Question about a 1960 Super BlackHawk 44 10.5

Hi, I am a new member from Indian Land South Carolina. I have a 1960 Ruger 44 Mag 10.5 Super Black Hawk Serial Number 23503. My son and I took it to the range and the spent round ejector arm fell off the weapon. I looked at it with a high powered magnifying glass and it seems like the pin sheared off. I called Ruger for a repair. They stated before any work commences they want to add a new safety and this will replace many of the original parts. I am very worried that this work will change the weapon from original to something else. Does anyone have an opinion on what is the right path to follow? My options as I see it:
1) Take it to Charlotte NC gun smith and have them do the work without the new safety (Anyone that has a good gun smith in North or South Carolina would be helpful as well)
2) Send it to Ruger and have the work done well but change the original parts.

I really don't understand the weapon looks like new. We haven't had an issue in ~55 years and now all of a sudden the weapon is not safe.

If you send it to Ruger they will replace the hammer/trigger with parts like the new model Super Blackhawks including a "transfer bar". Some like this; some don't. If you do send it, make sure they send you the original parts back so it could be "unconverted" if you decide to do that. Personally, I would find a gunsmith that could repair the ejector shroud and leave the original lockwork as is.

#2... They will return the original parts that can be reinstalled.

Are you sure it's a SBH and not a Flattop Blackhawk? Very, very few if any SBH made with a 10" barrel in 1960. Post a partial serial number or look on the side of the gun for the rollmark.

I don't think I could bring myself to send in a gun that old to Ruger. Too many horror stories. :shock: I would try to find a local smith to repair it.

"Sorry, your gun cannot be fixed. Here's $300 toward a new one". No thanks.

Serial # in 1st post:

SteveDoyle said:

Hi, I am a new member from Indian Land South Carolina. I have a 1960 Ruger 44 Mag 10.5 Super Black Hawk Serial Number 23503. My son and I took it to the range and the spent round ejector arm fell off the weapon. I looked at it with a high powered magnifying glass and it seems like the pin sheared off. I called Ruger for a repair. They stated before any work commences they want to add a new safety and this will replace many of the original parts. I am very worried that this work will change the weapon from original to something else. Does anyone have an opinion on what is the right path to follow? My options as I see it:
1) Take it to Charlotte NC gun smith and have them do the work without the new safety (Anyone that has a good gun smith in North or South Carolina would be helpful as well)
2) Send it to Ruger and have the work done well but change the original parts.

I really don't understand the weapon looks like new. We haven't had an issue in ~55 years and now all of a sudden the weapon is not safe.

Click to expand...

Get it fixed locally. You do get the parts back but, I've heard they stamp the gun that it has been converted. Brownell's might have the pin you need

Steve,

Welcome to the forum.

It's not a pin, it's the ejector rod housing attachment screw that screws into a stud silver brazed into the barrel.

Once the mounting screw shears off, the broken end in the barrel stud hole is not usually tight anymore. You should be able to turn it out to the left with a prick punch by tapping it very lightly at an angle. Use magnifying glasses! Then call Ruger and they'll send you a free new screw.

If you don't think you can manage that, take it to a local Smith. He may even have the screw in stock. It's a 6x40 T.P.I. with a cap 5/16" long and 1/4" in diameter.

If you send it to Ruger, besides converting the action to the idiot proof new style, they'll just replace the barrel with a new style that has the ugly "Read the manual warning" on the side or bottom of barrel.

In the future always make sure the screw is tight to keep it from shearing.

The 10 1/2 inch flattop 44 is pretty rare and worth a bunch of money, don't screw around with the collector value. In other words do not send it to Ruger but make sure that who ever works on it understands the value

SteveDoyle said:

....... I have a 1960 Ruger 44 Mag 10.5 Super Black Hawk Serial Number 23503.

Click to expand...

Like others have said .....a local fix would be my choice.

RENE dates that serial number to 1966.

