1955 Ruger Old Model .357 Blackhawk (SN 1387) needs a little help

I posted this on Reddit and they referred me here.

I have what I believe to be a 1955 Old Model three screw .357 Blackhawk. I found it in my attic, believe it or not, I remember putting it there, I now remember where it came from, but it's been there for probably 20 years. It's in pretty nice condition (see pics), but it has a couple of issues. First, the gun has been converted and doesn't work very well. About every third or fourth time you cock it, it jams up, will not fully cock and will not rotate the cylinder. When it binds up, you can fiddle with the hammer and try again and it will eventually work until the next time that it doesn't. I have purchased the original non-conversion parts to convert it back, but there is always going to be an "R" stamped on the frame. I'm not an expert and am hoping I bought the right parts. Second, the ejector, ejector housing, spring and screw for the housing are all missing. I need these parts, but I am aware that just any ejector housing and ejector will not be correct for the gun. There is a type 1, type 2, etc. Pretty sure I need the type 1, which was originally steel.

I am not a big gun guy and want to eventually sell it. I want to place the gun back into its original condition parts-wise. My questions are as follows: where can I get the correct ejector and ejector housing for the gun? And in a condition that matches and is appropriate for the gun? The ones I've seen on ebay are just ejectors, most are aluminum housings and none of the ejectors appear to match the pictures of the ejector that originally came on the gun (which had a relatively small button and grooves cut on the button). I don't know what to do about this issue. Respectfully, other than being able to tell the difference between steel and aluminum, and giving an opinion about whether or not they think it will fit, the folks on ebay don't seem to me to know that much about what they are actually selling and they don't care if the parts they have are actually correct for the gun.

The gun is not perfect, but it isn't all banged up, either. I am assuming that the low serial number and condition will be of some value to collectors of this gun. Is this correct? If so, where do I place this gun for sale, once I get it all put back together, such that the right people who are interested in this gun will see it? The folks on Reddit said the classifieds here. Will the "R" stamp hurt the value, even if converted back? Is there a specific value that you would suggest I ask for it once I find the right place taking into consideration the condition, the fact that it has been converted and re-converted, the serial number, etc.? Is additional information needed from me before you can answer that? And finally, anything else I need to know? Put another way, if you were me, knowing what you know and I don't, do you have anything to suggest, like watch out for THIS!? Thank you very much!

welcome to the Forum, and you got a real nice "chassis' there and one heck of a good one to start up on,,,sad part is you are so far away, would take me days to dig through some of my old parts here easier to ask as you are and find them,, , get enough posts here on the forum and you can run an ad in the classified, but the issue is the "sum of the total of the parts" is gonna put you over the top, yes nice to actually try and get it done but the cost could be detrimental being you just want to sell it anyway ( I know, the fun is in the project) good attitude....and good luck ,my hands are full now with taking care of my wife, can't leave her alone these days, so can't get anything done.
Maybe someone closer to you there in Texas can step up to the plate for you??

Nice pictures by the way........(y)(y)

Very nice. 1387 was likely shipped in December of 1955.

Edited to correct date. :oops:

Welcome to the Forum!

Good info above,, but I'll try & add my thoughts.

It is a "Type 1" so the parts you will need can be a little harder to find. The fact it has been converted, and should be restored to an "as shipped" condition. But if you have the CORRECT Type one conversion parts already is a big step in the right condition. The trigger, the base pin, and the hammer are a little different than later variations.
A "skinny" trigger, a shorter hammer, and the rings on the base pin all need to be correct.

The "R" marked frame is NOT an issue to us collectors.

The ER housing,, will need to be steel, and what we call a "Long throw,,off-set" type. The Rod button will be the small serrated type.

Good condition Type 1's are desirable To many of us. And yours is a 1st year gun.

As mentioned above,, become active here,, get at least 10 posts,, then you can place a WTB ad in our classifieds here to get the correct parts.

