Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	Firearms Import & Export More Info

About the Gun

This single-action cowboy revolver emerged in the late 1970s as part of a wave of imported single-action replicas flooding the U.S. market at the time. This model was particularly sourced from Hermann Weihrauch in West Germany under the Arminius trademark—a brand Weihrauch had been using for revolvers since the mid-1960s.

Production

US importation by FIE from the late 1970s to the1980s.

Market value

Retailing around $150 to $200 in the 1980s, the current market value in vary good condition ranges from $300 to $400.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	.44 Remington Magnum
Alias:	N/A
More Info

Analysis

The FIE Hombre often gets confused with Uberti's more recent Cattleman Hombre model (introduced around 2011), a common mix-up in online listings and casual discussions due to the shared "Hombre" name and similar budget SAA-replica positioning. The original FIE version was a straightforward German import from Weihrauch's Arminius line—utilitarian carbon steel construction with case-colored frames, basic bluing, and no modern safeties beyond traditional hammer notches—geared toward low-cost entry for plinking or early cowboy action in the 1980s market. In contrast, Uberti's Italian-made Hombre emphasizes refined fit and finish (matte non-glare surfaces, standard brass trigger guard/backstrap for that classic two-tone look), smoother factory action tuning, and added safety features like a retractable or floating firing pin for better drop resistance. While both deliver Old West aesthetics affordably, the German original prioritizes volume production and simplicity at the expense of refinement, whereas the Italian iteration offers noticeably better metallurgy, tighter tolerances, and enhanced reliability for sustained use, often commanding a higher secondary-market price today despite the name overlap. This distinction highlights the evolution of SAA clones from 1980s budget imports to modern recreational standards.