Long Frame Super Blackhawks

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chet15

Hawkeye
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Not long ago there was a comment on the a Facebook group (Ruger revolvers Only) where a person showed two Super Blackhawks, one he said was a 3 digit and the other was a 16xxx range gun. The 3-digit had aftermarket grips on it that made it impossible to tell whether it was a Short Frame or a Long Frame. I mentioned that there was a chance he had one of the rare guns with Long grip frame, and let him know that before he goes carrying it through the woods, giving it massive doses of holster wear and shooting the heck out of it, he might first want to know if it was the rare long grip frame variation or not. Taking the grips off and putting on the grips from his 16,000 range gun, he did discover that those grips did not fit at the bottom, with ample grip frame hanging over! A long frame Super indeed! The serial number was 929. Then I got to thinking, wait a second… seems like every time somebody reports an early Super, especially under serial number 1500, there are a lot of them that end up being Long Frames.

The January 1969 issue of Gunfacts Magazine by Fred Davis, Jr. (and repeated in Davis's "A Guide Book to Ruger Guns", 1976) makes the comment "guns to #500 have grip frame and panels .115" longer than current production."
Ron Crowder's book (1970) mentions nothing about the long frame Super.

H. W. "Bill" Ross's book "Flattops and Super Blackhawks" (1979) says on page 56, "In 1959 and 1960 some of the guns were equipped with a longer grip frame on a random serial number basis." and on page 63, "Unconfirmed reports are that approximately 300 of the Long grip framed guns were produced. Collectors initially thought that it was the first 300 guns, however, they appear at random in the serial numbering with the highest recorded being #3111."
Hugo Lueder's "Ruger Automatic Pistols and Single Action Revolvers Book III" (1982) does not give an estimated quantity for the Long Frame Super.

John Dougan's "Know Your Ruger Single-Action Revolvers 1953-1963 says "The "long frame Super Blackhawks" are the fewer than 500 guns which left the factory fitted with a grip frame about 3/16" longer than the standard. These grip frames were not used in serial number order."

Then yours truly did the "Reference of Ruger Firearms" and repeated the 300 figure for the long frame with dull polish and with eagle logo.

After the revelation above that serial number 929 was a long frame, I did a count in my serial number notes as to how many Long Frame Supers were noted, coming up with nearly 150!!! OK...so what are the odds, if there were only 300 long frame Super made, that I have almost 150 of those noted (50% of those made?). Well, there were 199 SC4's made and only 22 known in my notes (roughly 10+%). How about a highly identifiable gun like the BKH41B with at least 63 made (only 9 are reported, or 14.2%). The quantity of 600 6-1/2" Supers is probably right on the money since those weren't around very long before the Ruger collecting hobby got its earliest start, and factory information would have been more forthcoming at that time, especially since the S46 is an actual model whereas the long frame Super is a variation (no good records quantites of "castings"). Roughly 20% of the S46's have been reported.

Now for the highly visible factory engraved Single-Six, of the 258 produced roughly 50% have been documented as known. Can 50% of a supposed 300 production for the Long Frame Super really be the case, when first glance for most really doesn't tell whether the gun is a LF or SF? Honestly, I really think LF Super production was in the 750-1000 range, and toward the higher end of that.

The following listing is for Super Blackhawks up to at least 3740, and whether or not they are a short frame or long frame. While we are doing this, we can also note whether the revolver has the eagle logo or not, if known. #3740 is generally thought of as when the logo barrel again began being used throughout, at least until the 10xxx range again. I also have a feeling that more really late Supers will be found with a LF, say sn 27xx and higher... because the later you get, the less likely somebody might think it could be a LF.

There are now 181 Long Frame serial numbers listed below.

If you have an early Super Blackhawk that is not listed here and are unable to log onto Rugerforum.com to post your info, please send your info to my email address at [email protected] and I will add it to the lists, keeping your contact information confidential. Remember that we also want to note any short frames in this range as well, to keep things in perspective on true LF quantities.

1 SF Pictured on page 20 of the "Ruger & His Guns" National Firearms Museum booklet.
2 LF (this is pictured on pages 52 and 53 of "Ruger & His Guns" by R. L. Wilson. To me this looks like a Long Frame, especially in the small inset picture on page 53. I look at the front toe of the grip frame. The long frame has a very pointy toe whereas the shortframe is always much more rounded.
4 LF
5 SF H.P. White boxed Original owner Tom Ruger, then to Hank Williams Jr. Complete Pkg.
6 SF H.P. Original owner Hal Seagraves WBR Patent Attry.
7 SF
9 LF Dull Finish White boxed, Original owner John Amber, Complete pkg.
10 SF
11 SF Original owner Michael Horelik, Factory high polish, inspected 11/24/1959
12 LF
13 SF
17 SF
18 LF
19 LF, with logo
20 LF, with logo
23 LF
24 SF
25 LF
26 SF
27 LF, no logo
28 SF, with logo
29 LF, with logo
31 LF
33 LF
38 LF
40 LF
41 LF
43 LF
46 SF
47 LF
49 SF
50 LF
51 SF
53 SF
58 SF, Original owner Tom Ruger, High Polish, assembled and inspected late (4/20/1965) with "INC." barrel address without eagle logo.
59 LF
61 LF
62 SF
63 LF
64 LF, with logo
69 LF
70 LF
80 LF
81 LF
86 LF
88 LF
90 LF
92 LF

