Abilene Revolvers

S

SIGSHR

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Any one else own an Abilene, either the Riverhead or Mossberg versions? (I have the latter, .44 Mag, shoots fine. I talked to one of the bosses of the
Riverhead company back in 1979. Seems to have been a Good Idea that didn't Quite Work. They are pretty scarce, I have seen 1 for sale in the last
20 years or so. I recall Ruger complained about patent infringement, also the
original partners split, one started a company called "United Sporting Arms" or
something similar, tried to market a revolver called the Seville, I have never seen one of those. Mossberg was suppose to get into the handgun market with their version of the Abilne plus a .45 auto, that never came to pass.
 
Love my Abilene!!

That's the most in-depth info I've heard yet on the Abilene and Mossberg's endeavor with hand guns. Interesting.
There's also a hand gun named the El Dorado that's supposedly the same/similiar revolver as the Abilene/Seville. I've seen them at one time or another on gunbroker.com, and gunsamerica.com but only onesy-twosies.
My Abilene says made by A.I.G. on it which supposedly was the people that made the guns for Mossberg, so I was told. When I got it, the thing had been rode hard and put away missing some pieces. I had to buy a rear sight for it from GPC along with the trigger spring which has broken more than once on me. I now keep 2 extras on hand just in case. I love that old six shooter. To me it looks like what a Flattop New Model Super Blackhawk would be if Ruger would make such a thing.
 
Good to hear from other Abilene owners. I bought mine mainly for the rarity, it is a good shooter of course.
 
abilene

My father was the designer of the Abilene. It started in riverhead. Then Mossberg came along. The Pre Mossbergs were higher quality. The Ruger lawsuit changed the gun with the Hammer Anvil Safety.

John Himmelmann
 
Thats interesting, are the internals much different from the Ruger? And could you give the timeline of makes and models? Also any other history of its conception would be great.
 
I had an Abilene years ago. It was beautifully finished and the workmanship was very good overall.

When I bought mine (used but like new, shot very little) I disassembled it for cleaning and inspection. One thing I did not like was tension on the hand was maintained by a flat spring that was "bowed". On the revolver I had, the center of the bow-spring that made contact with the hand was wearing noticeably.

I am going by memory over 25 years ago. I sold it.
 
Abilene/Seville Revolvers

I own both an Abilene 44, Riverhead model and a Seville Stainless 357 Maximum Stretch Frame. This might get long, but here goes.

As I understand it, US Arms started with 3 partners who, after only building a few prototypes, couldn't get along, and possibly had some legal entanglements with not only Bill Ruger, but with Colt. Rumour also has it they could not agree on what quality/price point they were aiming for.

The Abilene was a result of one partner, while the other two moved to Haupennaugua (Or however the hell you spell it), NY and spawned the Seville. They eventually split as well, and one stayed in NY, later to N.C., making the El Dorado Arms revolvers. The other went to AZ and moved the plant a couple of times, between Tombstone, Bisbee and Tucson. There was a time when the Sevilles were made by another owner of the company in Idaho, but those are considered junk, mostly.

In the end, the original owners of United sporting arms in AZ bought the company back from the morons in Idaho, only to sell all the parts, molds and equipment back to one of the original US arms founders in N.C. This is how El Dorado was finally able to make stretch frame revolvers in 357 Max, 375 Supermag, etc. Even Prototypes in 445 super mag and 414 supermag before Dan Wesson even though of them.

Anyway, to make a long story short, which is FAR too late, the Abilene revolver was designed and built specifically to compete with the Ruger Blackhawk both in quality and price, whereas the Seville, was designed to be a far superior product, and was, to be honest.

Both share similarities with the Blackhawk and the original Colt SAA, and the Abilene I have outshoots all my Rugers, including my 357 Max SRM. The Seville is another story. It is nothing a thing of beauty and mechanical marvel. It was made from 17-4Ph Stainless, pre-dating Freedom Arms by some 6 years, and has a fit, finish and function that can only be duplicated by a custom shop and a large wallet. I have had many Freedon Arms owners in absolute awe when they shoot the thing.

