1956 Blackhawk in .44 w/ 7 1/2" bbl..

How unusual is this?
I've done some searching but can't come up with production specifics.
Thank you.

May be one of a kind; meaning it's been modified. What is printed on the barrel?

S/N 4124 was used in a factory photograph (info courtesy of RENE) but the general feeling is no 7.5 inchers were regular production until they had a 5 digit serial number.

It's a no eagle bbl.
I bet the concensus is right. I just didn't know if I was missing something. It still has striations to indicate it hasn't been re-finished.
(Likely re-bbl.)

Thanks.

Striations Visible Forward of Trigger Guard

The 7 1/2 .44 Mag. Blackhawks didn't come out till 1959. Normal serial numbers from 15660 to 29735. There are a few exceptions. Type 3, Serial number 13289. This gun was shipped as a 6 1/2 in. bl. and returned to the factory and shipped latter as a 7 1/2 in. bl. gun. It should have been marked with a "S" but wasn't. Type 4, serial number 10431. It was shipped in July 1958. It was returned to the factory and shipped in 1961 with a 7 1/2 in. bl. This gun was not marked with a "S" either. I'm sure there will be more and I'm sure there will be a few that because of some defect will be shipped at a later date then when manufactured and shipped after or during 1959 when the 7 1/2 in bl. guns were being shipped, and it is possible that they were shipped with a 7 1/2 in bl.

As you can see if your gun has a 7 1/2 in. bl. and it has a lower serial number then 15660, then most likely it was not shipped that way but added later. The only way to tell for sure is with a factory letter, and they have quit doing that for now. Another way is to have the shipping box and that will have the bl. length on it.

All information comes from the RENE, and it would be a good idea for anyone that is interested in Rugers, their history, or with the hope of finding that rare Ruger and making a few buck on it, to subscribe to it.

street said:

The 7 1/2 .44 Mag. Blackhawks didn't come out till 1959. Normal serial numbers from 15660 to 29735. There are a few exceptions...

The only way to tell for sure is with a factory letter, and they have quit doing that for now...

All information comes from the RENE, and it would be a good idea for anyone that is interested in Rugers... to subscribe to it.

Click to expand...

Street,

Thank you for your comprehensive answer.

I hope the "Letters" program resumes, soon!
We shall see. I'll have a number of requests for them, when it is brought back.

Regards,

The screws on that gun look like they are very high polished, meaning a possible re-blue, but maybe it is just the picture.
Also, I presume that is a 3xxx range 4-digit gun since there aren't any 3xxxx range 5-digit .44 flattops.
So if it is a 3xxx range gun, then the base pin has been changed as well as the collared pin didn't come in till later.
Chet15

chet15 said:

The screws on that gun look like they are very high polished, meaning a possible re-blue, but maybe it is just the picture.
Also, I presume that is a 3xxx range 4-digit gun since there aren't any 3xxxx range 5-digit .44 flattops.
So if it is a 3xxx range gun, then the base pin has been changed as well as the collared pin didn't come in till later.
Chet15

Click to expand...

Chet,

Screws appear unusually bright? Yep.
4 digit serial number? Yep. (3607)
Collared base pin... uh huh.

It's definitely not original, untouched.
Sadly, it had been d&t'd (one hole) on the top strap
and the front sight base has been removed. The rear sight is unmarked (no "Micro") and the elevation screw lacks the indicator mark.

Hittman and Street presented solid info that I won't argue against. I had to ask, of course. If further "digging" yielded that this had shipped out of sequence, (late) with a 7 1/2" bbl., then I think that would be interesting. Beyond that, it doesn't have any collector value, IMHO.

Tip said:

It's definitely not original, untouched.
Sadly, it had been d&t'd (one hole) on the top strap
and the front sight base has been removed. The rear sight is unmarked (no "Micro") and the elevation screw lacks the indicator mark...

Click to expand...

Oh, another item you can see... the hammer sides are no longer "in the white."
So, yes. The hammer (sides) being blued may account for a time when the screw heads were brightened.

Tip,

My first Flattop #9398, purchased in 1984 was a .44 that had been given "The upgrade of Du jour". It had a Super barrel (high polish with eagle), a Super cylinder (missing much of the blueing) and a set of old stag grips. I knew it couldn't be correct but it was the oldest Ruger I had seen, it was the lowest serial number I had seen, and it was one the guns that Mr. Dougan's discussed in his first color Ruger book.

Fast forward 10 years and I found the correct cylinder (fluted & recessed & plain polishing).

Fast forward 15 more years and I found a correct era barrel.

And only last year I took it to Jim Stroh and had cylinder fit checked, barrel replaced, and gun reblued. It is a very nice now.

Also I keep a personal hand written note on each of my guns with as much information I have about them. I noted early on the problems with this gun and very importantly noted the changes Mr. Stroh made to it. Years down the line I want whoever to know exactly what the gun was and is.

You will find many stories here on the RF about real dogs of guns being brought back to life. Rugerguy has done some fine work and one of the Big Guys (forget who) put a destroyed (The cylinder frame was cut!!!) OM back together.

I guess what this long winded response is that there are several choices to be made with any OM regardless of correctness or condition. Hopefully you may find it correct (as you said "late shipped") but a repaired top strap, some original lockworks screws and a correct barrel is not a bad option.

SATCOM

SATCOM said:

Tip,

My first Flattop #9398, purchased in 1984 was a .44 that had been given "The upgrade of Du jour"...

-a repaired top strap, some original lockworks screws and a correct barrel is not a bad option.

SATCOM

Click to expand...

I very much appreciate the input, SATCOM. I tend to like the idea of bringing "the dead" back to life.
Maybe, I should say, "the dying..."

I spoke to Alan Harton about it over the phone. It got me considering the possibilities.
There's just something damn beautiful about early Ruger Blackhawk actions -like glass when worked!

:mrgreen:

If bought for a "good price" it would make a nice shooter.

After that, it would all depend on how deep your "upgrade pockets" are, knowing you'd likely never recover your money.