. I think you’ll enjoy it.
By Bob Orabona
My best Doobie Brothers story ever goes like this. It was around December of 1979. Here in Los Angeles we had a motorcycle toy run that was huge. About 10,000 to 13,000 motorcycles would go from Griffith Park to Pasadena. What a roar!!
Well, that year the organizers decided that in addition to the toy run they would put on a “Veterans Christmas Run” that would be a much smaller affair but the same general idea. You show up at a location on your bike with gifts for the Vets who are in the West LA Veterans Hospital and do a run.
My riding bud at that time was Russ Bromley and we made plans to attend. The morning of I showed up at his pad and he and his girl Sue and I rode off to the Harley dealer in Marina Del Rey. That was the starting point.
After a while we got the ride up and about 300 bikes left the dealership headed to the West LA Vets Hospital. When we got there they had a stage set up in the parking lot and a collection point for all the gifts. The run was very well supported by sponsors and Harley Davidson was there with their traveling museum and several other groups with various types of displays. Hugh Heffner sent over about 8 “Bunnies” to help colllect and distribute the gifts. A band was playing and it was a great scene with a really positive vibe.
After the band stopped playing there was an emcee telling us how much stuff was collected, etc., etc., and then he introduced an official from Harley. The Harley guy told the crowd that Harley wanted to do something really special at this run, so they were going to introduce their newest model for the first time anywhere. It was called the “Sturgis” and it was notable for being the first belt drive Harley.
At the appropriate moment, and after sufficent build up, about 10 of the new bikes came riding into the lot and were put on display. The crowd surged forward and oooed and aahhed over them. I didn’t go with them because I don’t like crowds and I was probably very hung over which was my natural state of being on Sunday mornings in those days (that’s a whole other story best left for another time).
I waited for the crowd to disperse and finally went over and was examining the bikes. I latched on to a factory rep who was the only one still hanging with the bikes and started to ask him a bunch of questions. How long does the belt last? How do you change it? What if it breaks on the road?
Well, this guy was right with it and knew just about all the answers to all my questions. I had noticed while looking at the bike he was sitting on that above the tank emblem someone had painted on “The Doobie Bros.” When I ran out of tech questions I just happened to casually ask him “Hey, how come it says “The Doobie Bros” on your tank?”
Thats when the “factory rep” looked at me and said “Uh, I’m Patrick Simmons and I play guitar for them.” Duh!!!!!! I thought he looked kinda familiar.
Wow, talk about exclusivity: It just doesn’t get any better than this. That rocking chair you see in the photo above? It’s from the Sam Maloof shop and the lead time is about 6 years. Order it today, and 72 months from now, you would be able to rock out in it. I’ll tell you more a little further down in this blog, but first, we have to start with the Sam Maloof story.
Dubbed “The Hemingway of Hardwood” by People magazine, Sam Maloof (1916-2009) was an artist in the world of furniture making. Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan sat on rocking chairs crafted by Maloof, and his work is on display in the Smithsonian, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (to name but a few). His home and workshop are now a museum, too, and the best news is that it is a very short motorcycle ride from my home. Although I’ve been in California for close to 50 years, I only recently visited the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts. It was impressive. Don’t do what I did and wait 50 years to go see it. Go now. It’s a 5 1/2 acre slice of heaven, and if you enjoy viewing true artistry in wood, you’ll love it. I sure did.
Our tour of the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation included the Maloof home, the gallery, several landscaped acres sprinkled with contemporary outdoor art, and a peek into the shop (which still produces museum quality wood furniture). It’s easy to get to. From the 10 or 210 freeways in southern California, exit either Vineyard (off the 10) or Carnelian (off the 210) and go north (Vineyard becomes Carnelian as you head north). Just follow the road until you can’t go any further and look right. You’ll have arrived.
We toured the original Maloof home and the craftsmanship built into the place is impressive. I was able to grab several photos, and my Nikon and it’s 16-35mm wide angle zoom did what it is supposed to do.
A woodworker’s paradise. Artistly in wood is everywhere in the Maloof home. Check out the spiral staircase.The Maloof home contains tables and chairs exhibiting a blend of artistry and functionality. Maloof used an oil finish on his furniture. I’ve used the same on rifle stocks. It brings out the wood’s natural beauty and can be easily repaired if scratched.A Maloof rocking chair. Maloof preferred to work in walnut.A bedroom in the Maloof home. If you order a Maloof chair or other furniture, there’s a six year lead time. The only exceptions are baby rockers, which you see in the center of this photo. If you need a baby rocker, your kid won’t fit six years later, so the shop stops all other projects and focuses on completing your baby rocker.A Maloof table and chairs. Notice that the side chairs are joined together. We saw one that sat three at a dinner table. That doesn’t seem practical to me, but hey, no one is waiting six years for anything I make.One of many beautiful rooms in the Maloof home.
