Garcia Bronco (pricing and info)
- Thread starter Newby
- Start date
Newby you own an impossible gun! It cannot possibly be BOTH an FIC AND A BRONCO - PLUS MADE IN ITALY!!!!!
If your gun is an original FIC (Firearms Internationl Corp.) it will have that info stamped into the flat side of the butt. And, if it is the GARCIA Bronco (the fishing tackle outfit that bought out FIC) they too cast or stamped their info in that same spot.
NEITHER gun was made in Italy. If you've got something similar made in Italy (required by federal law to have that info on it) its strictly a clone of the ORIGINAL FIC Bronco made in the old Beretta (USA) factory in Accokeek, MD. Garcia's Bronco boxes and other paperwork clearly state MADE IN USA (Teaneck, NJ).
When Garcia dumped the design, next company to give it a try was the Bauer Firearms Corp.'s RABBIT made in Fraser, MI.
Then there were the two WILDCAT 500s first made 1969 by RAU of El Dorado, KS then sold to Precision Arms Div. of Ozark Mountain Arms of MO which shut down in 1978.
Somehow a rumor got started that the BRONCO was an Italian-made gun. NOT!
As for value you're pretty close in your guesstimate. I think that company engraving might add to its provenence and value, especially to Yankee buyers, maybe not so much to Canadians. Personally, in cases like this I buy the gun, not the story.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser
If your gun is an original FIC (Firearms Internationl Corp.) it will have that info stamped into the flat side of the butt. And, if it is the GARCIA Bronco (the fishing tackle outfit that bought out FIC) they too cast or stamped their info in that same spot.
NEITHER gun was made in Italy. If you've got something similar made in Italy (required by federal law to have that info on it) its strictly a clone of the ORIGINAL FIC Bronco made in the old Beretta (USA) factory in Accokeek, MD. Garcia's Bronco boxes and other paperwork clearly state MADE IN USA (Teaneck, NJ).
When Garcia dumped the design, next company to give it a try was the Bauer Firearms Corp.'s RABBIT made in Fraser, MI.
Then there were the two WILDCAT 500s first made 1969 by RAU of El Dorado, KS then sold to Precision Arms Div. of Ozark Mountain Arms of MO which shut down in 1978.
Somehow a rumor got started that the BRONCO was an Italian-made gun. NOT!
As for value you're pretty close in your guesstimate. I think that company engraving might add to its provenence and value, especially to Yankee buyers, maybe not so much to Canadians. Personally, in cases like this I buy the gun, not the story.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser
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beeperboy
I took the FIC (we'll call it) to the range today. 25 yards. Shot from a bench with the gun supported (only) by my elbows, no gun rest. I used .22 LR non hollow point, unknown loose ammo with a "C" on the base. Shot from the bottom of the target up, last target was top RH.
Most of my girlfriends can shoot better then me and I usually stick to scopes (for rifles), with iron sights I tend to shoot low.
Anyway I think it does the job it was intended to do...
Wow, that's great. That's about 3X the accuracy that mine had. That is definitely usable for rabbit or squirrel hunting.
BB
TheCoachZed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
My brother-in-law's dad has one of these, I think, in .22 magnum. Uses it when on his quad.
Hi Newby. I'm not sure what - if anything - you are asking or announcing about the Bronco rifles. (?)
Are you saying all of that undocumented info you posted above - which I say is incorrect - you think is true? If that's the case, do you NOT believe your own eyes? I've collected guns for more than 60 years in both US and Canada, seen hundreds of Bronco firearms, but NEVER seen one marked ITALY!
The Broncos, both FIC (NOT FIE) and GARCIA, have their US addresses stamped on them. Again, if a gun is manufactured outside the US it must be stamped with country of origin. No one that I know of has EVER posted a picture of a Bronco rifle stamped MADE IN ITALY!!! Why do you suppose THAT is???
I could be wrong, but if SO, please furnish proof. If anyone reading this has a Bronco marked Italy, please post it for us to share.
You mention info from Guns & Ammo magazine dated 2005. Time can change a lot when it involves our knowledge of older guns which have no known surviving factory records.
Example: In 2005 I bought my first Mossberg Brownie and have more than a dozen in my colletion at the moment. But back then I could find almost NO info about them. The Havlins, who wrote the books on Mossbergs, and founded the National Mossberg Collectors Association (NMCA) had little info on them. They've recently obtained both my, and Gun Digest's, permission to reprint that article in their monthly membership newsletter.
I began buying and researching Brownies in 2005. I currently have a 4-page illustrated article in the 2011 Edition Gun Digest in which I describe 4 Variations of the gun. When I first started studying them there were only 3 KNOWN Variations. Just TWO days ago I dicovered there is a FIFTH Variation, unknown until another Mossberg owner reported his. PLUS, another owner, AND I, own similar guns, totatlly unknown until now.
The Bronco information I wrote in the previous post is current, not from five years ago. I would be interested in seeing some kind of documented proof showing.
