Cimarron Firearms is an American firearms importer that has been in operation since 1984. The company's field of specialty is reproduction firearms from the American Civil War to the end of the Old Westperiod. Founded by Mike Harvey in Houston, Texas, the company is now based in Fredericksburg, Texas.[1]

Cimarron produces firearms within the industry of western reproduction arms. The firearms are manufactured to their specifications by Uberti and Davide Pedersoli in Brescia, Italy. Uberti makes their revolvers, lever action rifles as well as the 1885 single shot falling block rifle, and shotguns. Pedersoli makes rolling block and falling block single shot rifles to their specifications. In 2011 Cimarron contracted Armscor to manufacture a pre-World War 2 pattern 1911 semiautomatic pistol to their specifications.[2]

History

The Cimarron Arms story actually begins with Leonard Frank Allen, who had started Replica Arms, in El Paso, Texas in 1962, with the first Colt 1847 Walker replica, made by Armi San Marco. In 1965 the company was sold and moved to Marietta, Ohio, with Ken Phelps as President. In 1973-74 Replica Arms was bought out by Val Forgett and Navy Arms. Meanwhile, in Santa Fe, Allen started Western Arms Corp.[3] in the early 70's. In 1980 he found himself the subject of a lawsuit brought on by the Olin Corporation (Winchester) for trade name infringement with the company name, Western Arms Corp. Olin Corporation owned Winchester Western ammunition, so Leonard Allen was forced to dissolve Western Arms Corp and two separate companies were then formed, Allen Firearms Company and Western Gun Stores, Inc. It's the Western Arms Corp and Western Gun Stores, Inc. that is sometimes confused with Westerner's Arms. Westerner's Arms was a European private label used for weapons distributed in the US, France, Germany and Belgium for Uberti, under the Westerner's Arms stamp. [4]

Meanwhile, what is now known as Cimarron Firearms had started its formation in 1977 as a muzzle loading shop and sporting goods store in Houston, Texas, known as "Bigfoot". Mike Harvey, who owned the shop, ordered plans for a Hawken rifle from a museum and built his first replica from scratch. As the economy worsened due to the early 1980s oil depression in Texas, Harvey sought to diversify his stock by selling replica old-west firearms. Around 1984, he entered into a joint venture with Allen Fire Arms importing Uberti revolvers from Italy. Allen Firearms Company eventually went out of business in 1987, and Old-West Gun Co., now Cimarron F.A. in Fredericksburg, TX, bought the remaining inventory of Allen Firearms. [4]

Dissatisfied with quality, as the guns were larger than the historical pieces upon which they were based and were covered with numerous proof marks that detracted from their appearance, Harvey contacted Uberti and sent specific instructions regarding the forging of revolver frames, metal polishing and case hardening. He followed this up by sending antique firearms from the time periods he wanted, and had Uberti build those firearms to his specifications. Finally he had the proof marks relocated to less conspicuous areas of the firearms in keeping with Italian law and enhancing their appearance.[4][5]

Cimarron was the first firearms company to offer antique finishes on modern made firearms, such as charcoal-bone case hardening.[3][5] Some finishes are applied in Europe prior to import, and some are applied to bare frames and barrels upon arriving in the US.[3] Firearms author John Taffinhas credited Cimarron Arms and its competitor Navy Arms as being instrumental in restoring realism to replica period firearms.[5][6]

Another finish pioneered by the company was that of antiquated metal with engraving. This gives the appearance of a time-worn antique in a new firearm. The engraving on these revolvers matches the time period in which they were made. Percussion revolvers, for example, feature what is known as the New York or Louis Daniel Nimschke style of engraving from the 1850s, while the Cimarron Model P revolvers are decorated in the later style of Colt's engraver Cuno Helfricht.[7]

The company maintains a retail shop that specializes in period clothing, accessories and Cimarron firearms known as Texas Jack's Wild West Outfitters, named for Texas Jack Omohundro, as Harvey owns several of his firearms. The shop caters primarily to the film industry and Old West re-enactors.[8]

References:

1. Shideler, Dan (August 20, 2010). Guns Illustrated 2011: The Latest Guns, Specs & Prices. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media, Inc. pp. 53–54. ISBN 1-4402-1624-X.
2. Chicoine, David (2005). Antique Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: The Comprehensive Guide to Pistols, Rifles & Shotguns. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. p. 43. ISBN 0-87349-767-8.

3.  There was a Western Arms Company that sold cap-lock revolvers in New York City during the American Civil War, and also a Western Arms and Cartridge Company based in Chicago that was purchased by Winchester after World War II and a Western Arms Corp. of Los Angeles. Neither of these companies are related in any way to the Western Arms Corporation of Santa Fe, NM.
4. Smith, James (2003). "Development of the Replica: Cimarron Firearms Company". Shoot Magazine. 23 (4).
5. Taffin, John (October 12, 2005). Single Action Sixguns. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. pp. 191–193. ISBN 0-87349-953-0.
6. Chicoine, David (May 25, 2005). Guns of the New West: A Close Up Look at Modern Replica Firearms. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. pp. 155–159". ISBN 1-4402-2446-3.
7. Taffin, John (2012). "Cimarron Model 1886 .45-70 Gov't". Guns.
8. Spangenberger, Phil (2013). "Timeworn Beauties". True West Magazine: 72.