I have not found yet, but will, an El Dorado revolver, and will likely buy it when I see it, but the United Sporting Arms Mantra was, "We're building what Ruger could, maybe, if he had a custom shop", and the El Dorado is considered by many as a Custom Seville.

The Abilene, Seville, and El Dorado Revolvers are all, indeed, rare. And all special and far better than a Ruger. The Abilenes were made in 357, 44, and rumour says 45 Colt, but I've never seen one. Sevilles and El Dorado's (Laredo's) were made in 357, 44, 45, 357 Max, 375 Max, 454 Mag(Casull), and 22. Abilene's were never made in Stainless though, and the use of 17-4pH stainless in the Seville/El Dorado is incomprehensible at the time they did just that.

hope this helps you guys out

Ray
 
abilene

Hi Ray,

Very nice. Did you read Lee Martin's article? www.singleactions.com.
My dad was one of the original partners and he left Riverhead with Forrest to Hauppauge. Then my dad started a assembly operation in Tombstone, where he could blue guns without the headaches he had in New York. The plan was for Forrest to move to AZ but his wife did not want to leave Northport Long Island. I used to mow his grass on Saturdays. His wife paid me $5 and all the Iced Tea I could drink. Once in Tombstone dad realized it was way to small chooseing to me south to Bisbee. At that point El Dorado Arms started. Forrest picked up a new partner, Russel Woods. He used to make speakers in his basement for bands like Led Zepplin and other heavy metal bands. Dad then started making new molds with the move to Tucson. My mom got sick in 1983 and dad sold the company out of bancruptcy in 1984 to a group of PA investors. They in turn sold it to the Idaho people, who had no clue. Then as I understand it it went back to the people in PA and they sold it back to Forrest.

Where in AZ are you/ I live in Tucson now.

John Himmelmann
 
I'm in south Chandler. In fact, any further south, I'd be in Casa Grande. One of the reasons my g/f bought me the Seville, besides being NIB with everything, was it's stamped Tucson, Az. She thought that would excite me, which it did. Even better, Mine is one of those Stamped "Sporting Arms Inc", not "United Sporting Arms", placing it's manufacture between late 1979 and early 1982, I beleive.
My son is 11, near your son's age, and already quite a handgun shot, I'm hoping maybe he can take up the sport with one of these someday.

Ray
 
Seville

If you don't mind do you know waht she had to give? Where did she find a nib seville in Tucson? The Serial Number should be 357M-20xx?

John
 
Bought a 45/8 .44 back '81-'82 and I was impressed with the gun. I thought of it as a Super Blackhawk with a much nicer polish and blue...Essex
 
seville

I am explianing to my son the things his grandfather did for the industry. He seems impressed and the knowledge I can share with him is a wonderful thing. He tells me someday he wants to build guns with me like I did with my Dad(his grandfather).

John
 
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She got it from a Dealer in Washington state, actually, not in Az, through a, if I understand it, Gunsamerica.com listing. The serial number is 357M-2079, and it's not NIB any more, one of the first things I did was fire a box of ammo through it. And, unless she's lying to me, she paid $400 for it, plus shipping and transfer fees. THAT is a pretty sweet deal.

Ray
 
seville

That is a Great Price. A collector is cussing you right now though. A new in the box is worth 2-3 times that. I would pay up to $1000. Now you Have a great shooter. Plus I think that was the 78th gun made in the series based on serial number.

John Himmelmann
 
I'm sure a purist collector is cussing me about shooting it. But Honestly, that is what she was built for. I have a hard time understanding with guns, cars, etc why NIB is different than Excellent, shot or driven a little. At least the Excellent one you know works, with NIB, could very well be a 25 year old defect!.

Ray
 
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