Just for fun............

[Bob Wright]

Another thread about a Single Action being made in Virginia, and the sometimes confusion that exists.

In the late 'Sixties or so, Interarms began importing a very well made Single Action, the Virginian, a close copy for the Colt Single Action Army. These guns were made in Europe, I believe some were made by Armi Jager, but most I ever saw were made by Hammerli of Switzerland.

Shortly afterwards, Interarms began offering the Virginian Dragoon, and entirely different breed of horse. The Dragoons were made in Virginia, in Alexandria, I believe. The Virginian Dragoon was in no way a copy of the Colt, was bigger and more robust, and made in magnum chamberings, with both fixed and adjustable sighted models. It is this gun that contributes to the "made in Virginia" errata.

 

[jackmoser65]

In another twist, the Virginian .22 single actions were made by Uberti and imported by Interarms.

 

[buck460XVR]

I always like that show "The Virginian".


............just sayin'

 

[Bob Wright]

The first Virginian I ever saw was around 1970 or so, in a gun shop near where I worked. Didn't have the money at the time for a new gun so had to pass it up.

Somehow it just appealed to me, case hardened frame, blued barrel, cylinder and ejector assembly, and gleaming nickeled trigger guard and backstrap. The gun I examined lacked the Colt SAA flare at the butt on the backstrap, and the grips were light colored wood. But it just struck me in its appearance. And being made by Hammerli was no demerit, either.

Still like to find even now.

Bob Wright

 

[James K]

My wife used to work for Interarms* so I know a bit about the company. The information given here appears to be accurate:

http://www.singleactions.com/VADragoons.pdf

*The company was originally Interarmco, International Armament Corporation. But the anti-gun head of Armco steel filed a suit saying that people were associating his company with evil guns and that Interarmco was infringing on the "Armco" trademark. I forget if Armco won or there was a settlement, but in any case Interarmco changed its name to Interarms, the name by which most younger folks knew it.

Jim

 

[Doogle]

There's an interesting book about Interarms...>

"Deadly Business: Sam Cummings, Interarms, and the Arms Trade", by Patrick Brogan. I read it a couple of years back.

I remember the tail-end of the era with the Interarms ads appearing a fair bit in gun magazines.