Cas City Forum Hall & CAS-L
Special Interests - Groups & Societies => USFA CSS => Topic started by: treyw640 on August 12, 2022, 11:23:14 PM
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How’s everyone doing, I’m hoping to find some info on a pistol I inherited from my dad. It’s a US Firearms 7 1/2” China Camp .45LC. He’d bought or traded for it from McBride’s Guns years ago, and they didn’t have the original box that I know of. He was told that it had been finished by Turnbull, which I believe is correct. I was able to get in touch with Sara Turnbull who confirmed they did the color case hardening and bluing for USFA, but they don’t have digital records on a lot of their contract work.
It has a charcoal blue barrel, cylinder, and grip frame, color-case hardened frame and hammer. It also has nitre-blue accents on the frame. The one-piece grips are either stag or elk, but they look more like elk to me. We’ve had grips fitted on several pistols through Persinger in El Paso, but I can’t remember if he fit these or not. I believe he installed these since my dad always preferred the slimmer “1st Gen” grip profile on his SAA’s. The serial number is CC 2XX and is matching in all locations. The overall condition of the pistol is 98%. I’d really appreciate any info anyone may have about the history of these, value, or any other info. I’ve tried to attach a photo, but I’m not sure if the system will let me post as a new user.
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That's very odd. The CC's were left in the white and that one has the Pre-war finish.
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I suspect this is a custom gun, originally a China Camp that was sent to Turnbull for case hardening and bluing. Whether it was sent by the USFA factory as a custom order or sent by the customer after purchasing as an original China Camp I haven't a clue. That would be my guess.
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Whoever was responsible they turned it from being in the original China Camp finish (which was no finish at all) into a proper Colt patterned CC and blued single action revolver. And it today's inflated market I'd say it's worth quit a bit of money.
To me it would be worth even more as it belonged to your father and he left it to you. Priceless!
Dave
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Truth be told, it's exactly what I would've done with a China Camp, had a lucked into one at a reasonable price. Not sure what it does to value. Puts it in a gray area because it's not original but it is "better". To me, anyway.
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I don't think the "re-finish" would have much if any effect on the value of a USFA. I also agree with CraigC. Shipping the China Camp guns "in the white" just doesn't trip my trigger. I would have had a re-finish done also had I been gifted one.
Play Safe Out There
I do admit to a certain jaundiced opine about USFA values, but they are what they are.
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I didn't understand doing the "white finish" either. If they were cheaper, it'd be a good option for engraving or custom metalwork but I don't remember them being priced any different.