Old model SBH high polish

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markggtp

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
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63
Location
New Hampshire
I've been looking at early SBHs more so the high polish ones. I thought that didn't start until around ser# 3000, but I have seen several 3 didgit ones. Possible ?
Thanks,
Mark
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
Yes, there have been some low numbers ,but few according to Chad in the RENE,
which is the "Red Eagle News Exchange, Perry ,Iowa,they tried to be a more finished gun when introduced in 1959 but they had issues with the polishing, so Chad claims they got it "better" and some of the early guns may have been redone, polished ,shipped around 1965......?? per the 'RENE', noted above.....
the factory would have liked the Supers to be just that "Super", and a finish to compare to the S&Ws "Presentation" guns,,,this may have been the "thought"?? idea ?? who knows for certain,,one must be careful, as to ME, the "high" polish can mean it was redone, reblued, refinished at some time later on,,,,many of the "cased" SUpers got their finish "freckled",spotted" from laying on the felt in their mahogany case, so "caveat emptor" baby......... 8) :roll: :wink:

I'll never forget many years ago, serial number #31 Super was offered to me at Tulsa, , they all said "you can and know how to" refinish it, but I passed, and our friend the late Carl Laco did buy it.....wish I had that gun today.....

"and so it goes...."
RIP the late Wil Terry :(
 

hittman

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Red Eagle News Exchange.

See the old announcement in the Auction Links, Recurring Deals Section.
 

street

Hunter
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Jan 10, 2008
Messages
2,456
Location
Vinton, VA
Here is the story that I learned when I started collecting Rugers back in the 70s. When Ruger started making the Super Blackhawks they used the same polishing routine that they used on the other guns that they were making at that time. Some where around late 1960 to early 1961, the factory that was making the mahogany cases burned down. Ruger then started putting their Supers into the white cardboard boxes. In order to keep the same price they started to put the HIGH POLISH FINISH on their Super Blackhawks. So this is the story that was told as to why the Supers got the high polish finish on them. It was to keep the same price as the Mahogany case guns.

One thing to note as they were putting the high polish finish on the Supers there were still a few Mahogany cases left in the factory and some of the high polish guns ending up in these cases. There is no way to tell which guns were shipped that way, but if the serial number is between 3400 and 8700 with a high polish and it's in a mahogany case it probably right. Just can't get a letter. :(
 
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