100 LF
111 LF, with logo
113 SF, with logo
127 LF
131 LF
132 SF
135 SF
138 LF
142. LF, with logo
148 LF, with logo
154 LF
156 LF
163 LF
175 LF
177 SF
187 SF
190 LF
196 LF

203 LF
207 LF
210 LF
213 LF
217 LF
218 LF
221 LF
225 SF
236 LF
242 SF
244 SF
258 SF
261 LF
265 SF
266 LF
276 LF
291 LF
297 LF
299 LF

312 SF
317 LF
322 LF
323 LF
324 LF
325 SF
327 LF
335 SF
337 LF
357 SF
365 LF
370 SF
376 LF
377 LF
384 LF
389 LF
393 SF
396 SF
398 LF

400 LF
409 LF After market Nickle plated
420 LF
421 LF
423 LF
424 SF, with logo
431 LF
438 LF
441 LF
444 SF, with logo
445 LF
454 LF
459 LF
470 SF
471 LF
473 SF, with logo
475 LF

525 LF
559 LF, with logo
562 SF
566 SF
570 LF, with logo
572 SF
575 SF
577 SF
582 LF
588 LF
593 LF, with logo
596 LF
597 LF
598 SF

603 LF
608 LF
609 LF, with logo
623 LF
624 LF, with logo, high polish
631 LF
680 LF
681 LF
684 LF
685 LF
695 SF
696 LF
698 unknown grip frame, High polish, mfg and shp late with walnut grips and INC barrel address.
High Polish, assembled and shipped late (4/1965) with "INC." barrel address without eagle logo.

706 SF
712 SF
714 LF
717 LF
721 SF
723 LF
725 LF
729 SF
739 LF
765 LF
781 LF
785 SF with logo
788 SF with logo
792 SF

819 LF
827 LF, with logo
830 SF
835 LF
836. LF

909 LF
916 LF, no logo
923 LF
929 LF
943 LF
949 LF
973 SF
974 SF
978 LF
981 LF
984 LF
986 SF
997 LF

1000 LF
1006 unknown grip frame, factory Chrome plated
1016 LF
1025 SF with logo
1029 SF
1032 LF with logo
1045 SF
1056 SF
1067 LF no logo
1074 LF
1076 LF
1081 SF Alloy housing, no Micro, High Polish, mfg. 4/65
1096 LF with logo
1098 LF with logo

1115 SF with logo
1120 LF
1125 LF
1129 LF
1130 LF
1154 LF with logo
1156 LF with logo
1157 LF
1166 LF
1169 LF
1170 LF
1174 LF
1189 LF

1203 LF with logo
1230 SF
1231 LF with logo
1256 LF
1258 LF
1259 SF
1269 LF with logo

1301 SF
1305 SF
1307 SF
1313 LF
1318 LF
1355 LF
1328 SF
1330 LF
1340 LF
1358 SF
1362 SF
1374 LF
1382 LF
1391 SF, High Polish, assembled and inspected late (probably April 1965 or later) with "INC." barrel address without eagle logo.

1438 LF
1441 LF
1456 LF
1458 LF
1463 LF, with logo
1473 LF, with logo
1492 SF
1499 SF

1500 SF, with logo
1505 SF, one of three factory 10"
1525 LF, with logo (note this is also a high polish, making it unique...most long frames with high polish do not have the logo on the barrel)
1528 LF
1533 SF
1555 LF
1568 LF, with logo
1584 LF, no logo

1608 SF, no logo
1619 SF
1648 SF
1658 LF
1695 SF, no logo

1720 SF, no logo
1755 SF, no logo
1769 SF, no logo
1786 SF, no eagle logo, dull polish
1799 SF

1806 SF Jerred Engraved/Elmer Keith gun
1828 SF
1836 SF
1845 SF, no logo
1849 SF, no logo
1886 SF, no logo

1902 LF
1911 SF
1954 LF
1959 SF
1971 SF, no logo
1978 LF
1984 LF, no logo

2040 SF, no logo
2045 SF, no logo
2060 SF, no logo

2115 SF, no logo
2126 LF
2170 SF, no logo

2211 LF, no logo
2236 SF, no logo
2238 SF, no logo
2252 SF
2256 SF, no logo, high polish
2274 SF, no logo
2284 SF, no logo

