Mike...Thank you so much for this informative video. I purchased my first 2 cap and ball revolvers within the last 2 months (1860 Colt Army by CVA and an 1847 Colt Walker by Uberti). Just so you know, 99.5% of my knowledge regarding cap and ball pistols has come from your videos. I'm a retired cop/pistol team competitor/firearms instructor. Your videos are great buddy. Thank you. You've helped make shooting fun for me again! Please stay healthy, and keep teaching!

Years later but still important! I needed this info today and really appreciate the complete explanation. Thank you, Mike.

Thank you very much for this super-useful video. It answered every question I had regarding proper ID of these pistols. A great service to us cap n' ball 6-gun enthusiasts.

Man I'm glad you posted this video! Now I can date my pistols! Always learning something new.Thanks Mike!!!!!

Thanks for the great information! Now I know that my old Remington style revolver I picked up some time back is an Armi San Paolo made in 1986.

I just got my first percussion revolver a couple weeks ago. I bought an old Euroarms Navy Colt off canadiangunnutz and, thanks to you Mike, I now know that it is XX9 vintage! 1973... Not old like an original, but pretty vintage for a repro!

You just answered questions I've had since the mid 1970's , great video.

This video helped me so much!! needed to get arm and spring for black powder revolver but could not figure out who the manufacturer was. With your info I figured out the date and manufacturer, just ordered the part I needed. Thank you!!

This is great. I just posted on my Yahoo Groups, The Percussion Revolver and Int'l Black Powder Handgun Hunters, that I had no idea what the "BN" number meant! Thanks Mike!!!!

Hi Mike, thanks for video. This is what I've googled for newer date codes: CH - 2011 CI - 2012. It's interesting to know the year of manufacture of my babies; I did't know what framed letters stood for as we use year's last two digits to mark year of manufacture. It's extremely important for any shooter in CZ to know how correct proof marks look like. It's illegal in our country to shoot any firearm without a valid proofmark. Exact list of non-CZ (mostly European) proof marks is accepted.

Thanks Mike. All good stuff., as always.

Excellent video Mike. Thanks

What an incredibly helpful video! Thank you! I was trying to figure out my revolver, and this did the trick.

Nice video, thanks! I have a Colt 1848 pocket revolver. I see the two proof house stamps you showed in the video along with an XX9 stamp on the frame. The two proof house stamps, all gun and black powder are on the right Side of barrel and on cylinder. No engraved design on cylinder just plain. Underside of barrel on a flat is black powder only. Bottom of grip frame has what looks like FIE maybe over stamped on EIG along with Italy stamped twice just off center over each other. There is also possibly two Capitol letters stamped over each other but off just a little, might be any combination of P,B,G or R.

this was immensely helpful to me. thank you!

great informative video having just bought a blank powder revolver today at a gun show found that it's a replica navy revolver made by fie in 1971 thanks for the info

Good morning Mike. I've probably told you I appreciate the work you did on this video, but if not, I'm grateful for what you did here. I refer back to this video at least once or twice a month. **********QUESTION************* Do you know of a resource for newer date codes yet? I'm looking at some newer Piettas, and I don't find the date codes on your chart here. Specifically today, I see a boxed CP on a Pietta 1858 Remmy Navy. My Googleing hasn't turned over any of the appropriate stones yet. Thank you again for the time you put into the business of helping us enjoy all of our firearms habits bud. I sincerely wish you were close enough to hang out with. Have a great day!

Positively freakin' interesting. Man, you're a goldmine of black powder information. Looking on my Pietta I found the AM code. I thought I purchased this gun in 1982. However, the AM indicates a 1984 manufacture. Musta been in 1984. Oops! My bad. My guns marks are just ahead of the trigger guard screw along with the serial number. On the barrel under the loading lever is stamped SM- Black powder only MADE IN ITALY. I have the 1851 confederate navy in .44 from Gander Mountain. Well done sir.

Thanks Mike. I found out that my Pietta 1858 new army is really a Armi San Paolo. Made in 1974 XXX. I bought it in a shop in Old Sacramento. The guy gave me the Pietta box that supposedly went with it. But based on the gun marks its all wrong. Also says Lyman on top of barrel. I was pleasantly surprised.

Thanks again for that informative video, very helpful.

How Odd! I have a Pietta Remington with a stamp of CI - from the chart that reads as 2013. Funny thing is I bought the revolver a year ago. Very helpful video. I had bought a used Uberti 1860 and was curious how old it was. Turns out its from the mid 70s.

