ACJonLine.com 1982 ArmsArms CollectorsCollectors Northeast Edition JournalJournalJournal Volume V, Number 4 ~ NEACA.com 15 March 2005 Single Copy $2.50 ROBINSON RIFLES By Mark B. Cross ing rifles. However, Robinson some type of working relation- was smart enough to realize ship with Robinson to manu- Until 1971, little or noth- the potential for his new rifle. facture the 1870 Model Rob- ing had ever been written ac- At this time in his life, he inson Rifle. curately, about one of the first had neither the funds nor the The new rifle was said to three repeating rifles ever facilities to manufacture his be similar, in some respects, to manufactured. The rifles in new rifle in Upper Jay. For this the Model 1866 Winchester question had been made more reason, he needed and found and the Henry Rifles. It had than a century before this. some financial backers and lo- an ornate trigger guard, which They were designed, patented cated a factory in the Platts- extended rearward, causing it and produced by Orvill M. burgh, New York area, one to be often mistaken for a le- Robinson. Occasionally, a gun capable of mass-producing his ver action. The frame was A collection of Winchester lever action rifles, viewed by publication would have a terse rifle. Mr. A. S. Babbitt owned made in brass or iron. many to be the most popular longarm collectable. entry about the “Adirondack the factory, and he agreed to (continued on page 3) Arms Company” rifles, and indeed some were referred to Winchester Collection, as the “Babbitt” rifles. The Both Sides of the Table ...Can you still afford to build one? Winchester Repeating Arms By Cathy Petronis big fat monkey wrench. By David Petronis my collection as an example Company museum had one of In 1965 we lost a baby, for you. Build your own with these rifles on display, and had I’m sure everyone has lived something I as a mother The short answer to the what you like and can afford it wrongfully labled as a gun through trying times, going thought I would never get over headline question is yes. Then to spend.” with a “lever” action. right back to when we all were but in 1966 we had a healthy you might ask, what kind, at Let me state the obvious Robinson was a young lad kids. You can probably re- son. As adults we are also what cost and how many? and then continue. If you have of 15 years, when he left his member dreading a test in faced with the grief of losing Not too long ago a friend the money you can build a native State of Vermont, dur- school, going on a first date, our parents, some of us much asked if I thought be could still knock out collection of the ing the Civil War, to work in or fortunate of being anxious earlier than others, but we still put together a nice collection best there is. Your purpose the Remington Arms Com- on whether your wedding manage to overcome even that of Winchester rifles similar to may be just to do it and have pany plant, in Illion, New would be perfect. sadness and can look forward my own. Could they still be it or to create an investment York. When the war ended, Over the years we seem to to brighter things including found at a reasonable price? or to preserve something for he returned to his home, mar- be able to handle things more happy memories. My short answer to him was, posterity. All good enough ried and migrated across Lake easily and then life throws in a (continued on page 2) “Perhaps.” And I further reasons, I guess. But probably Champlain to the Adirondack stated, “don’t simply look at (continued on page 2) Mountains of northern New York. He eventually settled in the small hamlet of Upper Jay, Inside this issue - Our New Internet Issue New York and opened a Antique Firearms Information ...... page 2 By David Petronis copy, pictures, artwork and simple shop where he worked advertising, in house. Cathy, as a “wheelwright.” Political News and Views ............... page 7 On July 15, 1985, the our three wonderful helpers, With the equipment re- Show and Event Calendar ............. page 8 North-East Arms Collector our kids Denise, David and quired to run a successful op- and Journal was born with Scott and myself accomplished eration as a wheelwright, he Reenactment News ....................... page 10 myself and wife Cathy, my all but the actual printing. also was equipped to do other daughter Denise and friend Every month for five years, types of work with metal and Tail of the Dragon ...page 12 Don Fangboner at the concep- then sporadically then we