The Maloof estate consists of several building and gardens mentioned above. The Maloof shop continues to build custom furniture in the Sam Maloof style.
A glimpse into the wood shop.
We next visited the gallery, which is where I saw the rocking chair that is at the top of this blog. I like to think I appreciate fancy wood, and that chair had my attention. I asked a docent if it was English walnut, but I was way off. It’s a wood called Ziricote, and it comes from Belize. I’d never seen anything like it. As mentioned earlier, Sam Maloof preferred to work in walnut, and I understand that. Highly figured walnut is, well, art before anything is done to it. But that Ziricote. Wow!
This is a chair that belongs in a well stocked custom gun room. It would fit in well.
As it turns out, when I asked about the wood I was speaking with a very pleasant woman name Joanne, and that rocking chair was hers. Joanne’s husband Mike worked with Sam Maloof and he is continuing the tradition, along with his son. Mike made that chair for Joanne as a birthday gift. That, my friends, is one fine gift.
The figure almost looks fake, but it’s real.Lumber that is exceptional from any angle.I can’t remember what I bought Sue for her 60th birthday.
After seeing the home and the gallery, Sue and I walked through the gardens. The grounds were impressive and the outside art was, too.
A real flower in the Maloof gardens.
An egg as tall as me. It would be a hoot to have an Easter egg hunt in the Maloof gardens.This piece is presented as an alternative take on Mr. Rushmore.Made of natural materials, this piece looks like a skeleton from the movie, “Alien.”Everywhere you go in California these days, someone has their hand out.Sue grabbed a photo of me as I was photographing the Maloof grounds artwork.
The next morning, I found myself thinking about that Ziricote rocking chair. Man, I would love to have one of those. So I called the shop and asked about it. Yep, there’s that 6-year lead time issue I mentioned above, but that wasn’t the obstacle for me. To duplicate the Ziricote rocker, it would take a cool $28,000. I could cheap out and get one in finely figured walnut; that would drop the price to $22,500. It’s tempting, and as you know, I am a sucker for fine walnut. Maybe if you guys clicked on more of those popup ads…
When I got home yesterday from a routine 10-year colonoscopy exam (the prep was the worst part), I took a short nap, later in the evening the little lady went outside for something and brought in a package that had been sitting unguarded on my front doorstep probably since mid-morning. To make matters worse, it had been shipped it in a clearly marked ASUS Workbook computer box, complete with carry handle!
I opened the package today and the gun far exceeded my expectations! Man, this piece is so very cool. The Navy Arms box is complete with some minor scuffing. All the paperwork is present as near as I can tell.
Here are two pages from the catalog. You can click on the two images below to see larger versions that make reading the print easier.
There is also a color catalog. My gun is letter C in the catalog photo which proclaims it to be “one of the finest muzzle loading pistols in the Navy Arm line.” After handling the gun, I believe them. Oddly, nothing in the package I’ve seen in my brief review indicates that this gun was manufactured by Uberti, but the Uberti crest stamped inconspicuously on the frame tells me that it was.
The AB stamp on the gun translates to a 1976 date of manufacture. Totally unexpected by me, the frame, hammer, and loading lever are all beautifully case color hardened steel. Oh, man the photos don’t do any justice to the vibrant colors! The barrel is a highly polished deep blue having a mirror-like finish. The brass trigger guard is a little dull, but not tarnished at all after spending the past 48 years in its oiled plastic bag time capulsule. Oh, and that super fine ocean battle scene either engraved or rolled onto the cylinder is simply immaculate! The walnut stocks deep grain really showcases this piece.
Well, I have to catch up on my office work today, so I am just put everything back in the Navy Arms box for now. Maybe I’ll have some time over the coming weekend to clean it up and put on a fresh coat of oil. Until then I imagine there will be a considerable amount of daydreaming about this piece going on upstairs.
For now, enjoy these updated photos. The gun still hasn’t been cleaned. I Can’t wait to shoot it. Yeah, I know, I know. There may be a few folks who say the gun has survived 48 years without being fired and should stay that way. Well, it probably had been proof fired in Italy at the factory, but there is no evidence of it except for the factory proof markings. My thinking is that this isn’t an original Colt 1860 Army and I paid only a couple beans for it including shipping, so why not wake it up from its long hibernation and have a blast?
