Factory Authenticated A47 Super Blackhawk

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EddieHarren

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
3
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Maryland
I had a customer bring in an old model 44 the other day. He said because it is an 80 prefix that it is worth more money. I had never heard of this and he brought a Blue Book out and the note says, "if it is a factory authenticated S47G", I believe, that it is worth an extra $700. Can anyone here help me out on an explanation of this?
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
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Eddie, without knowing (seeing) exactly just what he had, it is hard to say...these folks "see/read" a bit of info in any reference book and they think thats what they have......so unless it was something "special" like an S-47 B ( for brass grip frame) or a 'duplicate gun, marked with the letter "D" in the serial number, OR maybe an "S" gun ,and has the letter "S" stamped either in the serial number or most likely UNDER the frame, up front.......he only has a "prefixed" serial numbered S-47,at about a $450 to possibly $550 gun, unless it was "new, unfired, in the box. with all the papers, shipping sleeve and such, ..........add on any and all "extras"....

Happy new year............................
 
Joined
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Northern, Utah. USA
EddieHarren":2h70u1xp said:
I had a customer bring in an old model 44 the other day. He said because it is an 80 prefix that it is worth more money. I had never heard of this and he brought a Blue Book out and the note says, "if it is a factory authenticated S47G", I believe, that it is worth an extra $700. Can anyone here help me out on an explanation of this?

The Blue Book of Gun Values 30th edition,say's for the 80- prefix that are "Factory Veriified" with a letter as a "S47B" in the 98% to Minit ranges.
 

radicalrod

Hunter
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
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3,567
Location
Bowling Green, Oh
Gosh isn't it amazing that we RUGER collector so freely give up valuable info.......such info in the hands of NON believers only makes things harder for the TRUE RUGEROPHILE.....YES it makes our collections much more valuable as we have to pay MORE to get these RARE prizes....I will freely share my limited knowledge with fellow collectors but not with people looking only to use it to make more PROFIT off those that are supplying the info.....I don't know if that makes any sense to you guys but in my brain it does.....HAPPY NEW YEARS....see ya RR.
 

EddieHarren

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
3
Location
Maryland
Thanks to all you guys for the info. I've been fooling with these Rugers for years but not on a level with you all. I had never heard of the A47B designation and the "Blue Book" did not elaborate. It's good to know there is a site that has people who will help out.

Sorry if I stepped on someone's toes by asking.
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
6,784
Location
Star Valley, WY
Nope, not A47-B but S47-B.

S indicates Super Blackhawk
4 indicates .44 calibre
7 indicates 7-1/2" barrel
B indicates Brass Grip Frame

Class dismissed.

Happy New Year!

flatgate
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
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Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Eddie,, you did NOT step on any toes,, it's how new folks learn,,, by asking.
SOme of the info can be a bit confusing,, so it's no big deal to help someone out. Flatgate has given you the breakdown of the correct model info to see.
Now,, to elaborate,, IF the seller has an 80 prefix OM Super,, AND it has a FACTORY brass grip frame,,, it would need a factory verification letter to prove it's rariety. THere are aftermarket brass grip frames,, and then there were sales of brass grip frames direct from Ruger not installed on any gun. So,, they can be added later. The factory brass grip frame will have "MR-3DB" cast in the metal under the stocks. Next,, a call to Ruger records will verify if it was fitted & shipped from the factory with one. Then,, of course the condition & completeness of the package will clarify the price adjustment.
Now,, if it doesn't "letter" but does have a factory made brass grip frame,, it adds usually about $250 to the value of the gun over what a normal Super in it's condition would bring.
The devil is in the details,,,!
 

chet15

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
Location
Dawson, Iowa
radicalrod":1lr0bgrx said:
Gosh isn't it amazing that we RUGER collector so freely give up valuable info.......such info in the hands of NON believers only makes things harder for the TRUE RUGEROPHILE.....YES it makes our collections much more valuable as we have to pay MORE to get these RARE prizes....I will freely share my limited knowledge with fellow collectors but not with people looking only to use it to make more PROFIT off those that are supplying the info.....I don't know if that makes any sense to you guys but in my brain it does.....HAPPY NEW YEARS....see ya RR.

Sometime in the 1920's there was a guy by the name of B. Max Mehl who had a big coin shop (in Texas I believe) as well as his own very successful coin auction business. He started running an advertisement in a lot of the big newspapers of the time offering something like $1,000 for any 1913 Liberty Head Nickel that anybody could come up with. You can imagine what happened next...everybody started checking their change! $1,000 was a lot of $ in 1913. What he didn't tell everybody was that all five of the 1913 Liberty head nickels that were ever made were in one collection at that time. But he ended up turning thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people into coin collectors!
The more collectors get interested, supply of the good stuff goes down, prices go up, and a lot more collectors have a lot to discuss with others who are in their hobby. So I'm not sure we can control supply and demand factors.
I am convinced that if some of the things have not happened in the past, like accurate prices in Blue Book, Red Eagle News Exchange price guides, etc. etc., then there is no advertisement for others to get into our hobby....and instead of people forming an organization for Ruger collecting in 1975, people might have more interested today in collecting RG or Rohm revolvers or some other kind of you know what.
I know if dad didn't have the books telling him his 10" .44 flattop was a scarce gun, he'd still be dragging it in and out of his holster and shooting the heck out of it.
The real bones about it is that everybody just needs to get out there and find the other 85-90% of the rare Rugers that are out there yet to be found!! This is still what makes Ruger collecting wonderful...everybody who has a Colt or Winchester thinks its rare, but a Ruger :roll:
I think everything that has ever been done for Ruger collecting is an asset to the hobby. Lets be honest, most of you started collecting because you found out something was rare, no? :D

Oh yes, there are also some (R.L.Wilson an example) who charge people exhorbitant sums in order to authenticate something for somebody. By doing what we do on RF and other places, we can generally turn more people into collectors.

Chet15
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
no Eddie, no way you stepped on any of OUR toes...we try and help out any and all you, who bother to ask....you outta be with me at any of the gun shows...my wife calls me "the answer lady", as I try and help out any and all, not just Rugers but allof the guns we have dealt with and worked on over all these past 45 plus years...............
yessir, welcome to the Forum, and oh by the way,a good friend & fellow Ruger collector, Bud Given, who 'was' from Maryland, recently passed away, you may have known or heard of him.
 
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