KRBN-455WX

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Axehandle

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Gun is home... 5.5 inch Stainless Bisley 45C\45ACP convertible. RENE says KRBN-455X. This one has an extra "W" in number for KRBN-455WX. Won't have my hands on my reference material until morning. Low light and raining so this is as good as the pictures will get for now.
001.jpg

002.jpg

003.jpg
 

weaselmeatgravy

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Ah, the Bisley! In the other thread, I thought you were talking about the regular Blackhawk KBN-455X.

The Bisleys are a bit more common (over 1K made in the past 5-10 years, all 5.5" barrels) than the standard stainless Blackhawk convertible (77 made with the 5.5" barrel in the early 1990's).

I'm not sure, but in this case, the W may have been to distinguish these as being from Wilson Shooter's Supply rather than Acusport who did the original run(s). Ron Honnor would probably know the answer to that.
 

Axehandle

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I'm not a regular blackhawk kind of guy... Before these NM XR3s arrived my NMs were pretty much exclusively Bisleys... I try to keep Bisley grip frames on hand to convert any NM BHs that might show up...
 

Axehandle

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Looks like a common 5.5 Stainless Bisley convertible... PTL! Now I can proceed with OS basepin, Bowen rear sight, patridge front. free spin pawl, and some custom grips! Might just get John G to sweeten the action a little bit... :D
 

45Colt_Man

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I believe the W is to signify Bisley. My Acusport single cylinder is KRBN-455W. The current blue models are RB-44W and RB-45W for the .44mag and .45Colt

Dana
 

weaselmeatgravy

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The W on the blue guns means rollmarked cylinder (don't ask me why, I don't know).

The RB signifies Ruger Bisley.

Your RB-44W and RB-45W would simply be RB-44 or RB-45 if they were the scarcer models with the fluted cylinders.

I guess the W means rollmarked on these stainless guns as well, I just thought that since one cylinder is fluted that maybe the Acusport models may not have used the W.

The X means convertible.
 

chet15

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The "W" in the Bisley designation is the abbreviation for "With" Engraved cylinder.
This is how one distinguished the earliest RB45W models for example from the standard RB45 which was fluted.
Chet15
 

Axehandle

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Makes the label on the box a key player huh? Can the records people at Ruger provide the level of info that is displayed on the box label?
 

weaselmeatgravy

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The full catalog number on the label should match what Records has on file for each serial number. There are fewer exceptions to this now than in the old days. However, the info on the label still doesn't always match the gun...

GS32-159-75030_WA-POLICE.jpg

2009-shipped stainless Speed Six (GS-32) with blue Security Six (RDA-32) catalog number
 

weaselmeatgravy

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xtpshooter said:
It comes with the engraved 45 colt cylinder and the fluted 45 acp cylinder

Yeah, we know this one does. I'm just having some fun with chet15 debating (tongue in cheek) the genesis of the "W" from back in 1986 when the Bisley models first came out. Those guns were all blue and all single cylinder but were available as either fluted cylinder models or roll-engraved non-fluted cylinders and for some reason, Ruger chose a "W" to designate the roll-engraved cylinder type.

Original fluted Blackhawk models were RB35, RB41, RB44, RB45 and the original roll-engraved models were RB35W, RB41W, RB44W, RB45W. All of the original Blue Blackhawks had 7.5" barrels and adjustable sights.

The .22 Single Sixes had 6.5" barrels and both fixed and adjustable sights, making for 4 models with fluted and roll-engraved cylinders. RB22, RB22A, RB22W, and RB22AW. The "A" meant Adjustable sights.

Pretty much the same story for the .32 H&R Mag Single Sixes, RB32, RB32A, RB32W, and RB32AW. These were also 6.5" barrel guns.

Later came the Bisley Vaqueros, the rare adjustable sight stainless Shootist Bisley Single Six, the Davidson's fixed sight stainless Bisley Single Six, and finally Acusport started making 5.5" stainless Bisley Blackhawks, their first was a single cylinder .45 Colt, followed by a .44 Mag, then the convertible .45's in several production runs, and the .357 with the black micarta grips. And now there are New Vaquero Bisley models and NM flattop Bisley Blackhawks.
 

T.A. WORKMAN

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weaselmeatgravy said:
The full catalog number on the label should match what Records has on file for each serial number. There are fewer exceptions to this now than in the old days. However, the info on the label still doesn't always match the gun...

GS32-159-75030_WA-POLICE.jpg

2009-shipped stainless Speed Six (GS-32) with blue Security Six (RDA-32) catalog number

Bob,
Thats a good example of the old saying, "What you see is not always what you get"
Terry
 

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