And of course,, the best place to get a fair price is our Classifieds here as well. The value will be based upon the condition. If you get the correct parts for it,, then it doesn't hurt the value that it was converted & then re-converted back to "as shipped" condition.
Overall condition, is important.
One other thing to look for,, is the adjustment screw on the top of the rear sight. It should have a "witness" mark for adjusting. Later screws didn't have the little mark.
An excellent condition Type 1 can be worth upwards of $1200. But any bluing wear, or other detractors hurt that value. Honest appraisal of the condition is paramount.

That serial number looks like it's 1387 so it's a 1955,, not 1956. If it were a 1887 it would be 1956.

Thank you, contender, for the response. I am shooting for "as shipped" but, based on what you have said, I think it is highly unlikely that I purchased the correct conversion parts. Not that big of a deal, as I am pretty sure that I can sell what I did buy fairly easily (I don't yet have them in hand), but no way they are original, correct for this gun. There's a couple areas of the gun where the bluing is a little worn, the left edge of the barrel, the top of the front sight, and the front edge of the cylinder. I think I would rate mine as the next category down from excellent, though, more like just pretty good. My gun does have the rear sight witness mark and the rear sight is in tip top condition, so at least I don't have to track that down. I posted some other pics of these areas. Again, thank you for the response.

Hello, J
Welcome to the forum!
I just completed a refurb of a '59 .357 ft. Started with just the main frame, several forum members helped me with parts and advice. Couldn't have done it without them. Everything is not original to the gun, but as close to era as I could find. I just bought a cylinder from a forum member that was off a parts kit from the same era so the cylinder is now correct. Should you decide to sell it I would like to do another, let me know. I have steel erh, short throw locking, but not the correct er. Mine is the later version. An excellent gun, enjoy!

If I saw that on the classifieds here, I would not be opposed to buying it as is.
Depending on the price, of course

Glad to help. That's what many of us here truly do try & do,,, help others.

Joey did recently work at putting one back together that had fewer parts than you do.

And peachhead is like myself. I'd consider a purchase,, "as is" if the price was adjusted to reflect the incorrect or missing parts. Especially since it's serial number is very close to one I already have.

You do have the correct rear screw,, and it does look good. The overall condition does show some wear in "normal" places. the barrel, the cylinder are the more obvious places.

If you do wish to sell it & wanted to discuss it privately,, get more posts & we could talk privately in PM's. I think you have to have a minimum of 10 posts to use the PM (private message) feature.

I am in the same place as Peachhead and Contender. I would be interested in it as a project.

contender said:

That serial number looks like it's 1387 so it's a 1955,, not 1956. If it were a 1887 it would be 1956.

Click to expand...

You're right, Ty.

Old eyes . . .

J_thunders said:

I posted this on Reddit and they referred me here.

I have what I believe to be a 1955 Old Model three screw .357 Blackhawk. I found it in my attic, believe it or not, I remember putting it there, I now remember where it came from, but it's been there for probably 20 years. It's in pretty nice condition (see pics), but it has a couple of issues. First, the gun has been converted and doesn't work very well. About every third or fourth time you cock it, it jams up, will not fully cock and will not rotate the cylinder. When it binds up, you can fiddle with the hammer and try again and it will eventually work until the next time that it doesn't. I have purchased the original non-conversion parts to convert it back, but there is always going to be an "R" stamped on the frame. I'm not an expert and am hoping I bought the right parts. Second, the ejector, ejector housing, spring and screw for the housing are all missing.

Click to expand...

A word of advice from someone who got on this forum a few years back for almost the exact same reason.............

Listen closely to what these fellas tell you. Especially @rugerguy and @contender.
They saved my bacon on a '67 3 screw that had been converted and now it is back to original condition.
Could not have done it without Dan's help.

Myself, I'd waste no time whatsoever sourcing some original action parts to make it proper once again.
Collector value has been somewhat compromised, due to Ruger's legal department having defiled it, just in order to check a box.
But, it'd still be worth the time, expense and effort to restore it to it's former glory in my opinion.

