Ruger Cold Hammer-Forged Barrels

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Does anyone know when Ruger started installing "cold hammer-forged" barrels on their revolvers? I just got a 10.5" Super Blackhawk made around 1988 and trying to figure out what it has. Thanks.
 

Sugar River

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The last time I was in the Newport plant, ca '94, revolver barrels were being broached in a 2 step process.
The first broach cut a finished bore, the second cut the grooves.

Centerfire rifle barrels were gradually eased into the hammer forge process in '91-92.

Are we sure Ruger is making revolver barrels on the hammer forge? I can't see a cost effective reason to
make the switch.
 

woodsy

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_30kCBWR14

This is video #13 of the Ruger factory-making stuff. If the hammer-forging is not in this one, go back, episode by episode, to find the correct one. I don't have the time this am to do so, but one of their videos has it. Fascinating.
 
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pzL5h2cl80&list=PL8lFprFu39AOak-8AYxoP-Vu8fFKNtN4e&index=8&ab_channel=RugerFirearms

Part 7 shows the hammer-forging of rifle barrels.

Part 13 (woodsy) shows the "outsourced" GP100 barrel blank being broached.

I went thru all eighteen "parts" and did not find anything that directly addresses single-action or semi-auto barrels. I suspect they are done like the GP100s, but that's just a guess.
 
Joined
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The reason I ask is because Ruger puts the "cold hammer forged barrel" in the description of their single-action revolvers. I have some older Rugers (made in mid-to-late 1980s) and was wondering how to characterize them. The outside of the box just reads "bull barrel."
 
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seasterl said:
The reason I ask is because Ruger puts the "cold hammer forged barrel" in the description of their single-action revolvers.

Yep. But I did not find that description in their listings of centerfire semi-autos.

Just additional info. Not a criticism.

Perhaps chet15 can shed some light on this bit of history. :)
 

chet15

Hawkeye
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As far as I know, the first barrels Ruger described as hammer forged were the ones used with their M77 Mark II Magnum and Mark II Express rifles, since those had the quarter rib forged onto the barrel as one unit. I don't know for sure, but with the investment in that process, they probably expanded to the other lines for their barrel needs. The M77 Magnum and Express rifles came out in 1991.
Ruger's hammer forged 10/22 with spiral finish bull barrel came out in 1995.
Chet15
 
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