New to me S47 Old Model 44 Mag Super Blackhawk Brass Frame

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hinkruger

Single-Sixer
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Oct 14, 2014
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100
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Raleigh,nc
Hi, I'm new here but not to Ruger firearms. I own several and just got my hands on my new favorite. Long story short I've been eyeing a New Model Super Blackhawk scoped 44 mag in a local gun store for most of the last year. The owner built it and then remembered he previously built one just like it...... It was brand new and a decent price but money has been tight so no extravagant purchases. The other day I was just in the mood to blow money I didn't have. Rather I had just sold a LC9 that I didn't care too much for and some other non gun stuff and had $500 bucks burning a whole in my pocket.

Long story short I get to the store and the New model Super was long gone. Guy is old school and kind of expensive but I try to use him when I can just to keep a local in business. He had two Super Blackhawks in 44 Mag. One that had been converted and had aweful over sized wood grips and an unconverted one with a brass frame. I knew a little about the brass frames and assumed it had to be a fake. I played it cool and expressed interest going back and forth between the 2. I tried to negotiate but there wasn't much wiggle room as it was a consignment gun. Got him to $600 out the door knowing I might never be able to prove it came from the factory with the brass frame.

I wrote to Ruger and they got back to me today. Nothing on record to indicate that it was shipped with a Brass frame, not surprised. It was a S47 that was shipped in March of 73. I've done a little research and did someone here have a list of which ones came from the Factory with the brass frames in 72/73?

I'm not sure if it is in John Dougans book or not but I can't shell out $50 for a book at the moment. I just bought ammo for this hand cannon! Anybody have any info or links. Also does anyone have a picture of the correct grips. Are they the squashed chicken????

The gun is absolutely beautiful and I will keep her forever. I would like to document her if possible just for peace of mind in case some pries it out of my dead hands. Thanks in advance and I'll post a quick pic of her on the following page.
 

steelshooterco

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 24, 2014
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315
Location
Shawnee, CO
You figure the brass gripframe is worth $300.00, more if it has the wide serrated factory trigger $75.00 in parts alone.

The fit on the side shown looks really good, check the other side fo fit. The frame should be a match polish to the frame if it is factory, the seam between gripframe and frame should be "seamless" with no steps.

If that's the case, someone did a good job fitting, or it may be factory!

For that price, BUY IT!!!!!!

Saw one like this in a gun shop in Prescott AZ (High Country Guns and Knives), one side was a perfect fit, the other was not. Checked with the factory (back when you could) and they confirmed it was not factory.

They wanted $900 for the gun.
 

SATCOM

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 10, 2002
Messages
823
Location
Augusta, Georgia
hinkruger,

Congratulations on a fine gun!

Yes, grips should be squashed chickens.

The selling of this gun can be used as an excellent example of why "Buy the books!" is always right.

Starting with seller (consignee) what was the value of the gun he wanted to sell for approximately $600? An 80 series Super Blackhawk S47 is valued at $550, a correct MRDB3 Ruger grip frame by itself is valued at $350, and a blue steel one is $125.

If the gun is a S47, estimating value could be $550 + $350 - $125 = $775 with the grips being a wash. This higher than asking price may be the large value increase of the MRDB brass frames. Result; you got a great gun at a good price.

Let's say the price was $950 would you have bought it? Let's also say you had the book and determined it was a S47B would you now buy it? If he had it priced at $1,200 would you buy it? A S47-B is valued at $1,450.

Did he have any other OM single actions Rugers for sale? Let's say he did have two. One was a Single Six serial #181741 and a Super Single Six serial #509064. What is special about the first one and value of second? 181741 has a duplicate serial number and 509064 is valued at $2,000.

If a S47 with a brass grip frame or a S47B you got a good enough deal to afford the books.

If you want a good pair of squashed chickens I have several pairs.

SATCOM
 

hinkruger

Single-Sixer
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Oct 14, 2014
Messages
100
Location
Raleigh,nc
Thanks Princeout for looking it up for me. Unfortunately it doesn't match up in Dougans book. The serial number is 80-634xx which I guess is too high a serial number. Since it was sold in March of 73 I was really hoping it would be in the book but ohh well. The frame does read MR-3DB so its a real frame. The grips fit 100% on both sides, the bluing is the super deep blue and the gun is in excellent condition. Either way I'm extremely happy. :D
 

street

Hunter
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
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Vinton, VA
Not all of the S47B Factory Brass Frames are listed in Dougans book. I would send for a letter from Ruger and ask if that serial number is a S47B!!!
 

princeout

Blackhawk
Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Messages
946
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Oklahoma
I've got a 357 that is listed in the book but the new Ruger letter did not include the "B" portion of the model number.
Tim
 

street

Hunter
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princeout said:
I've got a 357 that is listed in the book but the new Ruger letter did not include the "B" portion of the model number.
Tim

I would question Ruger on that, and try to get an updated letter.
 

chet15

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
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Dawson, Iowa
hinkruger said:
Thanks Princeout for looking it up for me. Unfortunately it doesn't match up in Dougans book. The serial number is 80-634xx which I guess is too high a serial number. Since it was sold in March of 73 I was really hoping it would be in the book but ohh well. The frame does read MR-3DB so its a real frame. The grips fit 100% on both sides, the bluing is the super deep blue and the gun is in excellent condition. Either way I'm extremely happy. :D

If you are convinced the gun has original factory blue on it, there is a way to check to see if a Super Blackhawk left the factory with a brass grip frame or a steel grip frame.
Guns made with a steel grip frame had the frame attached to the gun and match polished to the sides of the cylinder frame before going into the blueing tanks. So when the grip frame is off, there will be large swaths of "white" metal on the underside of the frame and grip frame.
If the gun was originally made with a brass grip frame, then the underside of the cylinder frame will be blue.
Chet15
 

hinkruger

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
Messages
100
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Raleigh,nc
Thanks for the info, maybe one day i'll take the brass frame off but then I have to put it back on.....

I did write Ruger and got a formal letter saying they don't have it in their records of it being shipped with a brass frame (or fram as they spell it). Shipped in March of 1973 as a S47 and that's about it.
 

hinkruger

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
Messages
100
Location
Raleigh,nc
Does anybody know the highest serial number that John Dougan has listed in his book? Or the highest serial number that Ruger has lettered? Maybe because I just want to believe..... but I'm thinking that since it was shipped in March of 73 there is a good chance that it came from the factory that way. Is there any added value if I remove the frame and show that it was blued without the frame as the brass ones were. Thanks in advance
 

hinkruger

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
Messages
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Location
Raleigh,nc
k thanks again. I went on gunblast and found an article by Jim Hamm? with a little history on the Super Blackhawk. He states the last known example of a S47 is 80-64700 and they stopped producing them in Feb of 73. I got one of the latter guns but still a good 1100 from the end run. One day I may remove the frame to see if it is possibly a factory brassy but the fit and finish of the frame is perfect so for now I will just enjoy her. Cheers
 

street

Hunter
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Per Dougan's book: "80-PREFIX BRASS FRAME SUPER BLACKHAWKS. Inspected by the Month January 1972-January 1973 (1534 guns)

January, 1972 ----- 3
September, 1972---- 1263
October, 1972 ---- 5
November, 1972 ---- 259
December, 1972 ---- 4

As you can see Dougan list 1534 guns from Jan. 1972 to Jan. 1973, but he shows no guns from after Dec. 1972??????? Where are the guns in Jan. 1973 and are they any after that????? As for the highest serial number gun he shows that as being 80-60965. I wonder if that gun was inspected in Dec. 1972 or Jan. 1973?
 
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