2323 SF
2339 SF
2367 SF, no logo
2375 SF, no logo
2380 SF, no logo
2386 SF

2410 SF, no logo
2427 SF
2430 SF, no logo
2436 LF, no logo
2467 LF
2476 SF

2530 SF, no logo
2547 SF, no logo

2611 SF, no logo
2642 SF, no logo
2653 LF, no logo
2658 SF, no logo
2672 SF, no logo
2675 SF
2676 SF, no logo
2683 LF, no logo
2694 SF, no logo

2706 SF, no logo
2717 LF, no logo
2743 LF, no logo
2775 SF
2679 SF, no logo
2795 SF, no logo

2814 SF, no logo
2856 SF, no logo
2885 SF

2917 SF
2951 SF
2956 LF
2971 LF
2974 SF, no logo
2996 SF

3017 SF
3019 SF
3020 SF, no logo
3069 SF

3111 LF, no logo
3112 SF, with logo
3180 SF, no logo
3199 SF, no logo

3203 SF, no logo
3207 LF, no logo
3252 SF

3307 SF, no logo
3317 SF, no logo
3322 LF, no logo The highest known Long Frame
3353 SF, no logo

3402 SF, no logo
3415 This gun has also been reported as a Long Grip Frame, but since it wasn't actually observed by the note taker, we must leave this one as a question mark.
3431 SF, with logo
3445 SF, no logo
3465 SF, no logo
3485 SF
3487 SF, High Polish, assembled and inspected late (4/20/1965) with "INC." barrel address without eagle logo.

3526 SF, no logo

3638 SF
3680 SF, with logo
3688 SF

3707 SF
3740 SF, with logo

4141 SF, High Polish, assembled and inspected late (probably 4/65 or later) with "INC." barrel address without eagle logo. Note that this gun "ALSO" has the .41 BLACKHAWK rollmark on the left side of the cylinder frame. Would sure like to know where this gun is today!!!

5814 SF, High Polish, assembled and shipped late (Aprilwith "INC." barrel address without eagle logo.
 
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RPM Enterprises

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Chad, #29 is a long frame with eagle, #28 short frame with eagle, #148 long frame with eagle, #1959 short frame, 3317 short frame no eagle, 5952 short frame with eagle. 5814 short frame no eagle this gun was shipped really late.#6899 with eagle short frame in white box. Then all my other Super Blackhawks are 5 digit or prefix.
 

chet15

Hawkeye
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Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
Location
Dawson, Iowa
RPM Enterprises said:
Chad, #29 is a long frame with eagle, #28 short frame with eagle, #148 long frame with eagle, #1959 short frame, 3317 short frame no eagle, 5952 short frame with eagle. 5814 short frame no eagle this gun was shipped really late.#6899 with eagle short frame in white box. Then all my other Super Blackhawks are 5 digit or prefix.

Yeah, your 5814 is an entirely different animal. It has an INC. address without the eagle logo... a frame that was completed late and barrel that had a .41 Blackhawk rollmark put on it (with INC. and no logo). I'm pretty sure this was a gun that had its high polish put on originally and was not up to standard (ripples in the finish, or ?). Such early HP guns were set aside and reworked at a later date, and the reason they have such a different barrel rollmark... a particular rollmark that was put on in error and not intended for the Super Blackhawk. Such "rework" guns were shipped April and May of 1965 or later.
I will add these to the list because I have a feeling there are a few reported here as no logo, but the owners may not have noticed an "INC." barrel address.
The crazy thing is... a few long frames may have also been caught up in this late rework!!!
Chet15
 

mike722

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tallahassee, florida,usa
Serial 64, long frame with eagle
Serial 3112, short frame with eagle
Serial 3322, long frame no eagle
Serial 2256, short frame no eagle (high polish)
Serial 4313, short frame with eagle high polish
 

chet15

Hawkeye
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Jan 22, 2001
Messages
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Location
Dawson, Iowa
Thanks Mike!
As mentioned in the intro to this thread, I believe more really high numbered LF's will be discovered.
I don't think they are any where near as prevalent as 1475 and earlier, but there will be more discoveries.
Chet15
 

weaselmeatgravy

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Colorado native, Vermont transplant
Most of mine are already on your list, but one that is not is LF #984. I don't have notes on whether it has the eagle. My only notes indicate that it is in the wood case and that it: "Has near-total blue loss on ERH and right side of barrel forward of ERH. Likely from being stored in case. Shipped Nov, 1959."
 

hittman

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Think there's one for sale now in Classifieds in the 3xxx s/n range and don''t know if it's on your list!
 

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