We forwarded Joe’s photos and request for info to my good buddy Paul, who is our resident blackpowder firearms guru. Here’s what Paul had to say:
Those two extra screws are for a shoulder stock. You remove those screws and put the shoulder stock on then secure the stock with those screws. That gun is desirable because of that feature. If he had the shoulder stock it would be worth three or more times what the gun alone is worth. That gun looks like new – I wish I owned it! Not too many people purchased a shoulder stock for those guns that’s why you don’t see them often and when you do they cost BIG MONEY.
There were a few different styles being sold back in the ’60s & ’70s. I looked on YouTube for some questions that I had and found that some of the shoulder stocks did not need to remove those screws. The stock only used those screws to pivot the stock attachment area on, then the claw would grip a notch in the bottom of the grip frame. Some guns would be cut under the recoil shield on both sides of the shield for the front of the shoulder stock to hook under so they did not need those screws. Have a look on YouTube to get a better picture of what I am referring to. By the way it looks like a great gun!
Good inputs, Paul, and thanks very much for the explanation!
My “new” in the box never fired Colt 1860 Army clone was imported by Navy Arms some 45 or so years ago. It hasn’t arrived yet but should be in the mail any day now.
After purchasing it, I was looking more carefully at the photos and I am a bit perplexed. It definitely had four screws. The barrel is stamped “Model 1860 Army Cal 44.” This one appears to be by Uberti.
I had never heard of a four screw Colt 1860 Army before, but I had seen online photos of what I believe was described as a four screw Colt 1861 Navy.
These are the only photos I have for now and they are not really all that clear. The guy says it’s still covered in packing grease and he’s only had it out of the plastic bag twice in the 40-some years since he bought it, including last week to take these photos. It looks like it might have some sort of cylinder engraving, but wouldn’t that be a Navy and not the Army model?
Does anyone know what we have here? Did Navy Arms import a lot of these four screw early Army versions, or more of the standard three screw guns? Was this gun made by Gregoreli & Uberti, Uberti, or is it something else?
Were these guns good shooters? I’m not expecting too much out of it as I know it won’t be anywhere near as nice as my Uberti 1858 New Army (which is shown above), but heck, it was almost free. I never pass up the opportunity to buy interesting and unique guns at bargain prices.
Stay tuned for Part 2 when I finally see what it is I bought.
Here’s another fascinating custom revolver that showed up in our Uberti Facebook page. It’s from good buddy Steve, who sent additional photos and is allowing us to use the story here on ExNotes. Here’s what Steve shared with me:
I have an original Paterson in its original configuration of .36 caliber (I mean an original Uberti Paterson, of course). I searched for years for a way to buy a conversion cylinder for it. I stumbled across this and could not pass it up.
A little history on this one…the way it was converted was the gunsmith milled down a Harrington and Richardson .22 barrel and sleeved it into the Paterson barrel. Then he used standard .22 Magnum sleeves in the cylinder The loading ramp was milled such that it pins the base of the round in, so there was no need for a loading gate.
The barrel and frame are actually the original blue steel. The gunsmith dip stripped the parts then meticulously polished them to a bright shine. I just keep it well oiled.
Steve, your .22 Magnum Paterson is a great looking gun. Thanks for allowing us to share it here. For our ExNotes readers, the Paterson was the original Colt revolver patented by Samuel Colt in 1836. The revolvers are called Patersons because they were manufactured in Paterson, New Jersey. Colt built these and then went bankrupt and shut the gun business down. He unsuccessfully pursued other business interests and then was contacted by Captain Samuel Walker of the Texas Rangers, who had used Colt Patersons against the Comanches to great effect. Captain Walker told Samuel Colt about that and how he thought the revolver was a very effective weapon, and the two Sams (Colt and Walker) designed the 1847 Colt Walker, which we’ve written about before.
If you’re wondering why Steve’s Uberti Colt Paterson replica appears to have no trigger, it’s because the trigger retracts into the frame. It extends when the revolver is cocked. That design was eliminated on the Colt Walkers, which had what we now view as a normal trigger and trigger guard. The Paterson did not have the loading lever common to later Colt blackpowder revolvers, which greatly slows the Paterson loading process.
Uberti no longer lists the Paterson in its menu of reproductions (I’ve already checked, as posting this blog whet my appetite for a Paterson reproduction). Pietta (another reproduction revolver Italian manufacturer) does, but they show the Paterson as out of stock. These replicas sell for big bucks when they come on the market (typically for something in the $750 to $1000 range), but that’s trivial to what an original Colt Paterson would bring. Those have fetched a million bucks.
