Ruger 45 colt - 7.5" - 3 digit s/n and 3 cylinders -NRA

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b1buddy

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I just picked this up a few days ago and am trying to figure out potential history of it.

As the title says, it is s/n 45-000585. It has a 45 colt cylinder plus 45 ACP and 45 Win Mag cylinders. The ACP and Win mag cylinder ARE numbered to the gun.

It comes in a plastic case that is obviously not factory. The grips have a NRA emblem rather than a Ruger emblem.

Could it have been sent back to the factory for the cylinders to be fit? According to Ruger Records when I called it was not shipped as a convertible.

Here are a few pictures:

http://s726.photobucket.com/albums/ww264/b1buddy/Ruger%20BKH%2045Colt%20000585/
 

weaselmeatgravy

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Legit convertibles didn't start showing up until quite a ways into the 4-digit range, though there is evidence (early advertising) that suggests that Ruger always intended on offering the .45 as a convertible.

I have 45-00030 that was Stan Terhune's and it has an ACP cylinder but it also has a work order addressed directly to Bill Ruger Jr. to have an ACP cylinder fitted to the gun after the fact. Still, it letters as a plain BKH45.

I've not heard of any that will letter as having a factory .45 Win Mag cylinder, but that doesn't mean the cylinder wasn't factory-fitted on request.
 

b1buddy

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WMG, do you think there might be any records at Ruger that might verify if it was returned for fitting? when I called them, they just told me the standard stuff about ship date and configuration.
 

weaselmeatgravy

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The "Records" department you spoke with would not have that info, but if you call the main number and get the "Service" department, they have their own records that might show something. I have had mixed success getting info from Service, but have been able to verify a few things with them.
 
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I doubt if there are any "maintained records of special order" stuff at the factroy, yes, bet there is for the 'recall,safety retrofit stuff', so the "records" department will not give you this sort of info, mainly cause they dont' have it...we're fortunate we get the "free" info we are currently getting.....maybe if there was a 'historian' type of person, like Colt and Smith have used over the years ( I knew Marty Huber and still know Roy Jinks, and they did and Roy still does one HELL of a fine job, BUT this information takes time to research, let alone archive, and then give out, thus it is "costly"...again, we as Ruger collectors are pretty fortunate, yes, liked it better years back when the 'RCA" had the people, and the time to do this research for us, but again, this came with "membership" and costs...........
bottom line is the 3 digit gun you have was shipped as a single cylinder gun, and at some time was "customized" by who?? or when? only the original people doing the ordering as well as the service(job) would know
this info, and as often said, "if only these guns could talk, the stories they could tell...." and as ALL guns we have ever come across and seen, they ALL have a "story"..........proving it is another thing..............
this is called "Ruger lore......."
not a 'ballistician', but wonder just when the 45 Win Mag. was developed and came out, that would put somewhat of a time frame to that third cylinder...........
 

chet15

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Your #45-00585 was probably shipped about December 1970 or so. The .45 Win. Mag. cylinder for that gun was added to it sometime after your gun left the factory.

Here's some history on the .45 Win. Mag.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/45win_mag.htm

Chet15
 

flatgate

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I'll toss in my 2 cents worth. Of course, my compatriots have outlined the situation by providing great information.

Just another neat-o OM .45 that had some "non-Factory" additions....

flatgate
 

b1buddy

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Actually, it was on GunsAmerica. I looked at the other items the seller had for sale and noticed that he had a matched pair I recognized. So, I emailed him and turns out we are both Life Members of the Houston Gun collectors. We still do not know if we know each other, but we worked out a deal that we both liked.

A friend of mine was coming up to go sit at the local gunshow in Tyler with me and he is also a member of the HGCA. So, he dropped by, picked up the revolver, and brought it to me.

Right now, he does not know the history of the revolver, but I hope to pick his brain and see if I can track down some of the history of it.

I just thought it was neat!

Also, I forgot to mention. I had called Ruger Records before buying it, and they confirmed ship date of 12/1970.
 

SteelShooter

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When you spoke to the factory, did they indicate where/who the gun first shipped to?

Sounds like it may possibly be an employee gun that was fitted with the extra cylinders in production as a "special" request, which of course would not be documented. Betting some pretty amazing things were/get put together that can't be documented by records.

Be interesting to see who it initially shipped to...
 

b1buddy

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Steelshooter,
No they didn't even hint at where/who it went to. I have never had them tell more than they did, except once when they pulled the invoice records to tell me that there was not one as it was in the batch that were ruined.

Part of the intrigue, at least to me, of items like this is running down the history and that makes it more interesting for me.
 

flatgate

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I'll bet the Win. Mag. cylinder did not come from the Ruger Factory. Perhaps the gun was sent in, more than once, for an ACP cylinder then one was rechambered to Win. Mag.

The NRA grips came off of a special issue .44-40 Vaquero.

flatgate
 

weaselmeatgravy

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The factory will only tell you who it shipped to if you already know the answer. Seriously! They will confirm that it went to so-and-so if and only if you specifically ask if it went to so-and-so.

Flatgate, if we're thinking of the same NRA 44-40 Vaquero, those are not the same grips. The NRA 44-40 grips were not checkered and they had one regular Ruger medallion and one that simply said "NRA". I've got pics but they are not on-line at the moment.
 

flatgate

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weaselmeatgravy said:
Flatgate, if we're thinking of the same NRA 44-40 Vaquero, those are not the same grips. The NRA 44-40 grips were not checkered and they had one regular Ruger medallion and one that simply said "NRA".

Hmm, OK, so my memory is toast! :D

flatgate
 
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