Blackhawk OM advice needed

[rail]

I received an old Blackhawk many years ago through a trade, a four digit Blackhawk in .44 Mag. This is is supposedly the first of its ilk sold this side of the Mississippi (belonged to a gentleman in Kentucky just over the river from me who had written this on a scrap of paper tucked into its box). The problem is - and has been for a couple of decades since I got it - that it had been stored in a lined wood presentation box for perhaps several years past when it should have been checked and oiled. When I got it and several other firearms I saw that it had developed rust speckling. I had originally thought to send it to Ruger for re-bluing but they required that they do the safety conversion if doing the bluing.

Now many years have passed and every now and then I see it in the safe and wonder what to do with it, how to deal with the bluing situation. Aside from the rust speckling which has been rubbed down with oil and 0000 steel wool I have kept it dry and lubed and have taken it to the range with me on a couple of occasions - I never was one to own a gun just to look at and I did not intend to own a piece of Ruger history if it is indeed one of the first etc. - the gun is in very good condition. Aging as it should with a little left hand tip barrel wear and nice warm original walnut grips.

Has anyone had Ruger re-blue their revolvers and has anyone restored the conversion they perform - they assure me they will return the original parts when they send it back...

 

[G2]

First, No Need to take a chance on getting the parts back, just pull them, Ruger will ship it back with the "New" parts.
DO NOT NEED TO SEND IN WITH PARTS/GUTS.

Ruger will do a fine job on the re-blue.
If you decide to go this route, work with them to issue a shipping - pick up label. They will charge you for it, but it is much easier, no shipper hassle and you won't beat their price.

My Opinion; Re-Blueing the gun, The current rust situation, has removed any collector value.
So spend the $ or enjoy it as is ,,, personal preference, it's your gun!
I personally do not care what it looks like, I prefer a well tuned, accurate firearm.

Top gun is a 1958- 4 digit flattop that has real world condition issues. I made it mine with the Brass GF, Moose Grips, SBH hammer, peep sight. Shoots the lights out!
Call it Rat Ruger.
Bottom gun same gun in NM 50 years later. Made it the way I like it too

 

[rail]

I guess I am not really concerned about the collector side of this equation. I would just like it brought back to Ruger quality fwiw. The advice about the guts is well taken. No real reason to send it with them anyway.

 

[rugerguy]

....sounds like a nice early one, got for it, they know what to do, and as noted above you can send it in "as is", but I would remove the original grips and do NOT send it in with the "original" box (packaging).......too hard to replace either...

 

[arfmel]

I wouldn't have it reblued. It currently has SOME original finish. After it's reblued it will have no original finish. And you'll be out the cost of shipping and the work. If you want to send it in anyway, I would wait until the holiday shipping rush is over. It will increase your chances of getting the gun back.

 

[Johnnu2]

We REALLY need to see pics..........
Just because we like to look at (what I assume is) .44 Mag., Flattops...
Also curious on how "bad" the speckling is.... I have some speckling and my wife hasn't sent me out for work (YET)...
J.

 

[rail]

Hahahaha - well the jury is still out on whether my wife will. Let me round it up and I'll post some pics tomorrow.

 

[Hondo44]

I've not heard of Ruger taking longer than two weeks on any gun sent back for work. I don't usually send guns for refinishing but I have a couple that were. And they're as good or better than the original factory finish. I'd never have a Ruger refinished anywhere but the factory! Hardly anyone could tell the it was refinished by Ruger, same finishing equipment, etc.

If it's sent back it will get the retrofit transfer bar, as said above, but is simple to change back to the original parts. However, it will also get an R stamped on the bottom of the frame under the trigger guard. If you don't want the tell-tale R stamp, convert it with transfer bar parts before you send it in. Those parts can be found easily. Then convert back to original parts when you get the gun back from Ruger. If you're lucky, they won't notice that it's not stamped with an R.

 

[rail]

Or tonight if I have nothing else to do The first two show the box that created the problem. You can see that the cylinder bore the brunt of the oxidation, the lesser speckling you can see on the top strap.

 

[rail]

I've not heard of Ruger taking longer than two weeks on any gun sent back for work. I don't usually send guns for refinishing but I have a couple that were. And they're as good or better than the original factory finish. I'd never have a Ruger refinished anywhere but the factory! Hardly anyone could tell the it was refinished by Ruger, same finishing equipment, etc.

If it's sent back it will get the retrofit transfer bar, as said above, but is simple to change back to the original parts. However, it will also get an R stamped on the bottom of the frame under the trigger guard. If you don't want the tell-tale R stamp, convert it with transfer bar parts before you send it in. Those parts can be found easily. Then convert back to original parts when you get the gun back from Ruger. If you're lucky, they won't notice that it's not stamped with an R.

That makes a lot of sense. I assume they stamp it because the cost of the retro is absorbed by them.

 

[arfmel]

That's a cool old revolver. I see why you might want to have it reblued. If you could be certain the work would be done by a skilled person who knows/cares about what they are doing and that nothing bad would happen to it in transit going to and from, I'd feel better about sending it in. Unfortunately, every single time I have had a gun refinished anywhere there was some kind of disappointment when I got it back. I finally just decided to live with original finish, warts and all.