Another bit of trivia…you may think you’ve never seen Paterson, New Jersey, but if you watched The Sopranos (an HBO crime drama TV series currently available on MAX and set in New Jersey), you’ve probably seen Paterson a few times and not known it. There are at least a couple of Sopranos scenes at the falls in Paterson (one in which Mikey Palmici throws a guy off a bridge, and another where Hesh threatens to do the same). Ah, New Jersey…I’ve never been to Paterson, but the next time I’m back in the Garden State I’m going to hit some of the spots featured on The Sopranos. When I do, I’ll post it here on ExNotes.
This press release just came in last week and I wanted to share it with our ExNotes readers. I’ve been traveling or I would have posted it sooner.
TWO MIDWEST BRANDS HAVE COME TOGETHER FOR THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE
DULUTH PACK + JANUS MOTORCYCLES TO DEBUT LIMITED EDITION MOTORCYCLES AND RIDING BAGS
To celebrate the partnership and collaboration, the brands are co-hosting a launch party at the Duluth Pack flagship retail store in Duluth, Minnesota.
DULUTH, MINN –– Wed May 1st, 2024 – Two Midwest companies focusing on old-school techniques, Duluth Pack and Janus Motorcycles have teamed up to create a collection of expertly crafted riding bags and a one-of-a-kind motorcycle called, “The Rambler Edition”. The collaboration embodies the same ethos of rooted appreciation for the outdoors, and both preserving history with traditional and historic manufacturing techniques. American-Made gear and equipment that is built with purpose for the long-haul. Now the best of both have emerged with “The Rambler Edition”. To kick-off the highly anticipated collection, both brands are co-hosting a launch party on Friday, May 3rd at Duluth Pack’s flagship retail store in Canal Park, Duluth, MN.
The event will be from 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST with raffles and giveaways provided by Duluth Pack and Janus Motorcycles every hour during the event. Attendees will be able to be the first to shop the exclusive and limited-edition styles of Duluth Pack bags and the vintage crafted Janus Motorcycle. The collection focuses on both brand’s DNA including colors of the original olive drab colorway and a partnership logo. Families, friends, locals, visitors, and motorcycle enthusiasts are all encouraged to come to the store to celebrate at the launch party.
“Our priority has always been and will always be on our quality and meeting our customer’s needs. The focus of the Rambler Edition collaboration between Duluth Pack and Janus Motorcycles is providing the aesthetic and functionally our customers want and expect from both of our companies,” said Tom Sega, Duluth Pack’s President and CEO. “Both of our company’s products are built for a lifetime of adventures. Between Duluth Pack and Janus Motorcycles, we have a combined 154 years of American-Made history and that is something we are profoundly proud of.”
“This has been a project both Duluth Pack and Janus Motorcycles have been working on since 2021,” added Andrea Johnson, Duluth Pack’s Public Relations Contact. “The DNA of both brands breathes within this exclusive line and our entire team is very much looking forward to celebrating with our customers on Friday.”
“The heritage of classic style and durable quality at Duluth Pack is an ideal fit for Janus’ classic motorcycles and we’re pleased to offer such a well-made product to our riders and customers. – Richard Worsham, Janus Motorcycles CEO
The Rambler Edition line will be exclusively available on Janus’ ecommerce site at janusmotorcycles.com.
For more information regarding the Rambler Edition Launch Party event at the Duluth Pack flagship store, please visit Duluth Pack’s social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), visit DuluthPack.com or call the Duluth Pack Headquarters at (218) 722-3898.
So there you have it. This program sounds like a winner from two of the heartland’s iconic brands. For more on our ExNotes experiences with Janus Motorcycles, including a plant visit and a Baja blast, check out our Epic Rides page.
I haven’t been to the Autry Museum in Los Angeles since 2018 when I took the photos you see here. I’ll get out there in the next few months. It’s one of the great destinations in the Los Angeles area, and what makes the Autry even better for me is the extensive firearms display.
I found these photos when I was poking around a bit on an external hard drive. For this blog, I’m including only the Colts in the Autry Museum. I only photographed a few of firearms I saw there. The Autry had more Colts, as well as Winchesters and other firearms on display.
The photos were a challenge. Each of the guns you see here was behind glass, and the lighting was fairly dim in the firearms display area. I was using my D3300 Nikon with its standard 18-55mm lens, shooting at ISO settings of 800 to 3200. These are not conditions conducive to capturing good images. I did the best I could.
