FIE black powder pistol

P

paintergirl0001

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My husband and I got our first black powder pistol FIE made in Italy patent n L4182 is all the info on the gun. Does anyone know any history or where I can search the serial number?
 
FIE is not the maker that stands for Firearms Import Export. There should be other markings on the gun that will indicate the maker also there will be a square box on the frame with two letters in it. Those are the proof codes and will indicate the date of manufacture.
 
FIE's imports are often found to not have the usual Italian maker's marks or proof date marks. I think it will be unusual if her gun has them.

The patent number is a reproduction of Colt's original patent marking, so it provides no information as to the gun's heredity.
 
Yes, I think that we've been down this path with FIE-marked guns - somebody was trying to track down manufacturers a while back and I believe that we discovered that there wasn't much information to be found.

Try a search on FIE and you should be able to come up with a thread or two on the subject.
 
Hmmm! You learn something new every day. I wasn't aware of the lack of markings on FIE products. Makes me wonder if they are a case of having parts manufactured in Italy and shipped here for assembly that would explain the lack of proof marks and makers marks. I can't imagine an Italian gunmaking firm exporting complete firearms without proofing. The European countries seem to be pretty serious about those laws.
What do you guys think? Any speculation.
 
M1860_Colt_Army.jpg


Look under the lever beneath the barrel. If it's a black powder revolver.
 
hi all
As you may remember, we did posted some thread about FIE and there are some info to read on the search board of the forum...
I remember that FIE is an old Importer of Italians replica manufacturer (but i don't know who is it or are they - I guess they are less 3 or 4) around 1970 to 1975 and provide some Colt model (1848, 1851) & Texas Remignton at this periode, specially for the U.S market consumer. Sometime, marks are not completly engraved on the revolver, but always the Italian proof are stamped. There are few models with barrel provided by specialist as Orion.
Many FIE revolver are stamped PR, and that may be mean : "Assuming that the marks are Italian, my guess is that PR may represent either "PATRO di Palama Roberto - Verdello 1976" or "Pierino Ruschetta" " or also a code to import gun with approuved test.
The FIE revolver are cheap and i guess these are not a realy fine replica as Uberti, Pietta, Euroarms, ASM, or Palmetto.
FIE was buy by EIG in early 1980 and become TITAN and didn't keep the C&B market, to provide only modern semi auto pistol.

Seb
 
Here are some photos

These photos completely agree with Sebou's comments.

FIEButt.jpg


FIERight.jpg


This is an 1851 Navy pattern in .44 cal brass frame. I have shot this pistol but not very much. I bought it at a gun show not working. It needed a trigger/bolt spring. A spring from DGW worked.
 
Denster: Just a clarification: I did not mean to imply that FIE guns did not have Italian proof house marks. It's the proof date code that is often, but not always, missing.

FIE was based in Florida and was only an importer. They specified no manufacturer's marks on the guns, a practice that was often followed by EMF in California and still is by other importers for special orders.
 
AND.....

Mykeal,

The only FIE that I own does not appear to have any serial numbers

They would have to be marked internally as I am able to see no SN on the pistol. Does this comport with your experience?
 
Doc, Yes it does, but frankly I wouldn't be surprised at any markings, or lack of markings, on any gun with the FIE brand. There doesn't seem to be any real 'rule' one can count on, except perhaps the lack of a manufacturer's logo.
 
Mykeal

I know that FIE does not have a great reputation for quality but the one I have is really not all that bad. Finish is pretty good. Action inspires confidense. Parts fit together. I thought that I had shot this thing a coupla times but now I can't say for sure. I know I have never had it apart which says to me that I have never shot it. Most of the time, if I shoot something I take it down to parade rest to clean it.

So I don't know how it shoots. Is the FIE negative reputation supported by you observations?
 
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I have a brass framed Remington Navy with PR and FIE on the butt, along with the serial number 591 and a large G just above it and to the right. It also has made in Italy on the butt. It has the standard Italian proof marks and date code (AD). It has black powder only on one of the lower barrel flats but is stamped upside down. The gun is a good shooter but the hammer comes down solid on the nipples, enough that the hammer isn't fully down. The hammer also wont engage the safety notches(too wide). The rear sight groove is really wide and deep. I would post pics but my desktop died and my laptop isn't fast enough on dialup to upload pics.
 
I have a baby dragoon with the same FIE marks as on the butt in the picture above. Crappiest replica I have. All kinds of cosmetic birth defects. Shoots good though !!
 
Doc, The 3 FIE guns I've handled (I don't personally own one) were all used and not fine examples of the gunmaker's art. I'd say they were decent working guns, not barbecue guns. Very hard to say if they were originally nice guns that had been used hard or poor quality that had seen limited use, so I don't really have an opinion about the quality of the marque.
 
Mykeal

Tnx,

Mine is not great original quality but it is used very little.

I am going to examine it more closely but I would not characterise it the way that noelf presents his. I agree that I would not go out and look for another FIE so in that was it is at the very low end of my own pistols.

Nor does mine have the two hammer problems that Hawg mentioned.

Maybe if I would shoot it I would feel differently.
 
I've seen other FIEs that were much better finished than mine. I'm not trying to present them all as poorly finished. I had a problem with the wedge and the arbor a year or two ago, but managed to get that worked out. Even so, I still like it and have had it for 32 years (my first BP revolver). Popped rabbits with it when I was teenager.
 
noelf

Yes, I think our feelings on the issue are essentially the same. What I can say about mine is that it hasn't embarrassed me yet.;)
 
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