"Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Factory Engraved"

If you send it to Ruger for a re-blue then they will add the transfer bar system, and they will not re-finish the hammer. So keep this in mind if you are thinking of a re-blue.

Ruger never had an engraving shop.
They tried an association with an outside concern for a while, but dropped it from lack of consumer interest.
Denis

DPris said:

Ruger never had an engraving shop.
They tried an association with an outside concern for a while, but dropped it from lack of consumer interest.
Denis

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Thanks for the correction. I know I saw that option in some of Ruger's catalogs but wasn't sure about what it was exactly.

Took it apart, cleaned it, and (gasp) I dry fired it.......Sweet trigger!!!

The frame is a very dark purple. The more I look at it, the more I am liking it.....

:mrgreen:

I have been following this thread, cleaning it up sure made a big difference! I like the plum color coming through the blueing, The gun made in that seril # range have some nice color.
I like the engraving style and I felt it was tastfully done!
Enjoy the family treasure!

Major T said:

Blued guns that are engraved require that they be stripped of finish prior and refinished after the engraving. Exception factory engraved or those shipped in the white, destined to be engraved.

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Actually...there are engravers who prefer the gun to be blued first so it is easier to see the work they are doing through the blue. Charles Jerred was one such factory engraver who did that with the guns that were sent to him. But, I believe he did cylinders without being blued first. Cylinders were engraved before being heat treated.
Chet15

Glockdude1,
That pattern looks very much like the Nimschke style of engraving. Frank Hendricks taught this in the early 1970's.
Have you looked for a signature. One place would be on the frame under the base pin or possibly under the grips.
Hillcountry

hillcountry said:

Glockdude1,
That pattern looks very much like the Nimschke style of engraving. Frank Hendricks taught this in the early 1970's.
Have you looked for a signature. One place would be on the frame under the base pin or possibly under the grips.
Hillcountry

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The only letters I can find, are bottom of the frame, under the grip, "A.E.S"



(Don't mind the very dirty field stripped MP5 magazine)
Thank you for your help.

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The initials AES stand for Alvin E. Scott. He lived in Kerrville, Texas and passed away about 4 years ago I think. He was a very talented engraver and machinist. He also studied under Frank Hendricks. Hope this information is helpful.

hillcountry said:

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The initials AES stand for Alvin E. Scott. He lived in Kerrville, Texas and passed away about 4 years ago I think. He was a very talented engraver and machinist. He also studied under Frank Hendricks. Hope this information is helpful.

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Thank you for the great info!!

:mrgreen:

DPris said:

No collector value...it's a shooter & as such worth a few hundred.

No reason not to shoot the bejabbers out of it, you won't be hurting its re-sale.
Denis

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hillcountry said:

...The initials AES stand for Alvin E. Scott....

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Denis, is your original evaluation correct (since it's engraved it's worth less than a shooter-grade three screw)? I see shooter-grade three screws selling here for ~$450, surely an AES engraved three screw is worth a couple hundred over a shooter grade, much less "worth a few hundred"?

Re-finish, coloring that may not appeal to most prospective buyers, engraving not first quality, no collector value.
Worth whatever somebody who might like it is willing to pay.

Engraving does not automatically make a gun worth thousands.
Denis