1860 Army Belgium made ?

S

Springfield Kid

New member
I have noticed in the past a few 1860 Armys being listed as Belgium made on Gun Broker .
Does anyone know the true value of these cap and ball pistols ?
Seems the bidding is higher than on the more common Italian made reproductions .
 
They're not exactly clones but more like reissues. in 1853 Colt gave a license to Union d'Armes de Liege to manufacture Colt pistols. These were made under that same license to Colt specs in the 60's and 70's. They called it the 1960 Centaur.
 
They go for $400 -$450 on GB normally. They a well made, good steel. Not uncommon for them to need work. There is a member here who has rebuilt many of them.
 
Yup!

When you hold a Centaure it seems just a bit heftier than a Pietta, or a ASP or ASM. I never measured the dimensions of the pistol, but it just seems slightly bigger.

I like mine but I don't shoot it any more. I have "rifleo" rehab it and then retired it.
 
Here's a comparison of the Centaur with a Pietta and a Euroarms (Armi San Paolo) example. I don't know that the Centaur is any larger; it seems a bit heavier, however. I'll have to weigh them all one of these days.
0015.jpg
 
Did some comparative measurements of 1 2nd gen Colt Army and 2 Centaures a while ago. For details see www.1960nma.org, Production page.
Muzzle dia
# 2nd gen. #207514 (1982): .655
# Centaure C418 (1961): .675
# Centaure 12307 (1972): .686
Rifling groove dia
# 2nd gen. #207514: .458
# Centaure C418: .448
# Centaure 12307: .445
This would make the Centaures slightly more front heavy.
Bootsie aks Long Johns Wolf
 
And....

I think I remember holding mine next to other examples and realized that the barrel is longer by about 3/16 inch.

I am on travel so I can't get to them now and this issue is simply way to urgent to wait until I get home to redo the comparison.
 
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