[Bill Akins]

A couple of days ago, my 80 year old uncle Joel left a non working, ASM, 1851 brass frame .44 with me hoping I could get it operational for him. He picked it up at a flea market and paid too much for it in the condition it was in ($150.00 when a new one can be had from Cabela's for $179.00). Uncle Joel is an old "wheeler dealer" fleamarketer from way back, and although he is fairly knowledgeable on cartridge guns, he doesn't know black powder guns that well and pretty much got took on this deal and I told him to PLEASE call me first next time before he considers buying any more black powder guns at the flea market. Lol. I get a kick out of him, 80 years old and still wheeling and dealing and liking guns.

It had rust all over it from someone shooting it and not cleaning it, the arbor was unscrewed and the cylinder was rusted to the arbor. the mainspring, bolt, bolt/trigger spring, pawl/hand, wedge and wedge screw were all missing. Surprisingly the bore was pretty good, only a few specks of pitting after I cleaned it.

I buffed the entire revolver out and got all the rust off it and reblued it, freed the cylinder from the arbor and reinstalled the arbor into the frame, unscrewed the nipples and greased them and reinstalled them, and generally spruced it up and got it ready to be operational again if I can just locate the missing parts at a reasonable price (aye there's the rub). It looks very good now compared to the mess it was.

I tried fitting my spare Pietta pawl, bolt, bolt/trigger spring and mainspring on it, (didn't try the wedge since I didn't have a spare) but none of them fit correctly except for the mainspring which worked. Since I need to keep my spare Pietta parts for my 1860's, I just did that to see if I could use Pietta parts and then I could get uncle Joel the Pietta parts kit from Cabelas for $30.00 But with all the parts it needs not fitting (except for the mainspring), I knew I have to get ASM specific parts and might as well get the ASM mainspring too.

The Pietta bolt wouldn't work and it jammed up on the ASM hammer cam. The Pietta bolt/trigger spring would work if I cut down the longer leg of the spring. The Pietta pawl might work if I filed it down. So some parts can be tweaked and filed to fit, but at quite a bit of work/hassle and not certain even then. So best to get ASM specific parts if I can.

I know that Deercreek and VTI bought up all the old ASM parts after ASM went out of business and they are about the only sources for ASM parts that I know of. Ebay or GB might have some, but I could grow old looking for all those different ASM specific parts I need on Ebay or GB. Deercreek doesn't have a website anymore so I'll have to call them tomorrow to check their prices and availability.

I did look on VTI's website and the ASM parts (and shipping) from VTI are an enormous gouge. Plus I read some disconcerting posts from other gun forums saying VTI will sometimes send you non ASM parts when you paid for ASM parts. People unhappy and having to pay to ship incorrect (brand) parts back for a refund, and then VTI being out of stock on the ASM specific parts they needed. So not the best of customer reviews.

Check this similar post of about the same problem from "Claypipe" at "The Muzzleloading Forum":.....

"I have an Armi San Marco Third Model Dragoon in need of parts. I attempted to order said parts from VTI. They were even listed on VTI's website as available, $12.00 for the bolt, $5.00 for the trigger/bolt spring, plus $9.95 for shipping.

I agree that $9.95 for two parts that can fit in a small padded envelope, and ship by USPS mail for less than $5.00 is outrageous. But, I needed the parts and could find no other source.

So, I placed the order with the following special instructions:"I am purchasing these parts for a 3rd Model Dragoon stamped <<SAN MARCO>> GARDONE V.T. -BRESCIA. Should these be incorrect for this revolver, please cancel my order and notify me of what would be the correct parts. Thank you."

VTI calls me back and leaves the message, that they don't have the parts I am looking for and that they would send parts for a Uberti at an additional $15 charge. The original order totaled $26.95 with postage, now they want $41.95 with postage for the wrong parts.

I call them back, and spend a half an hour getting my credit card cleared of a charge I didn't authorize.

Me, personally, I won't be dealing with VTI again."

Yeah, not the best in customer satisfaction reviews for sure.

Here's what VTI wants for their ASM parts that I need to complete uncle Joel's 1851.

1. Mainspring- $6.50
2. Pawl/hand- $23.50
3. Bolt- $23.50
4. Wedge- $12.00
5. Wedge screw & trigger/bolt spring screw (can't just get the wedge screw alone)-$4.50
6. Shipping is $9.99

Total-$79.99 just for those few small parts from VTI!! What a ripoff. Yeah I know they have it and I need it (uncle Joel needs it), but still a rip.

Sooo, if anyone here has any of those 1851 ASM parts that I listed above, laying around as spares and wants to sell them for a reasonable price that isn't the rip that VTI is charging, shoot me an I.M. and let me know will ya?

Otherwise my uncle Joel may have a nice looking (but non operational) wallhanger that he is WAY too far into for $150.00. Kind of a shame now that I got it all spruced up and all it lacks to be operational and shoot is those few parts. Anyway, thought I'd take a stab at checking here just in case.


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