So my grandfather gave me a .31 5 shot revolver. It has the caliber and that it was made in Italy. It has the Gardone proof, 1st bp mark and xxv, so 1969? However there are no other markings on it, so I have no idea who made it. I was also wondering, if it has the Ranger and Indian scene on the cylinder, does that mean that it is a Baby Dragoon? It has a loading lever and a 5 3/4" barrel.

I just picked up an 1860 army made by ASM/CVA. It has no date code or proof marks at all just a serial number, CVA stamp on the frame and Armi San Marco on top of the barrel. And the gun is in the white with a brass trigger guard. Thanks for the videos Mike

Great video. I was hoping you would cover the Walker by ASM. I have one and I can't find any proof marks or date code on it anywhere.

Funny this would show up... now... mid May 2021. I now know some birthdays for my revolvers. The Pietta .44, 1860, is from 2009, The New Army .36 cal., Euroarms, is from 1972. The 1851 Navy, EIG, is from 1964! It's just fun to know how old they are. Thank you. cool info!

Amazing thanks Mike.

Mike, I have an older 1858 New Army that I do not know much about. It has the standard '51 and newer proof marks, but I don't know about the manufacturer mark. It has a PR stamped over each other on the bottom of the butt with Italy behind that. Under the grips in the casting it has RE. It has an AF date code. The shop thought FIE, but they're just the importer. Another feature it has is chamfered cylinders like the Armi San Paolo you showed last.

Wonderful and helpful video. Mines a Remington clone with GDG. Thanks Mike.

Thanks, Mike, after 8 years I finally found out that my 1847 Walker is an Armi San Marco. I always suspected that it was.

For cartridges they use 30% over factory pressures. I don't know for sure what the B-P proof standard is for cap and ball.

Thanks Mike, super videos and a whole lot of information and help. It does say 1843, need new glasses.

Hi Mike, thanks for the very useful video. What does a proof house do to a BP revolver before they can proof stamp the revolver? Regards, Richard

ok thank you very infotmational much appreciated.... however i receintly purchased a brass framed .44 revolver... has the proof house marks and the xxx (according to your chart it was manufactured in 1974) the markings on the barrel are(left side) nothing (right side) cal .44 navy model-made in italy under the ram handle on the barrel COM is stamped (boxed in) the other odd thing is on the trigger guard and the barrel assembly it is stamped with 1585 is this a serial # and how do i know what it is supposed to be a copy of ??? sorry for the cross country walk to get to those questions... can you tell me who makes it? how do you know what they are copying ie; 1861 1858??? im lost on this also.

ok i first watched this vid on my phone and could hardly see the part were you showed the dates,rewatching it on my computer i see xxvi is 1970.Thanks Mike for a very informative video.

Hello Mike and everyone else. I just bought an old Italian Gardone & Brescia Colt 1860 Army. I used this video you put up to help identify the markings. It's chambered in .44 Caliber. It was made in 1984 judging form the markings I used in your video. My question is I would like to upgrade the nipples on the gun. They are pretty worn and it's a bit hard to put #10 Cap Remingtons on them. I tried putting on a Pietta 1851 Navy's nipple on the 1986 Army but the Pietta's nipple thread were a little too big. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you, Lee from Old South Firearms recommended you. he the one that mentioned that Cabelas might be a little problem

Great information ! do you know if this is the same for muskets, for example a Pedersoli Brown Bess ? Thanks !

I have a 1849 colt pocket revolver with the Dixie gun works written on the top barrel flat and it was made in 1977 according to your chart. However the only manufacturers cartouche I see is two horizontal diamonds that barley overlap. Does anyone know who might have made this?

My 44 Armi has a brass frame. No markings on the side. Markings are underneath in front of the trigger guard and under the loading lever on the barrel. In front of the trigger guard on the brass and directly in front are the markings you describe. Writing is A85333

my 1851 navy has the PN and and AL and also the 2 common marks you showed with the star in the circle and the proof house. but it does not have any manufacturer marks. no DP, AC , U, FAP or DGG. how do I know what it is?

Thanks Mike, I got curious and took them both apart but still no markings.CVA no longer offers the kit but it looks almost identical to the one that Lyman now offers. The Spanish gun had been engraved with the previous owner's name,SSN and driver's license on the bottom of the barrel but no proof markings. P.S.-I tried your alcohol swab patch idea the other day and it worked great and I think they're cheaper than some cloth patches.

Thanks this answered some of my questions. My new Model Army 1858 Rem type revolver made by DGG is virtually identical to my Uberti so did one make the other? On the top barrel flat has Euroarms Brescia made in Italy and DGG on the flat underneath.