wood. In 1870, he was tion. By our fourth issue, the ceased in 1992. We just be- granted a patent on a new Arms Collectors Journal PO Box 385 ; 38 N. Main Street banner heading and name was came too exhausted and the “Breech Loading Repeating Mechanicville, New York 12118 changed to Arms Collectors kids had other lives to live. Rifle.” During this period 518-664-9743 Journal. We wrote, or man- And it’s hard to get help from there was a heavy demand for Mail To: aged to coax others into writ- kids you don’t pay! dependable firearms. Hunters, ing, the articles and prose. We We have missed the Jour- settlers traveling west and the typeset, developed film, reset nal, but not the tremendous military all needed good guns. and proofed the whole Jour- effort of its publication. On But the Spencer Rifle, fol- nal in house. We laid out, cor- deadline day, I was a terror! lowed by the Henry, had about rected and inserted the entire (continued on page 4) cornered the market on repeat- “NRA Hunters Drink Beer, Don’t Vote & Lie To Their Wives,” ...The Saga Explained ... Page 7 PAGE 2 ARMS COLLECTORS JOURNAL 15 MARCH 2005 Both Sides (Continued from front page) by Journal Specialists In 1998 the monkey Questions about pre-1898 firearms for our specialists come wrench was a tornado that hit by mail and our NEACA.com website. Information requests our house (but not our home) about value must be accompanied by a $10.00 check and SASE. and after we got over the grieving, we focused on the re- Fully describe all marks and stampings on your firearm, also building. barrel length and condition. Basic information and value On September 11th, 2001 will be sent to you. Address check to Arms Collectors Jounal everything else we faced in life and mail to PO Box 385, Mechanicville, NY 12118 became pale and meaningless Q. A collector friend says his Smith & Wesson No. One in the grand scope of things. .22 caliber revolver is the first ever to use a metal cartridge For a week straight we did and is the forerunner of modern day revolvers. Was this not want to move from in front the first ever to use cartridges? of our televisions for fear we would miss a very important A. The Smith & Wesson Number One (First Issue) .22 caliber piece of news. We prayed revolver was the first revolver patented in the United States as along with everyone in the using a self-contained metal cartridge. (The ad shown here is country and across the world a page from an 1864 arms catalog. The gun at top is a .32 rim that there would be many sur- fire No. 2 model; the one below is the smaller .22 caliber No. vivors pulled from the rubble One.) This patent gave S & W exclusive right to produce but that was not to be. So such a revolver for many years, but at least one other revolver many children without parents, had been produced earlier that can claim the distinction of Q. The .32 rim fire revolver that is in my collection, looks so many families losing loved being the first to use a complete metal cartridge. That pistol just like a Smith & Wesson but is marked “L. W. Pond – ones, so many fine innocent was built by Eugene LeFaucheux of Paris, France. His father, Worcester, Mass.” It also has an 1860 patent date. Is this lives lost. Casimir, had produced metal pin-fire cartridges as early as a standard Smith & Wesson with a gun dealers name Buildings can be rebuilt, 1851. Eugene’s revolver was being used by the French Navy stamped on it? Americans are rebuilding their in 1853. The S & W No. 1 was not produced in America until patriotism and somehow all 1857. So it was the first successful cartridge revolver in A. Lucius W. Pond was a manufacturer of rim fire revolvers at those effected families will re- America, not in the world. It is unfortunate, but as in your the same time that Smith & Wesson was producing their famous build their lives. friend’s case, few collectors recognize the significance and im- pistols. His revolvers look very much like the S & W but are On Sunday, October 7th our portance of the work of Eugene LeFaucheux. Jack Mullen somewhat different. Unfortunately for Mr. Pond, his revolver President gave an order for infringed on the patent of the Smith and Wesson Company and attacks against our enemy and Q. The lock on my half-stocked percussion hunting rifle by court decision he was forced to give up their manufacture one of the countries harboring is marked “J. Smith, Newburgh.” I’ve never tried to find and turn over all of the pistols at his factory to S & W.