Early ASM guns (SAA's and percussion) were very good. The way I heard it, the factory moved from the Italian valley where all the manufacturers are. A lot of the workers, long-time gun builders, did not want to move, so ASM had to hire new people. That's when they started making the conversions and Schofields, and later became Chaparral.
That buyback seems like yesterday but it was 1997 - had the Dakota a couple years before they took it - plus a year in transit - made 1994? maybe earlier .. the capgun is way older - I would guess 1970's make