I'm surprised, unless they were assembled from Spanish parts here in the U.S. by C.V.A....which is unlikely. Spain has had proof law similar to Italy's since at least 1927. And, like Italy, Spain is a member of the Permanent International Commission for Firearms Testing. Their national proof house is in Eibar. Its called Banco Oficial de Pruebas de Armas de Fuego de Eibar. They use markings very similar to the Italians. Usually they are on the bottom of the barrel, near the breech.

my gun does not have any names on it ,thanks to your video I found out by the cartouches I own a 1970 (xxvi). Uberti. love shooting this gun with paper cartridges.28 grains of Goex FFF. it shoots about six inches high and about 4 inches to the right, probably because of the stiff trigger pull . I'll have to work on that. thank you for this video. .

I have a Pietta from 1973. Thanks for the info.

according to this my remington is 87 and my colt 1851 is an 86. The remington has "black powder only cal .44" followed by a serial no. under the loading lever in the bottom of the barrel but no maker, any idea who made it?

Great video Mike just have a question. I have a 1851 Navy colt 36 cal. that was made in 1977. I see all the other proof marks but have no manufacturer stamp or logo. Have looked all over this pistol but all I have is COM stamped on the bottom side of the round barrel. Any ideas? Thanks

Mike, I'm new to the black powder scene and have a question for you. I just purchased a pre-owned Navy Arms 1858 Remington .44 3rd Model and it is stamped with Pietta proof marks on the barrel. Did Navy Arms fabricate the revolver frame and then have the barrel made for them by Pietta?

Great informative thanks so much

I have a .44 Navy I'm trying to identify. It's brass framed with an octagon barrel and came in a pretty nice wood box with balls, powder flask, a 2 hole mold for bullet and ball, and percussion caps. The tin of caps is labeled Navy Arms Co. 100 percussion caps no.1075. Date stamp is XX8, 1972. The only thing I can find that looks like a manufacturer's cartouche is on the bottom between the grips. Inside a circle is a symbol that looks like two smaller circles touching each other and a small rectangle extending down between them. Below that is MAV. If anyone can tell me who the manufacturer is and any additional info that would be great.

I just pick up an old cap and ball revolver today. I has a brass frame on it and there's no markings on the side or on the side of the barrel. Under barrel under the loading ram it has asm and made in Italy. In your video i found the proof marks under part of the frame and year 1985. I like to know what caliber and what style of colt it is.

They fire the gun with an over pressure load. I'm not sure of the exact procedures for cap and ball, but typically they use a load that is 30% more powerful than the standard load for that gun.

Hi Mike, I found a black powder cylinder 6 shot at an estate sale. There is a makers mark on the cylinder. I believe it to be the Gardone. it's worn but I believe it is. Is it common on the cylinder? I don't see the VT and don't believe it's the Brescia. thanks

I have a Hawes Firearms Co. 36 Caliber Navy Model made in Italy. It has 2 markings on frame and barrel, can't read the first one but the second one is a star in a circle with PN below it. Only other markings are XXVI and the numbers 24991 on the frame where it meets the grip on bottom.Any information would be appreciated. Thank you...

great video ,thank you

i got a black powder rifle with 1861 torino writen on it im trying to find out more about the rifle but is very hard to

great video, very informative. do you know where the year code is on uberti 1873 rifles? i can't find a year code on my new to me uberti 1873 sporting rifle.

AC= Chiappa/Armi sport found also on double barrel percussion pistols. Marked Corsair .44 or .36, .440 ball with. 010 patch and .350 ball with .010 patch. Not just found on Rifles.

excellent video. I am curious about navy arms markings????

My 1851 Navy has the proof marks and it has a BP (2001) not in a box. It has no logo so I have no idea who made it. It says E39302 on the frame under the trigger gaurd. What is it? I need to get a new hand and wedge for it but I don't know who made it.

Great video.

Great video. Thanks.

I have a Uberti BD 1994 pb . Trying to order parts . How do I tell if it's a Army, Navy ,or dragon 1,2,or 3 etc

Liked info on marks but I have a 1972 colt 1851 I got from a friend and it has no manufacturers marks on it. I can't find any information on it. Would you know much about these models?

Thanks Mike good video.

my brass frame 1851 has "PR FIE" or "R FIE" on it. any info on this brand?