Once, a well respected outfit in Florida somehow LOST the cylinder to a nickel S&W revolver I sent for refinishing. They ended up buying the gun from me. I hadn't really wanted to sell it.

 

[rail]

Always a risk, and Ruger is a big company these days. But I have a little faith left in them to do the right thing and I am pretty sure that they don't want to sully the reputation of Bill and his legacy - not that they aren't definitely in it for a buck these days as opposed to days gone by. I really would not send it anywhere else, I've grown pretty fond of it over the years and hope to pass it on to a son-in-law some time down the road

As you can see, I've given it a lot of thought and still haven't made up my mind, but Hondo still seems to have some faith as well. I asked for advice and you are right, I am being cautious, I really like that old piece. Thanks for the concern.

 

[contender]

That's a rarer gun. It's in the factory Mahogany wooden box. Couldn't quite tell if it was a "long frame" or not,, but a desirable gun. But from what I can tell, it's a "short frame."
(Example of prices; In very good condition with box,, a "short frame" is worth about $1500.00-$1700.00, while the "long frame" is worth around $2500.00 to $2700.00)

Sadly the condition of the gun detracts from the value. A common thing for guns when they were stored in those boxes.

In that condition,, I'd pull the OM parts (hammer, trigger, base pin, grips especially) and ship the gun to Ruger for a refinishing. Yes,, they will convert it,, but it will get the CORRECT treatment. And keep the paperwork from having it done, so future caretakers can know what was done. Once you get it back, you can re-convert it to the original action.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

"I received an old Blackhawk many years ago through a trade, a four digit Blackhawk in .44 Mag."

As Contender stated it is a rare Mahogany Boxed Super Blackhawk in 44 Mag.
Not just and old Blackhawk but a Super Blackhawk.
I had Ruger blue an Old Model 357 Blackhawk and they did a great job. I would send that one off. It is a dull rather than a high polish gun so it will come back with dull finish. IMHO

 

[rail]

Olin, the original owner, was very proud of the gun and I would somewhat like to see it restored. The stamping of the R may just be what it is - part of the Ruger story and I may actually be ok with that since it is never going to be the same as when it was born. Aside from which I will passing it on rather than selling so that will be a conundrum for another owner. I will replace the original parts rather than keep the transfer bar assembly. I have a couple of new model .44's and comparatively dislike the hammer drop feeling on them. It's more of a clack than a thump and I just like the old version better when shooting. Thanks all for your input, good to have the perspective of others when dealing with an old timer like this, I'm just a temporary owner. I think it will head off to Ruger.

 

[rugerguy]

yes, that is a fine looking OM Super and I again stand with what I said and Hondo agreed with, it should be done by the 'Mother ship' they know what they are doing..reminds me of the EXACT same issue many years ago at Tulsa, I was offered serial number #31 Super not anywhere near as bad as the one you picture, and all the guys there KNEW I could get it, and me and my partner Walt could refinish it as good as new, and that is (was ) a fact, we did MANY "restorations" over the.years. I passed on the gun as I knew, that everyone there would know, it was NOT the same, anyway our good friend, the late 'Flatgate', Karl Laco ended up buying it, he knew the story and I have no clue what happened to that gun later, it is kind of sad as now my wife and I have a few other #31 guns, and it would have been nice to put them together but, oh well, was not meant to be...again go for it, it will be a NICE "Keeper"....

...oh and by the way, you can simply wipe down that Ruger case with some Old English or Howards Restoration finish, and it will look much nicer.......

 

[rail]

I have faith that they will do the right thing - and I'll post pictures when it comes back home.

 

[woodperson]

Won't it ship free to and back from Ruger for the conversion? Then get the bluing done while it is there. It costs a whole lot to ship a handgun so the free shipping for the conversion is a big deal.

That is the way it was when I had mine done a good while back. Mine was really rough and I had them put on a steel grip frame while it was there.

 

[G2]

/\/\/\ Good Call /\/\/\ ,,, what he said.
… and thinking about it a little further, Ruger would like to perform some services to ease their costs on the deal.

I learned something today.

 

[Hondo44]

That makes a lot of sense. I assume they stamp it because the cost of the retro is absorbed by them.

I'm pretty sure they stamp the R to prove a transfer bar retrofit kit was installed by them and undoubtably the gun is recorded in their database by serial number.

If subsequently the kit is removed and some ambulance chasing attorney convinces an idiot who shoots themselves with it to file a lawsuit against Ruger, they can prove due diligence by having documentation that a safety kit had been installed!

Installing free transfer bar kits was actually a huge savings for Ruger. Unfortunately back in the 1960s Ruger's success and huge sales volume made them a "deep pockets" target of lawsuits for numskulls that should never handle firearms. Ruger budgeted millions every year for settlements (less costly than even winning these cases due to litigation costs)! It was madness hence the retrofit kits and the 1973 New Model design.