The sixgun you see in the photo above is an original Colt Walker, one of the one thousand guns Sam Colt manufactured for Sam Walker in 1847. The last original Walker I know of that sold went for a million bucks. We’ve mentioned the Colt Walker in an earlier ExNotes blog. I bought the Uberti reproduction; the reproduction Uberti Walkers sell for just over $500.
The Autry Museum firearms collection features several Colt black powder revolvers. In addition to the Walker up top, here are a two more I photographed. The first one is a .36 caliber 1851 Colt Navy that belonged to Wild Bill Hickok. The second is a .44 caliber 1860 Colt Army. It’s quite fancy and it probably belonged to somebody famous, but I don’t know who (and that gives me a good excuse to get back out to the Autry Museum).
As you might imagine in a museum dedicated to the American West (and one carrying the name of a famous cowboy star like Gene Autry), the Colt 1873 Single Action Army revolver is well represented in this collection.
One of the 1873 Single Action Army revolvers on display at the Autrey Museum belonged to Theodore Roosevelt. His initials are carved into the ivory grips.
There were also a few Colt double action revolvers:
In addition to the early Colt revolvers, there were three Colt Pythons:
This is a crop showing some of the engraving detail on the revolver above.
The Museum also displayed an engraved 1911 .45 Auto. This 1911 was manufactured by Colt and several other manufacturers (as is the case even today; Colt still makes the 1911 and so do many other companies). The 1911 shown here had the trigger guard cut away. The idea behind removing the trigger guard is that it allows getting off a shot more quickly. The modification is not something I’d want.
There was one more Colt I should mention: A Bulldog Gatling gun. Richard Jordan Gatling, the Gatling gun inventor, never operated his own factory. All U.S. Gatlings were manufactured by Colt in Hartford, Connecticut. They were also made under license in Russia military by the Orloff company.
Uberti replicas of the Colt Walker and the Colt 1873 Single Action Army.
We’ve done other blogs in the past on the Colt Walker and the Colt Single Action Army (including the two replica revolvers you see in the photo above), other Colt black powder revolvers, and variations of the Gatling gun. Those blogs are here. You might also want to pick up our book on the Gatling gun.
We recently started a Uberti Firearms Facebook group, and the response and growth has been phenomenal. Within 10 days, membership grew to more than a thousand people. One of those new members is my new good buddy RJ, a Uberti owner and Hollywood stunt man. He posted an interesting story in the Facebook group, I asked if we could show it on ExNotes, and RJ graciously consented. The photo RJ refers to is the one at the top of today’s blog.
Here’s a pic of my iron frame Henry. I have a kind of a neat story how it came about.
In ’92 I was the armourer for “Buffalo Bills Wild West Show” at EuroDisney in Paris. I was constantly getting new guns and swapping guns out through our provider, a gun dealer in Paris. Most times it was someone I knew but every once in a while a new guy made the delivery.
One evening before showtime, I had been prepping a 66 carbine and a delivery showed up, brought to us by an older new guy with several firearms. I had a yellow boy carbine spread over the work bench and I was stoning the parts. The guy asked me what I was doing and I told him these guns are a little “clunky” when I get them and I have to smooth them up for the girls who played Annie Oakley. So he gave me a rundown on what he’s brought while I put the gun together.
I asked him how long he’s been with Maratiaee and he’s said he’s not; he’s just delivering and going to take in the show. I introduced myself and said, “I’m RJ Preston.” He said, “It’s a pleasure, Sir. I’m Aldo Uberti.”
Oh man, I just told Aldo Uberti his guns were clunky!!!! It turned out we became good friends and I told him I would love one of the iron frame Henrys. He offered to build me one personally, so I told him that the iron frames all had three-digit serial numbers. He said he had some three-digit frames set aside.
In about a month he asked which distributor I want the gun sent to in the United States. My dad and Val at Navy Arms were friends and we had done business with Navy Arms since the mid-’60s.
I had to wait until I got back to the US to see it but what a peach: No varnish, oil finished wood, under 300 serial number, an action smooth as butter, and with A.U. stamped on the inside of the right sideplate. It was already sighted in and it was a tack driver. It came with a Uberti company envelope and the invoice said “NO BALANCE DUE” with a short note enclosed. “Here’s one that’s not clunky, enjoy.”
He was a great guy. Rest in peace, Aldo.
What a story and what a rifle! RJ, you are one lucky guy. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
If you would like to join our ExhaustNotes.us Facebook group, it’s here. If you would like to join our Facebook Uberti Firearms group, it’s here.
In addition to the early Colt revolvers, there were three Colt Pythons:
