Old Army Find

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mstan99999

Bearcat
Joined
May 5, 2009
Messages
35
Did a trade with an old friend, gun dealer this weekend. We were swapping tactical stuff for tactical stuff. But we couldn't quite get to an even trade. I saw this on a bottom shelf and just saw the outer box. When I asked about it, he agreed to let it make the trade even. I LOVE Rugers in 44mag. But I've never owned an Old Army before. Please tell me what you think. The serial number puts it at 1980. However, the red box says Blackhawk .357 and has a 1973 date printed on the box itself. I did find the Old Army label inside the box with the gun and nipple wrench. Did Ruger label over old boxes to ship these? It looks to be unfired. I would love to know your opinion on value. I'm a shooter, not a collector. Is this one I should shoot? Dang, I hope so. This looks like fun. Let me know what you think.
full-1982-286033-img_2272.jpg

full-1982-286034-image08.jpeg

Thanks!!
Matt
 

Rclark

Hunter
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
3,533
Location
Butte, MT
Yep. It's a shooter. These are the 'common' variety even though no longer made. Also, not a .44 of course but actually a .45. It shoots a .457 ball. The bore is .451. Enjoy :) . As for value, that is all over the place! It's crazy. Mine were bought at around $400 just a few years ago.
 

RSIno1

Hunter
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
2,858
Location
Southern California
Looks unfired. I had a NIB SS one that I couldn't bring myself to shoot - they are only new once. I sold it and intended to buy a nice used one to shoot. I never found one and now the prices are so high I've taken the OA off the list.
 

daveg.inkc

Hunter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
2,503
Location
Kansas City, MO
Use anti seize on all threads. I prefer the silver over copper ant seize. Grab all the Pyrodex P that you can find. All reload supplies are in high demand. As we all know. Muzzleloaders and blackpowder seems to be last to go. Midway USA has Pyrodex P. With $25 ship & haz mat fee.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,138
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Nice package.
Great find.
Box, & shipper appear to be original. The stick over label,, yep,, commonly done when a box was needed,, and they were awaiting new shipments of boxes. Labels have often been used on different boxes by Ruger.
 

jgt

Buckeye
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
1,000
Location
coleman texas
I'm a shooter not a collector. Many of my guns are collected by others. I buy guns I like for quality of workmanship, strength, reputation, and their fit into my shooting scheme. I often hear the phrase, If only that gun could talk. I plan on being the person that gives the gun character and the voice if it ever does talk. So I dare to shoot mine. They may not bring top collector dollar price, but I take care of them. I feel certain they will bring enough at resale. The difference is a bargain compared to the pleasure and experience of owning and using such guns. That stainless gun will take a lot of use and still be able to be cleaned up in operational and cosmetic areas. Shoot and enjoy. Life is too short to do otherwise.
 

Johnnu2

Hunter
Joined
Jun 26, 2003
Messages
2,844
Location
NYS
Ruger Old Army (stainless) you say....? Better check here for values (seems they may be going UP ?):

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Keywords=Ruger%20Old%20Army

That said, shoot it and enjoy it for years.... You will probably STILL be able to sell it for good money IF you should want to.

J.
 

street

Hunter
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
2,456
Location
Vinton, VA
Ruger only made 2 sizes of that type of box. The short one was printed for the Standard Auto RST-4. The Larger box was printed for the 6 1/2 in. 357 Blackhawk BN-36. All of the other guns that Ruger Shipped was shipped in those two boxes with the correct paste on label applied. So your box should be the correct one if it has the serial number written on the side of the box.
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
726
Location
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Collector grade package, North of 700.00.
I remember when we could buy all the NIB Stainless ones
at the gunshows for 300.00 OTD.
I bought several but ended up keeping 1 NIB Stainless and 1 blue, and use a Stainless for a shooter.
Thing is, that shooter is a 4 digit gun with the backward marked cylinder. :shock:
I would shoot that gun and keep it in nice condition, as you said.
You could trade it for a shooter and some cash if shipping and such didn't eat up the difference. Probably only worth considering if there was a couple hundred dollars
involved.
 

Rclark

Hunter
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
3,533
Location
Butte, MT
It's interesting the talk about a guns 'worth' :) . When I buy a gun, it's because I want it to shoot it. I personally don't 'care' what it is worth as I have no intention of re-selling it (in my life-time). I'll let my descendants worry that bone. I am simply going to enjoy shooting them until I can't. Shoot them, not abuse them of course. That's my philosophy on firearms :) ... but it doesn't have to be every ones! Of course if I run across an original Walker that was stuffed an attic trunk, I'd sell it to a collector who cares about 'historic' firearms to be displayed in a musuem.... Obviously use some common sense here :) .
 

chet15

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
Location
Dawson, Iowa
mstan99999 said:
Did a trade with an old friend, gun dealer this weekend. We were swapping tactical stuff for tactical stuff. But we couldn't quite get to an even trade. I saw this on a bottom shelf and just saw the outer box. When I asked about it, he agreed to let it make the trade even. I LOVE Rugers in 44mag. But I've never owned an Old Army before. Please tell me what you think. The serial number puts it at 1980. However, the red box says Blackhawk .357 and has a 1973 date printed on the box itself. I did find the Old Army label inside the box with the gun and nipple wrench. Did Ruger label over old boxes to ship these? It looks to be unfired. I would love to know your opinion on value. I'm a shooter, not a collector. Is this one I should shoot? Dang, I hope so. This looks like fun. Let me know what you think.
full-1982-286033-img_2272.jpg

full-1982-286034-image08.jpeg

Thanks!!
Matt

The red hinged box had only two variations... the short one with RST4 info printed on the end and the longer one with BN-36 info printed on the end. If it wasn't either of those two models, Ruger just put a label on the end.
Chet15
 
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
11,653
Location
Kentucky
Johnnu2 said:
Ruger Old Army (stainless) you say....? Better check here for values (seems they may be going UP ?):

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Keywords=Ruger%20Old%20Army

J.


Yes indeed. If that gun does in fact appear unfired it might very well have "collector" value to the right person. What that "value" might be would be whatever the seller and buyer agree on. JMHO

:mrgreen:
 

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