Thank you all very much for the interest in my project and the good words here, y'all are great. Your responses alone make me think maybe I ought to stick around and start collecting Rugers. I am trying to decide what to do. I don't need the money, but I'm also currently in the middle of some projects that are of more overall interest to me. With that being what it is, I think it might make some sense to turn my attention back to the things that I'm the expert in and let this one go to people who have already invested the time. But I'm still thinking on it. Let's see what this pile of parts I bought looks like and take it from there. I'm not sure how it is that I am ever going to get to ten posts, though, that might be the biggest trick in this whole thing. lol.

Beautiful guns, Joey and Lt. Choate!

"About every third or fourth time you cock it, it jams up, will not fully cock and will not rotate the cylinder. When it binds up, you can fiddle with the hammer and try again and it will eventually work until the next time that it doesn't."
jthunders, I'd suggest TWO things to try on your converted gun to stop the (above) issue: 1) be sure that the cylinder pin is the correct one with the tiny, spring loaded tip; this tip actuates the transfer bar and can cause jam-ups if not engaging (all the way in and locked) correctly. 2) Clean the internals with brake-cleaner (spray aggressively) then lightly lube everything.
I'm a big fan or restoring to original lock-work, but in the meantime, you can shoot the heck out of a converted gun while you are collecting parts.
GOOD LUCK

J.

yes, good info above and do not worry or fret about the frame being stamped by the factory for the safety update, its under the grip frame anyway out of the way, just make sure you use the proper fitting screwdrivers and take your time and as for that slight wear here and there , all that can be touched up and a bit of 'TLC" and made to look like new, those pictures as I said, show us a very ,very nice gun.......the kind many of us would LOVE as a "project". you got the "hard part".........(y)(y);)

Thank you. I'm on it with the correct screwdrivers. I'm a tool guy. I have every size screwdriver that's ever been invented and understand the importance of keeping fasteners right. I might make a mistake, but it's not going to be because I don't have the right tools.

I respectfully disagree with BULL'S-EYE. The collect-ability of that gun has not been compromised. I'm a collector & a shooter,,, and all of us who enjoy the OM Ruger SA's do NOT worry about the "R" under the main frame.
Ruger does NOT modify the gun in any manner to install the safety transfer bar action parts.

But your experiences with those parts is not uncommon either. They can cause a locking up of the gun.

As for getting to 10 posts,, just make a few more here about the gun & our nonsense,, and you'll get there.

Tell us a bit more about your other interests maybe???

We are a fun social bunch here.

Throw a few $$$$$$$$$$$$ at it and you can make it look like one of these :) :)

Dang, Jim, those are nice. Wow.

It'll take more than a "few" $$$$$$$$ to make a gun look that nice! Jim does have a nice pair there,, but that work isn't cheap!

First off Welcome to the RF. Nice Flattop and it's nice that you want to bring it back to original. You say you bought the conversion parts. Can you show a picture of them? Lots of collectors will be concerned about a converted gun as the possibility of Ruger "re-bluing" the gun during the conversion trip to the factory is a possibility. Judging by your pictures and what I can see as points that usually will show a sign of reblue your gun does not exhibit this. If you decide to stick around the Forum I believe I have the parts that you would need to put this back to original including the correct conversion parts...either way, nice of you to share the story and pictures. Good luck in whichever way you decide to go. One last note, reach out if you decide to put back together and have trouble with the mainspring in the grip frame (sometimes troublesome getting it "captured" to put the grip frame back on the main frame.
Your conversion parts should look like this:

J _rhunders, Allow me to aid you in your 10 post accumulating by answering a question of curiosity. Was this gun given to you in this condition? It’s nice to still have the original grips. Welcome to the forum!

Thank you for the help, Jussbad. I do not yet have the parts in hand. According to the tracking they will be here in tomorrow's mail. This means nothing, however, as I just had an ebay tool purchase take 22 days to get here after the USPS said it was in Dallas after just three. I will post a picture of them after I get them. The parts I bought look like the parts you posted, near as I can tell, but pretty sure the trigger in not the correct skinny one. I am hoping for the best on the rest of the parts. And I pretty much was doing that when I purchased them.