So FAP is Pietta? Thats whats on the bottom of my barrel behind the ramrod handle. Other then that it has the rest of the proper markings but then is says Kassnar with a funny looking letter (B) in front of that? Or maybe something else in a box just before B KASSNAR at least it looks like the letter B ? lol anything you can tell me would be of great help? My grandfather left it to me and im finding it hard to figue out who made it and when which i found out today ,thanks! hehe Im considering ,getting a cartridge conversion cylinder for it? So the brand or gun marker would help as well for that? Thanks it was a very helpful and informative video!

i have a Navy Arms Co with no manufacturer markings, i am trying to figure outwho exactly made this gun

I am new to BP. I picked up an inexpensive 1858 Remington Revolver that is Stamped PR FIE. I believe this is the name of the importer but I can't find the manufacturer. I found all the other markings except that one.

Hey Mike. I have a CVA 44 cal and the barrel reads ASM black powder only 44cal made in Italy. The only other thing this gun has is 4 numbers in front of trigger guard that reads 5236. There are no other markings to indicate the year or any other info. Any idea on the age of the pistol?

Our club has an Italian made replica of a Remington New Model Army in .44 that was made in 1962 but with few markings other than proof marks and the script G.U. It is noticeably lighter than Uberti and Pietta models I have owned. The bluing is almost non existent. Any idea as to the manufacturer?

Hello, Is a F.A.R.A a Pietta? Also where do I find out the caliber? I was told that I have a remake of a Pietta 1851 Confederate Navy Black powder revolver. The XXI indicate that it was made in 1965. It also has the two proof marks. Black powder and all guns. The barrel is stamped made in Italy and F.A.R.A. It looks like it is smaller then a 44 cal. I am thinking .36. But I do not want to guess. Thanks Horst

I have two percussion single shot pistols that have no proof markings.One just says "Jukar Spain .45 BP only" and the other says "Conneticut Valley Arms .50 BP only",that I built from a kit. My 1860 Pietta and my Pedersoli flintlock rifle both have the markings just like you've shown though.

I just acquired an 1851 navy from an older gent who is giving up reenacting because of age. I couldn't I'd mfg. Using this video I found date 1978 proof marks. I found a mark under barrel near loading lever pivot. It's a circle but I can't make out markings in it. It is stamped on right of barrel bp only made in Italy. Cylinder is hardly scratched so I think he wore it for show. Any ideas who made it? As always great informative vid.

I have an 1851. I have been trying to find the manufacturer but can’t find any manufacturer markings. The year marking is AE which is 1979. For the model it says 1851 Old Model .44 Caliber Army Revolver. On the butt of the revolver it looks like it has a PR (the R is a little over the P) FIE Italy mark on it. Any help would be appreciated!

Hi Mike, I have a question. I just received an 1860 B/P revolver and have some questions. It's not blued nor is it chrome or stainless. It seems to be a dull nickle finish. Proof marks show it was made in 1970 by Uberti under the loading lever it has the number 311. By the wedge pin it has the caliber 44. On the top of the barrel it has the following, New Army Mod. 1860 cal 44.The trigger guard is the only brass. The back strap is steel. On the cylinder it has the proof marks and also the words" Engaged 15 May 1848. Could you please tell what I have. Thanks Ed

I have an 1858 Remington .44 made by Pietta. I'm trying to figure out who the distributor is. I want to order spare cylinders for it and I was told that if it's distributed by Cabela's the cylinders don't always fit. can you help me with this?

Hi, Great video. Thank you. What is the relation between Brescia and Pietta? Does a Brescia proof mark mean it's a Pietta? Thx.

Are there any exceptions to the year code? I ask because I have an 1851 Navy that I bought in 1972 or1973. However, it is showing AC in the year code box (next to the Gardone and BP proofs). According to the information on-line, this should represent 1977. Curious why there might be this discrepancy. Many thanks

On my uberti i have xxvi for the date would that be 2006?in your video you said the old guns used roman numerals also under the barrel it just has the number 142 no company name what would the 142 stand for?i believe the gun to be a 1860 army 44cal

Thanks Mike! I wonder if you (a year after posting this) can explain this: "Back in the day," the original High Standard company of 22RF fame, for some reason, issued a bunch of commemorative replicas of brass frame Confederate C&B revolvers. I have one: a .36 Griswold & Gunnison replica. (Fun shooting, and not bad accuracy). I understand that High Standard imported the barrels and cylinders from Uberti. (This is odd, as they were perfectly capable of making these parts in house). Anyhow, the rest of the gun (frame and everything) was supposedly made in house, by High Standard at their Connecticut facility. I've examined my G&G replica, and can find no proof marks anywhere. Can you explain this? (I also have a 2nd generation 1851 Navy, one of those sold thru Colt in the '70's. Also Italian made, also no proof marks.)