Two days ago I managed to obtain one very elusive gun I had mentioned in my previous posting, the Mountain Arms marked Wildcat 500. This one is NIB with original papers!
Of course everyone is entitled to believe what they wish, but I have to see proof before I publish or believe.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser
Are you saying all of that undocumented info you posted above - which I say is incorrect - you think is true? If that's the case, do you NOT believe your own eyes? I've collected guns for more than 60 years in both US and Canada, seen hundreds of Bronco firearms, but NEVER seen one marked ITALY!
The Broncos, both FIC (NOT FIE) and GARCIA, have their US addresses stamped on them. Again, if a gun is manufactured outside the US it must be stamped with country of origin. No one that I know of has EVER posted a picture of a Bronco rifle stamped MADE IN ITALY!!! Why do you suppose THAT is???
I could be wrong, but if SO, please furnish proof. If anyone reading this has a Bronco marked Italy, please post it for us to share.
You mention info from Guns & Ammo magazine dated 2005. Time can change a lot when it involves our knowledge of older guns which have no known surviving factory records.
Example: In 2005 I bought my first Mossberg Brownie and have more than a dozen in my colletion at the moment. But back then I could find almost NO info about them. The Havlins, who wrote the books on Mossbergs, and founded the National Mossberg Collectors Association (NMCA) had little info on them. They've recently obtained both my, and Gun Digest's, permission to reprint that article in their monthly membership newsletter.
I began buying and researching Brownies in 2005. I currently have a 4-page illustrated article in the 2011 Edition Gun Digest in which I describe 4 Variations of the gun. When I first started studying them there were only 3 KNOWN Variations. Just TWO days ago I dicovered there is a FIFTH Variation, unknown until another Mossberg owner reported his. PLUS, another owner, AND I, own similar guns, totatlly unknown until now.
The Bronco information I wrote in the previous post is current, not from five years ago. I would be interested in seeing some kind of documented proof showing.
Two days ago I managed to obtain one very elusive gun I had mentioned in my previous posting, the Mountain Arms marked Wildcat 500. This one is NIB with original papers!
Of course everyone is entitled to believe what they wish, but I have to see proof before I publish or believe.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser
Mauser, you get some points, other then the Firearms International Corporation gun not being called a Bronco, you were correct on all ;O)
Firearms International Corporation made this "nameless" gun starting in 1967 in Accokeek Maryland.
Unserial numbered from 1967 til 1969
Serial numbered from 1969 til 1970
Mine has Firearms International Corp, a SN (so it dates 1969-1970), manufactured in Accokeek Maryland.
Garcia bought Firearms International Corporation in 1970 and then named this nameless gun the "Bronco" a properietary Garcia name.
Made until 1975
Source:
Guns Illustrated 2011
"The Unlikeliest Sleeper of them all" Dan Shideler
Firearms International Corporation made this "nameless" gun starting in 1967 in Accokeek Maryland.
Unserial numbered from 1967 til 1969
Serial numbered from 1969 til 1970
Mine has Firearms International Corp, a SN (so it dates 1969-1970), manufactured in Accokeek Maryland.
Garcia bought Firearms International Corporation in 1970 and then named this nameless gun the "Bronco" a properietary Garcia name.
Made until 1975
Source:
Guns Illustrated 2011
"The Unlikeliest Sleeper of them all" Dan Shideler
Thanks for that info, Newby. I wrote Dan Schideler and asked him about the name and the country of origin of these guns. At first I thought you were talking about the 2011 Edition Gun Digest, but finally realized it was Guns Illustrated your were referring to.
Dan wrote an article on the Broncos in the April 7, 2006 Gun List (now called Gun Digest the Magazine). I note where you're quoting from Dan said FIC didn't label it BRONCO. In the Sept. 8, 2006 Gun List he wrote again that the Bronco design was inspired by the Hamilton No. 7. THAT is the gun I'm now looking for, or the No. 11.
Will get back to this subject when I hear back from Dan. (Dan Schidler passed away in the Summer of 2011. He was a good friend to all of us in the gun world, and he will be missed. RIP.)
I have a 4-page photo-illustrated historical article on the Mossberg Brownie in the 2011 GD. And in their upcoming 2012 will be my article on the little Canadian made Tobin Boy Scout Rifle. Watch for it.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser
Dan wrote an article on the Broncos in the April 7, 2006 Gun List (now called Gun Digest the Magazine). I note where you're quoting from Dan said FIC didn't label it BRONCO. In the Sept. 8, 2006 Gun List he wrote again that the Bronco design was inspired by the Hamilton No. 7. THAT is the gun I'm now looking for, or the No. 11.
Will get back to this subject when I hear back from Dan. (Dan Schidler passed away in the Summer of 2011. He was a good friend to all of us in the gun world, and he will be missed. RIP.)
I have a 4-page photo-illustrated historical article on the Mossberg Brownie in the 2011 GD. And in their upcoming 2012 will be my article on the little Canadian made Tobin Boy Scout Rifle. Watch for it.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser
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