Chief, the gun belonged to my wife's father who died when she was 16 years old. After he died, the gun went from her step-mother to her brother, who didn't want it in the house, mostly because of his wife, probably, who is maybe the most anti-gun person I have ever met. Which is fine, whatever, I don't have to live with her. It was in a leather, sheeps-wool-lined zippered handgun case when it was given to me, at which point, I determined that it was not functioning correctly and missing some parts and then I threw it into the pile of my outdoor gear which is somewhat massive. It's bins and bins and bins and piles of hunting, fishing and retriever stuff collected over a lifetime. It looks like an Oshman's back in the day. I didn't think anything of it again until I was looking for something for this dove season and found it again. And here we are.

Someone above asked about my interests as a way of making conversation to get me to 10.....I can hook y'all up with anything you need to know about vintage Marantz audio equipment and Pioneer turntables or English motorcycles, particularly Triumphs, which I road race. I'm deadly on speckled trout and redfish, like . . . truly. If it flies it dies, and I can fix anything metal, weld, machine, wrench, whatever. Not the best woodworker, but pretty good when I have to. And, I am an attorney. Please forgive me for sharing this last bit of information with you. If it helps to change your mind, I also change my own oil. :)Thank you all again for your warm welcome to the forum and all your help. I'll get these pics of the parts posted asap!

Sounds like a lawyer I WOULDN"T mind meeting, long as it was on a personal basis, not a professional basis! What kinda law do you practice?

I do commercial civil litigation which is, for the most part, pretty boring. Raking leaves is more fun.

There ya go,, sharing more about your other interests and even your profession is great.

We appreciate good lawyers here who are actual gun owners or outdoorsmen.

jussbad made a good point about the possibility of a reblue. One of the easiest ways to see if it has possibly been reblued,, is to pull the cylinder,, then look at the firing pin bushing. If it's all blue,, then it's likely a reblue. If the bushing is shiny then it most likely hasn't been reblued.

Just curious, I've never taken apart a Ruger singe action and left the main spring uncaptured, will it be very difficult to get it back together that way?

To work on a mainspring or the hammer strut, you do take them apart. It's not hard to do. Clamp the strut in a padded vise,, then depress the mainspring & it's keeper, remove the capture pin, and all is done. You reverse this procedure,, to reassemble it.
Now the trick to make it easy.
To be capable of depressing it,, many of us use a simple tool, made from an old fork. Two of the tines of the fork go around the strut, and onto the keeper & is used to depress the spring to allow you to remove the capture pin. Reassembly,, you place the keeper over the strut on top of the spring,, depress, and insert the capture pin.

I have also used a smaller set of needle nose pliers to work the same way.

Basically, any tool that is stiff enough to be used to depress the spring, AND slide around the strut will work. An old fork is just a simple tool that can be made from a yard sale cheapie.

Aaaand, we aren't too sure about the parts we bought. The conversion parts that were on the gun are to the right of the parts I bought, which I marked with a sharpie. The trigger looks like it's ok, but I know it's not the skinny one, so fail there. Latch spring looks ok. Except for the very slight different finishes on them, they look the same. Cylinder latch isn't rounded where it touches the cylinder like the one Juss posted. There's a couple of other slight differences in this part compared to the one in the Juss control group. Base pin looks correct. Hammer, I don't know. It looks like it will fit, a direct comparison overlaying one over the other and lining up the holes, it looks good. But the one I bought and the conversion part have flats ground/machined at the bottom, and the one that Juss posted, not so much. The cylinder pawl looks legit. The pile of parts to the far left of the comparison parts are a pile that I didn't need but that came with parts I bought. Bonus parts! I'll probably have enough to build a complete second gun by the time I am done with this.

After closer inspection, the new to me just purchased latch spring is wider than the old one by about .050" ish.