Steve, welcome to the Forum, if its just the screw , "sheared off" in the stud ( barrel) any GOOD, competent gunsmith can drill it and use an 'easy out ' to remove the sheared off part of the screw.....simply replace it...if it was the stud itself came "unsoldered" whole different ball game.

sometimes even you could turn out ( back out) the broken screw if there is any surface you could put a pointed tool and push/tap it back out...a GOOD machinist can even do this......
I used to NOT hesitate to send an old model back in for them to repair but we've been "HEARING" some horror stories, I do NOT know personally of any that failed to be returned, or even the old lockwork NOT returned, BUT.................. yes someday they are going to run out of parts to properly repair /replace "old models".... look at the Old Armies, the Security/Speed Sixes, and even the early, 180 series Mini -14's this I can attest to PERSONALLY< they could not and would not repair them, NO PARTS, send us $$$$ and we will get you into a nice "new model" of "like specs"...........sorry NO DEAL 8) :roll: :?

Local fix! It has significantly more collector value than a run of the mill Ruger. The serial number puts it as a 1960 flat top - if it is a flat top.

1960.....22232 to 26679

Or a 1966 if it is a SBH

1966.....22308 to 26447

If I read my RENE correctly, which is not always the case for me (small print, old eyes) only 3 SBH with 10" barrels were made and only one is known. Somebody double check me on this 'cause I'm not a SBH guy at all. I may have that all wrong.

My money is yours is a flat top Blackhawk - check the rollmark on the frame. Please don't send it back. Get it fixed or swap with someone on here for a nice Bowen gun....

Tim

Welcome to the Forum!

You are NOT too far from me or a good gunsmith if you are willing to go to Charlotte. I'm SURE we can help you w/o you having to send the gun back to Ruger. PLEASE PM me & we can see what we can do for you.

Thank you for all of the replies. You all have given me insight to the right move and that is to find a well-respected local gun smith. If you like a back story about a particular weapon here is the back story on this one.
In the early 70s My Dad was the manager of DOD plant. They key to this is that lasers, digital age of storage and high speed photography didn't really exist; it was more in a developmental stage. The government asked this group of Engineers to determine what direction JFK was shot. To do so they needed to create exactly high definitions of still pictures that shows both the entry and exit of a bullet. The Engineers needed to be able to trip a high speed camera at exactly the instance of a bullet about to enter an object through the exit. When I was a little I remember asking the Engineers why they just didn't film the entire event from when the trigger fell to several seconds after. Apparently the camera they were using shot so fast that there was not enough film to capture from trigger pull to impact and then the exit. My Dad was friends with a person named Herb Berouda (sure I spelled his last name wrong) from UCSB Quantum Institute who was working to trigger an invent by using a laser. They took Herb's laser and as soon as a bullet broke the laser plane it kicked of the camera to film the event. The Engineer's needed a gun that shot a significant mass and used this 44 in their initial test. They also used a 45 revolver that I have as well. Once the Engineers felt confident they had the right settings they moved to a rifle round (I don't have this weapon) and if you have ever seen the somewhat famous picture of a bullet impacting an apple that was the result of this effort. In short this 44 helped determine the direction that JFK was shot. I remember when my Dad had to submit his final findings, the phone rang on the weekend and it was his work. This never happened in those days. Most of what my Dad did he did not talk about even when the family asked him repeated times. In High School my sister had to put down what her father's occupation was and she wrote "laborer". I think that irritated him to the day he passed.

On this forum there was a flattop discussion. A person posted a very clear picture. My weapon appears to be exactly the same as that in the picture. Should I take out a special insurance policy? I had thought this was just an old gun that shot really well. I was in the Marine Corps Infantry and I got some special assignments that allowed me to shoot a bunch of different weapons. This is the best shooting weapon that I have fired. I often get in the 10 ring with this weapon at distance. The grip is small and will leave a bruise on your palm but if you want to pull back a target with a high score and you can afford the rounds I would pick no other than this weapon.

I had assumed the 10.5. I took a ruler and found it does measure 10 inches.

In for pics!

Measure from the front face of the cylinder to the very end of the barrel to get the correct length.

Fascinating account about your old Super Blackhawk! It is definitely a historical family treasure that shouldn't be trifled with.
Would be nice to see some pictures of it.

Thanks for sharing your story.

Trying figure out how to attach pictures

I have uploaded pictures to my PC and fought trying to upload them. After several failed attempts I went to the FAQ and apparently you need special permissions, that I don't have, to upload.
If anyone knows how I request that I would be happy to share, I also have one of the original lab tests on that background I spoke of.

Steve