Correct Ruger Emblems for Old Model 45

I can't seem to find on my own so I will ask the experts........ 1971 3 screw 45 w/serial number 45-105xx. Is it supposed to have the Black or Silver Eagles? Is there a reference somewhere that I can use for other research? I have found web pages for the frames, etc. but not for the grips. Thanks!

http://www.gunblast.com/Hamm_Ruger-SA-GripFrames.htm

This site shows both grip frames and grip panels.

Your gun could have shipped with either the classic Old Model "Blackbirds" or the interim "Squashed Chicken" grips with the flattened silver eagles but the old style blue/black screw and escutcheons.

Thanks!!

Yes..the odds are it should have black eagles. But I have seen guns earlier than yours that were shipped later than they should have been that have silver eagles.
Chet15

It really depends on when in 1971 it shipped. Most I have seen have transitioned in the May, 1971 timeframe. Yours being a 45-10XXX gun means it probably shipped in the Sept/Oct 1971 timeframe so it is likely to be silver eagle medallion grips.

Just my $0.02

BB45C

Is there a way to find out when it shipped?

Yep. All you need to do is to call Ruger (603-863-3300), ask for Records. When one of the nice ladies there answers the phone, tell them that you would like to know the shipping details for your gun. Give them the serial number and they will tell you when it shipped (month/year) as well as the catalog number, from which you can determine if it shipped as a convertible or not, assuming you don't already know that.

Hope this helps,

BB45C

I will give them a call. Looks like that is the best way to be sure...

bigbore45colt said:

It really depends on when in 1971 it shipped. Most I have seen have transitioned in the May, 1971 timeframe. Yours being a 45-10XXX gun means it probably shipped in the Sept/Oct 1971 timeframe so it is likely to be silver eagle medallion grips.

Just my $0.02

BB45C

Click to expand...

Could very well be. Looking through my notes I show the highest reported .45 Blackhawks with black medallions as 45-12495, 45-14152 (mfg 1/72), 45-14850, 45-15260 (mfg 3/13/72), 45-15709, 45-16173, 45-17025 and 45-17249.
Whereas sn's 45-07915, 45-08722 (shp 8/71), 45-09588, 45-10936 and 45-13811 are reported as having silver medallions (as well as bunches of guns after this to the end of prodution.
So there is quite a transition range of several months where either/or could exist. But I too agree that mid-1971 is the approximate period when the silver eagle medallions started to appear.
Chet15

JMHO

Thjis is one of those areas that we will likely never be able to pin down for absolute sure. Chet15's numbers show that relatively "early" guns could have shipped with the "squashed chickens" and later guns with the "blackbirds". I know what was on my guns when I bought them, but they all came from gun shows and I have no way of knowing their actual histories.

Bob C would be talking about "screwdriver variations" right about now.

Keeps it interesting.

Again, JMHO.



PS I have a 30-prefix .357 (Nov '69) on which I have "blackbirds" and a 31-prefix gun (Jun '72) on which I have the "chickens". I'm relatively certain that's correct, but I certainly wouldn't SWEAR to it.

Yes...I agree we can call them screwdriver variations. But for the most part, a huge percentage (should we say 95% or higher?) of these guns remain as original as the day they left the factory. I base this on the ability of a regular individual who has an example who would have the ability to change a pair of grips...even if they wanted to, or had the ability to. And if they had access to other pairs of grips, would they have changed them?
I know...its a gray area, but I treat most of those in my notes as original.
Chet15

I understand that position. Very likely, "most" buyers keep their guns as originally shipped. There was a time, however, before I got into "Rugerdom", when I disliked the "silver" eagles and swapped in "blackbirds" on a few guns in the 1971 era. When I became aware of the distinction in the manufacturing histories, I had to go back and find some "chickens" for those guns. At this later date, I couldn't even tell you FOR SURE which ones this happened to.

Part of the education of a Rugerphile. RENE has made it easier, for which I (we) thank you.

:mrgreen:

well we sold MANY, MANY 'black eagle' pairs of grips over the years to any and all the guys ( gals) who wanted "black eagle grips on their OLD model guns", ,they always thought the others were "wrong" no matter how hard you tried to explain thats the way they were shipped...these folks were ( are) shooters, NOT collectors.........................

rugerguy said:

well we sold MANY, MANY 'black eagle' pairs of grips over the years to any and all the guys ( gals) who wanted "black eagle grips on their OLD model guns", ,they always thought the others were "wrong" no matter how hard you tried to explain thats the way they were shipped...these folks were ( are) shooters, NOT collectors.........................

Click to expand...

The vast majority however are correct. :wink:
Percentages.

I agree to a point, but if I for ONE, sold so many and there are how many others??? (FFLs as well as weekend gun show dealers, been selling guns for all these years across the country), the "percentages" will still have dropped off quite a bit, as I said, if so many folks around just here, ,in NE Ohio, have made the change ( swapped,bought,sold, whatever) hard to put a number of just "how many" are still "as they were"???? not a debate, just an observation on our part,,,just as the poster above is asking, the larger ,vast majority of gun owners of, in this case Rugers ,are NOT "on line, nor affiliated with any collectors group"..........they are the greater "percentage"........ask the man on the street, he has NO clue :wink:

I know I've bought OM Rugers with the "wrong" grips due to someone swapping them off. I think that a few gun shops would pull out a set of "newer" ones,, to dress up a gun,, and then sell the "older" ones for a better markup. Then there are the ones who swapped out a set of factory's for a set of customs,, then when the gun got traded,, the gun shop put on whatever type fit the frame,, (and even some that didn't!) I bought a 32 maggie a few years ago w/o the factory stocks,, and a BAD fitting set of aftermarkets. Got it cheap too!
So,, if you have a rare,, collectable grade OM,, and it's in the transition period for the medallion type,, then since we'll never be able to totally nail down an EXACT swap over date,, I'd gladly accept either type that would be correct for that period!

This old model .45 Blackhawk convertible, serial 45-157XX, was shipped in April of 1972. It's in an original box and came with original gear. As you can see, the gun's grip set is equipped with black eagle medallions. By the same token, I have an old model Super B that was shipped in 1973, at the very end of old model production, and it has a silver eagle medallion.

Thanks PALADIN85020. Hey, this reminds me....there should be quite a few other folks here on RF with a .45 Blackhawk between about 45-08xxx and 45-18xxx. Lets here what's on those.
Chet15

I have two in the 45-07XXX range (July 1971) and one in the 45-11XXX range (Oct 1971).

The two earlier guns are wearing Old Model "blackbirds" and the later one has NM panels . . . not "squashed chickens". Actually, one of the earlier guns is now wearing a SBH grip frame, with "blackbirds".

All three were bought used, so I have no way of knowing their history. I'll likely get some "chickens" for the later gun.

I have 45-0495x with walnut grip panels, flattened silver eagles (squashed chickens ?) and the old style blue/black screw and escutcheons.