70s vintage 41mag BH?

[Kerz]

Trying to find a bit of history on a 41 mag BH. In 1974 I bought my first handgun. It was a used, but like new, 41 mag. Bbl length was around 4 5/8, nickel backstrap, white grips, red insert front sight and white outlined rear. Sold the gun a couple years later.
Can anyone advise if this could have been factory?

Vic

 

[Robb Barnes]

Hi Vic, welcome to the forum. It sounds like the gun had had some changes made. I don't think Ruger offered a factory nickel gripframe on the NM blackhawk 41's. I also do not recall a sight color/system like the one you described but I am sure some of the much more astute Ruger afaciandos will chime in. Regardless, if it was a 41 it was a great choice!

 

[TDF]

99% sure it wasn't factory. The white grips, and red insert sight we're custom additions, most likely by a previous owner. As was the white outline sight, though that could have easily been hand painted by a previous owner. The nickel gripframe as well wasn't original. The 41's came with aluminum anodized gripframes. I'm not sure if you can nickle plate aluminum, somebody else might now. A common customization is to polish the anodizing off the gipframe to a shiny condition. Looks like nickle if you do it right.

TDF