The Black Powder Revolver Collecting Forum

The Belgian factory made 3 different styles of factory engraved models of the good ole Centaure: de Luxe style which is high gloss polish/white finish and colt style engraving, available for the 8" barrel Regular New Model Army (RNMA) and 5,5" barrel Marshal, oiled grips with Centaure emblem; next grade is Super de Luxe which is high gloss polish/blue finish and deep cut colt style engraving with 2 silver inlaid rings around the muzzle area and the cylinder, only known from RNMAs; top grade was Presentation which is high gloss polish/traditional blue/case colors, deep cut colt style engraving with gold inlays, ivory grips, only known from RNMAs.
For details and pics go to www.1960nma.org click on page ENGRAVED AND OTHER EXOTIC PISTOLS.
Yes, these factory engraved variants demand premium prices.
Long Johns Wolf

Thanks to our good friend Jim Davis from RPRCA we now know that the Spanish EN Santa Barbara Remington NMAs were made between 1971 and 1977. Probably less than a total of 10,000 units made. Their steel is said to be harder steel than the alloy used in the making of Italian replicas.
Quality can be above to on par with highend Italian Remmies.
Their grips are fatter than the Italian Remmies. Hence shooters with larger hands can grip them more comfortably.
The specimens I looked over recently had 3 features interesting for shooters:
# The relation of chamber mouth diameters to the rifling groove diameter is not historically correct because the Spaniards developed the Santa Barbaras as sport revolvers and adjusted them for maximum accuracy. This is in contrast to the Italian C&B revolver replicas.
# They have shallow rifling which in combination to their proper sized chamber dias means less gas leakage for maximum energy transfer.
# The front sights are dovetailed on the barrel
So, if you are considering your purchase to be a shooter it would be worth paying a premium for it.
Long Johns Wolf

tljack: the only one I have seen did not have much of the finish left. Saw it last year at a gun show. It looked like it was carried a lot but not fired much. I am led to believe that Haas made these Walkers that way. I do not recall what kind of marking that Walker had but I might be able to find out if that is of interest of you pards here.
What kind finish does yours have?
Long Johns Wolf

Jim Davis & campfire: over at www.thefiringline.com click WTS/WTT & check "Unfired Replica Arms 1860 with w/box". S/N is A2613...which should be one of these early Uberti Armies.
Long Johns Wolf

We plan to add a new page to the Centaure/FROCS website www.1960nma.org on “CENTENNIAL” marked Italian manufactured percussion revolvers. These Italian replicas were sold by Centennial Arms Corporation in the USA from ca. 1961 to at least 1975 in addition to their Belgium made Centaures.
Marks currently known on such percussion revolvers are
CENTENNIAL TRADE MARK
CENTENNIAL ARMS, CHICAGO ILL.
If you have an ITALIAN C&B revolver replica with a mark including "CENTENNIAL" please let me know. I'd appreciate to receive the following information per email at wolf@1960nma.org :
# picture of the revolver from the right and left side
# picture of the CENTENNIAL mark
# serial number
# name of the manufacture
# picture of the Italian proof mark/year of manufacture.
Thanks for your help.
Long Johns Wolf

My CAS-load for revolvers and rifles: .429/.430 dia 16 BH bullets 200 gr over 3,7 gr Kemira 310.
Long Johns Wolf

From my trip to Austria last months I brought this lady home. Originally she was a Regular New Model Army 1st variation, 3rd sub-variation. Conversion artist Karl Nedbal turned her into this .44 Colt cal. R2.
To honor him I placed her on the Austrian flag because this is the last piece of hardware the master made. He is retiring, unfortunately, at the age of 65. Which is sad for us over here in Europe.
Long Johns Wolf