Newbie here requests help from the old pros. Is there a telltale mark that Ruger placed on factory refinished guns? If so, where is it located? I looked at a late 1960's vintage single six today that looked too good to be true. I did a quick search on the forum but did not find what I was looking for. I am contemplating a purchase and would greatly appreciate any help on this. Many thanks for helping a ruger rookie.
factory refinish
- Thread starter Butch2
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contender
Ruger Guru
Welcome to the Forum!
I've never known Ruger to mark a gun they refinished. Only when they do the safety conversion will they mark the gun. That mark is hidden under the main frame.
I've never known Ruger to mark a gun they refinished. Only when they do the safety conversion will they mark the gun. That mark is hidden under the main frame.
Jim Puke
Hunter
I have wondered if they put an identifier on refinished guns, also. Of course, most folks can tell refinish from original.
contender and Jim Luke, thank you gentlemen for your help. I looked at this in a dimly lighted shop and realized that the smart thing for me to do would be to compare this side by side with other similar era Rugers that are obviously not refinished. Sometimes, I just need to be reminded things. Thanks
good info above, and no there is not any markings as such, but that being said, there are two "extremes" to keep in mind,,,,one if a gun looks TOO good to be true, or is being touted as "brand new, never fired" , little lights should go off in your head, especially if there is BIG BUCKS involved, the other side ,or end of the extreme is , if a gun looks like it was reblued, then it most likely was........comparing one , to another is kinda tough as there are so many reasons for two guns to be quite "different" looking, storage, cleaning/maintenance, chemicals and solutions used, and how hard one rubs and wipes...also time,, exposure to sun light, makes two guns look totally different from one another, also, the light you are using, and what is on the gun , (oil or wax?) etc...........
I know of quite a few shops, and gunsmiths, who can make ANY old Ruger look "as good as new" and in MANY cases, BETTER......Rugers' factory finish is NOT at or near the top of the heap in desired and quality final finish, compared to Colt or S&W, as well as today , the bluing formulas are NOT even close to any of the older , blues ( nitre).....been there ,done that. :roll: :wink:
Good luck, and if any questions, good pictures "may" help,but I can tell you , with digital photos and the internet , one can make a sows ear ,into a gold purse.......I for one have to "see, touch, inspect", in person to make any proper , intelligent answer. 8)
I know of quite a few shops, and gunsmiths, who can make ANY old Ruger look "as good as new" and in MANY cases, BETTER......Rugers' factory finish is NOT at or near the top of the heap in desired and quality final finish, compared to Colt or S&W, as well as today , the bluing formulas are NOT even close to any of the older , blues ( nitre).....been there ,done that. :roll: :wink:
Good luck, and if any questions, good pictures "may" help,but I can tell you , with digital photos and the internet , one can make a sows ear ,into a gold purse.......I for one have to "see, touch, inspect", in person to make any proper , intelligent answer. 8)
Hondo44
Hawkeye
Butch,
Yes, you can usually tell!
But I agree with the above posts, there are no marks used when Ruger re-finishes a gun. And if a factory re-bluing was done in a close relative time frame as another original finish gun, you can't tell by comparing finishes because they are done by Ruger employees with the same techniques and on the same machinery.
For this reason you can usually detect a non-factory re-blue.
However, there are usually ways to detect a factory re-finish:
1.) The firing pin recoil plate in the breech face, which is not in the frame when a new gun is blued, is therefore bare metal with an original blue finish. But it's not removed when Ruger re-finishes a gun and is therefore blued.
2.) One thing that Ruger also normally does with their re-blues is stamp or engrave the front of the cylinder with the last three digits of the serial number (if not already numbered) in large 3/32" numbers in order to keep the matching cylinder with the gun after the re-blue process. Sometimes they would also number the grip frame in an area under the grip like most current models are now.
3.) Since 2000 Ruger uses a black powder coat which is a baked on finish on the alum alloy parts, if the model has them; grip frame and/or ejector rod housing. Before that the alloy parts were anodized in a black color. The difference is obvious. So a gun with powder coated parts with a serial # from before 2000, has at least had the alloy parts re-finished; by the factory or otherwise.
4.) There's also a way to verify if a brass frame is original to the gun, besides calling Ruger.
Yes, you can usually tell!
But I agree with the above posts, there are no marks used when Ruger re-finishes a gun. And if a factory re-bluing was done in a close relative time frame as another original finish gun, you can't tell by comparing finishes because they are done by Ruger employees with the same techniques and on the same machinery.
For this reason you can usually detect a non-factory re-blue.
However, there are usually ways to detect a factory re-finish:
1.) The firing pin recoil plate in the breech face, which is not in the frame when a new gun is blued, is therefore bare metal with an original blue finish. But it's not removed when Ruger re-finishes a gun and is therefore blued.
2.) One thing that Ruger also normally does with their re-blues is stamp or engrave the front of the cylinder with the last three digits of the serial number (if not already numbered) in large 3/32" numbers in order to keep the matching cylinder with the gun after the re-blue process. Sometimes they would also number the grip frame in an area under the grip like most current models are now.
3.) Since 2000 Ruger uses a black powder coat which is a baked on finish on the alum alloy parts, if the model has them; grip frame and/or ejector rod housing. Before that the alloy parts were anodized in a black color. The difference is obvious. So a gun with powder coated parts with a serial # from before 2000, has at least had the alloy parts re-finished; by the factory or otherwise.
4.) There's also a way to verify if a brass frame is original to the gun, besides calling Ruger.
again, keep in mind the 'big boys" will do exactly that if the recoil shield is "white" ( signifies it was filed when the cylinder was fitted) or to remove any casting "burrs", they will do as the gun came , lightly file or remove any bluing in this area, it will "replicate" the original, this is the difference between a "blue" and a true "restoration", go so far are to even burnish to lighten the blue and shoot a round or two to make it "test" fired" if it looks TOO new or TOO good to be original, it probably was redone,that being said, they would NOT mark the face of the cylunder such as the factroy does , as Hondo stated to "keep parts/frames" together... I too have been "fooled' be some that were redone, and looked about as factory original as can be. Caveat emptor baby.......... 8) :roll: :wink:
