John Taffin’s Custom Armi San Marco Model P .32-20 Single Action Revolver
SOLD FOR: $1,401.00
LSB#: LSB260521SS049
Make: Armi San Marco, Made for Cimarron
Model: Model P
Serial#: 1069
Year of Manufacture: Modern
Caliber: .32-20 W.C.F.
Action Type: Single-Action Revolver with a Side Gate loaded 6-Chamber Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “SINGLE ACTION ARMY .32-20”. The top of the barrel is marked “CIMARRON F.A. Co.-MODEL P” / “FRDRKBG. TEXAS-ASM-ITALY”. The bottom of the barrel is marked “CFA-FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS-ASM-ITALY”. The left side of the frame is marked “-PAT. SEPT. 19. 1871-” / “-PAT. JULY 2. 1872-“. The bottom of the frame and the left interior of the frontstrap are marked with “1069”. The front of the frame is marked “CAT. 5551”. The interior of the Colt grip panels are scribed with “07929”.
Barrel Length: 4 3/4″
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a quarter-moon blade with a flat top fixed at the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a ‘U’-notch milled into the topstrap and is visible when fully cocked.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The replacement grips are two-piece Colt checkered panels with a Rampant Colt in an oval at the top and Eagle & Shield motif at the bottom. There are very minor handling marks and scuffs. The checkering remains sharp. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued, Case-colored
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is minor copper fouling in the grooves. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: The revolver retains about 96% of its metal finish. There is minor thinning along the barrel. There are scattered handling scratches and compression dings. The screw heads have minor tooling with strong slots. The markings are clear and legible. Overall, the revolver is in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder lockup is tight at each chamber. There is a minor endshake. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: John Taffin Collection Certificate of Authenticity.
Our Assessment: Armi San Marco produced traditional Single Action Army-pattern revolvers in Italy for the American Western-arms market, including examples imported and marketed by Cimarron Firearms. The Model P closely follows the classic Colt pattern with fixed sights, a side loading gate, manual ejector, and traditional single-action lockwork, while the .32-20 W.C.F. chambering gives this example added appeal as a revolver chambered for one of the classic rifle-and-handgun cartridges of the Old West era. John Taffin is widely known for his extensive writing on sixguns, single-action revolvers, and traditional American cartridges, and documented provenance to his collection adds meaningful collector interest. This example has also been fitted with replacement Colt eagle-and-shield grip panels, giving it a distinctive customized appearance.
This Model P retains approximately 96% of its original blue and case-colored finish, with minor barrel thinning, scattered handling scratches, compression marks, and light screw-head tooling. The replacement Colt grips remain in Fine condition, while the bright 9/10 bore has sharp rifling with minor copper fouling and no visible erosion. The action functions correctly, the cylinder locks tightly at each chamber, and only minor endshake is present. The included John Taffin Collection Certificate of Authenticity provides desirable provenance connecting this .32-20 single-action revolver to a noted authority on traditional sixguns. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! -MY