Mike thanks for the video , I think my gun is uberti acccording to your chart it has XXVI on the bottom of the reciever beside the Pn mark so i'm thinking this gun was manufactured in 1970 it has nothing on the bottom of the barrel.on the top of the barrel it says new army mod. 1860 .44cal. would you agree it was made in 1970. I noticed on the chart there is no PN mark.

Mike, I have a steel framed 1851, Navy 36 ca. Thanks to this video I now know it was made by Armi SanPaolo, 1n 1978. My question is can you still get parts for these? Mine refuses to index the cylinder because something is binding the hammer. I have deduced that the cam may be the culprit but I have no idea where I can find the cam or the complete. Would you, possibly have any info in that dept.?

Thanks now I know I bought a 1971 Pietta Model 1851 Navy.

I just inherited a pistol like these but it's not quite any of what you showed. It has some of them but it doesn't fit. It looks like maybe an escapee from Pre-Colt suit against AMI. Not sure.

Thanks for the very informative video. As a firearm collector your use of a carbide tipped scribe for a pointer was a bit unsettling...

Ahhh.....my Hege-Uberti 1861 Navy is made in 1975 (AA). Good to know.

Hi Mike, thanks for the info, but unfortunately I'm still in the dark about the manufacturer of the 1851 Navy I was given by my dad. It says 'Black Powder Only - Made in Italy' down the right side of the 'round' 36 caliber barrel. There are no proof marks on the 'brass frame', only a serial number: 04###, on the bottom front of the frame that matches the serial number directly in front of it on the bottom back of the barrel. On right side of the back barrel portion, there are two proofs, the PN proofmark and the Gardone proofmark. On the opposite side, the closest thing resembling a cartouche is a circle, with what appears to be 3 letters, but stamped sideways, with the bottom of the letters facing the muzzle. I can definitely make out two of the letters. There is a large capital 'F" at top center and in lower right a smaller capital 'B'. The letter in lower left also looks like a small capital 'B', but it is really hard to tell. There is no date code from what I can see. I completely disassembled the gun yesterday and didn't see any other marks. Any ideas? Thoughts?

This vid is now more than 10 years old and I haven't read through all comments below so perhaps others have brought this issue out previously. I recently acquired a nice 1861 Navy Colt made in 1968. Excellent condition. After a complete disassembly and inspection I can find no marks on this pistol other than the 2 Italian proof marks on frame, barrel and cylinder. There is absolutely no evidence of a makers stamp anywhere. Interestingly I can find identical assembly numbers on the frame, arbor, cylinder, barrel, back strap, trigger guard and wood grips. Any thoughts?

Hi Mike, I looked at the video on your advice, intriguing but my Colt 1849 is the real deal made in New York, number 83879 I hope you have information about the year in which this Colt was made, thanks Hans. Greetings from the Netherlands

We have a short barrel Navy that was made in 1978 (AD) with the proof markings on the right side of the frame and the barrel. The right flat land of the barrel says CAL.44 NAV MODEL - MADE IN ITALY. The left lower land says BLACK POWDER ONLY. We cannot find any of the mfg. markings you show in your video. The only other markings on the gun are the serial numbers on the bottom front of the frame and the adjacent part of the barrel and the letters C.O.M on the bottom of the barrel under the loading lever. Do you know who the mfg. is?

Mine says FIE on the barrel and bottom of backstrap it has PR

I have an ASM 1873... with no date stanps.. very frustrating.. it has CP next to 3 digits of serial on barrel... but CP makes no sense.. because ASM went out of business in 2000s. CP is like 2016.. so thst cant be 3ight.. No other stampings on the frame or barrel.. besides the 4 dogit serial.. and th3 colt patent etc

do you still make videos or answer questions about this video?

hello, good day I have a couple of questions about a gun my grandfather found, if he could help me know how old his gun is he would help me a lot if he likes he can send him photos.

Found most of one, with a hallmark x for 1954.

Excellence video

I inherited an 1851 Navy reproduction date stamped 1970 (XXVI) with no marking as to the maker. The only mark I can't identify is what appears to be a capital 'B' with a period behind it, and a trapezoid around it. I have searched the internet trying to determine the maker, but to no avail. Anyone have any clue?

One additional comment. It has the DGG (Armi San Paolo) mark on the bottom of the barrel.

Who made fie black powder revolvers