Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
As usual with the internet, everyone is missing a lot of important information and conjecture is rife. There is a inspection proofmark on the retaining pin holding the custom gripstrap, which by European proofmark law would have only been added by the factory. To add to the fact that the pin is proofmarked the retaining pin for the grip bears the inspectors proofmark that can also be found on various pieces of the gun. It is without question Westley Richards retailed, due to the age & serial number range, entirely aside from the Westley Richards mark it bears, and given the proofmark it is to the point of laughable reading some of the comments in the thread dingus mentions such as "straighten out the grip". I can only be incredibly thankful it's not in their hands, those proposing such modifications that is. The gun is absolutely mint, and I mean mint, in ever sense mechanically. The moving parts do not even indicate firing and look like they have time warped into today, I'm lucky to have her and very glad an e-expert from the US doesn't who would be busy bending back the hundred and more year old custom work. Even a non-custom similarly marked means little, this is quality period work and is simply wonderful, it handles significantly better than my other C96 and quite frankly I love the lines. The fact it is likely within a couple dozen pistols of Winston Churchill's African adventures C96 and shared the same work bench, at the same time, is all the more pleasing.
As for 45 ACP antiques, there's just no way I can feel comfortable recommending anyone buy an antique, especially their first, that has a chambering above the proof loads, typically substantially above, of the gun it is there chambered in. In an antique a buyer can only assume the worst in it being fired with standard .45ACP, and it's not as if .455 is hard to handload and come by, I form my MkI from .45 Colt brass with thinned rims, the MkII is of course available from Hornady and Fiocchi. Second cylinder .45ACP guns as in my last purchase from you Dingus with the lovely refurb London retailed .455 Colt SAA, I can agree to a point on the stronger frames.
scianna, I'm afraid you have a poor eye. The Colt is 100% original patina, zero refinish, zero work, and in fact has never had a screw turned. This is beyond fact and not my personal opinion, it's also glaringly obvious. Also has the best bore I've ever come accross in a .41 and is the best working grade SAA I've owned, and I'm approaching a dozen SAA's. There is without a question no buffing or refinishing, so I can only chuckle and from here out chock further comments up to either jealousy, bandwagoning, or goofyness. Shame as I believe we've dealt before as well.
I should add I look forward to fine tooth combing items of scianna and dingus' ownership, and no hard feelings: this is the internet and our postulations and put downs or compliments are why we're members of these boards, it's all good fun.
As for 45 ACP antiques, there's just no way I can feel comfortable recommending anyone buy an antique, especially their first, that has a chambering above the proof loads, typically substantially above, of the gun it is there chambered in. In an antique a buyer can only assume the worst in it being fired with standard .45ACP, and it's not as if .455 is hard to handload and come by, I form my MkI from .45 Colt brass with thinned rims, the MkII is of course available from Hornady and Fiocchi. Second cylinder .45ACP guns as in my last purchase from you Dingus with the lovely refurb London retailed .455 Colt SAA, I can agree to a point on the stronger frames.
scianna, I'm afraid you have a poor eye. The Colt is 100% original patina, zero refinish, zero work, and in fact has never had a screw turned. This is beyond fact and not my personal opinion, it's also glaringly obvious. Also has the best bore I've ever come accross in a .41 and is the best working grade SAA I've owned, and I'm approaching a dozen SAA's. There is without a question no buffing or refinishing, so I can only chuckle and from here out chock further comments up to either jealousy, bandwagoning, or goofyness. Shame as I believe we've dealt before as well.
I should add I look forward to fine tooth combing items of scianna and dingus' ownership, and no hard feelings: this is the internet and our postulations and put downs or compliments are why we're members of these boards, it's all good fun.
....much respect man!
