Flattop Blackghawk 45 case harden frame

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garvas

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
4
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
I have a 45 LC flattop Blackhawk case hardened frame built in 1981 - I can find no reference to this gun any where. Did someone customize this gun? The Ruger site list nothing that will hgelp. What do I have?
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
6,784
Location
Star Valley, WY
There are a few "Case Colored" .45 cal. Blackhawks, introduced at the '93 NRA Show in Salt Lake City ( IIRC).

Ruger made a small group of 8 or so Color Case Hardened .357 Flattops back in the mid 1950's.

An '81 vintage example would most likely be the product of a custom shop, especially if it has a "flat top strap"....

flatgate
 

garvas

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
4
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
OK, maybe it is not a flat top. If I can figure out how I will post a picture. It is a case harden frame, marked Blackhawk and the top strap is flat with an adjustable site. Does that make it a flat top? I don't guess anyone has ever shown me a Ruger flat top and described it as that.
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
flat on top in the front? or the entire length of the top strap?? they are ALL flat for the "most part".....(Vaqueros and Colt Single action armies are rounded, with a groove for a sight) sounds like a custom of some sort, would question as to just "who" ( whom) may have did the job as the Ruger frames being 4140 chrome -moly steel are a "complex metal) ( alloy) and "hardening" can cause them to become brittle...yes, we have seen some done years ago that did NOT hold up, cracked, and basically almost crumble?( for the proper lack of terminology..........)
Turnbull does a great job of "color case" but it is at a lower temp?? than "hardening" and they look quite nice, hold up well too......
others , like Springfield Color Case, here in Ohio, will NOT even touch a Ruger frame......soooo, 'caveat emptor' baby if you plan on shooting it.
 

Olsherm

Blackhawk
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
557
Location
Dexter,Missouri United States of America
Please don't scare the man about his color cased gun. Because I have had two Rugers(one 3 screw and one New Vaquero color cased )by David Clements of Clements Custom Guns and there have been no problems whatsover. Beautiful guns. He may have stumbled on to one someone traded off that was done by a professional like David. I am pretty sure he gets his done by Turnbull.[/b]
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
by no means am I trying to scare anyone, just don't put some hard earned money into something that you have NO idea what the back ground of the work maybe, thats called a pig in a poke, and if something happens, who is to blame???
If you never plan on shooting it, so what ,BUT someday, down the road your heirs may get the gun, and you're back to the same issue, is the gun safe to use?? we ran into this when we had our shops and we did 'service work" and tough to redo /fix issues that are beyond anyones control,what do you say "SORRY"????
yes, the custom boys do fine work, we know many of them ( after 45 years in the business, got to know ,meet, work with lots of them ,and some of their "fathers" too), and who does their specialty work, as you say , some of this work is "jobbed out".....you rely on the folks who handle any and all "specialty work"............
 

garvas

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
4
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
Still trying to determine if it is a flatop. I looked at Gunbroker at both flat top and Blackhawk and really don't see a difference. Anyway the gun is marked New Model Blackhawk 45 Caliber on the frame. It does appear case hardened with dark colors of red, blue, brown and swirls. It has the silulated Ivory grips and 4 5/8 barrell. I may go to the local gun shop and let them tell me what I have. The top strap has adjustable site, goes forward about 3/4 inch, steps down slightly and is flat to the barrell.
 
Joined
Jan 10, 2005
Messages
3,051
Location
Alexandria, LA USA
The new model and later old madel have what is called 'protected ears' around the sight. the true flat top is flat all the way with the rear sight recessed into the topstrap. Yours sounds like a custom New Model Blackhawk. Many of the well know custom shops keep records of the guns they work on. You might call a couple of them and ask if they have a record of the gun.
Also a call to Ruger records will verify the actual original shipped condition.
 

c.r.

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 23, 2008
Messages
436
Location
Texas
Garvas,
welcome to the forum.

I agree with Jimbo, it sounds like you've come across a nice New Model that somebody done a bit of work to. Here are a few pics that might help us all see the difference between a "flattop" and a "new model"

Here's a pic of a case hardened flattop
Harton44spec1_3.jpg


here's a pic of a Ruger with the "protected ears/hump"......although it has an aftermarket sight on it. And it happens to be a "3 screw"
DSCN0309-1.jpg
 

garvas

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
4
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
The pistol is definately a Ruger Blackhawk, it has Ruger New Model Blackhawk on the case hardened frame. The question now does it have a value that would best not be my 45 long colt shooter? I have a Valquero in the same caliber so a shooter is not hard for me to come up with. I love both but do not want to destroy the value of either. Thanks for the pictures they solved the issue.
 

Aggie01

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
978
Location
Texas (DFW)
I'm in Fort Worth. Be happy to look at it for you and give you an amateur opinion.

I shoot them all.
I am taking delivery of 6K worth of Ruger single actions within the next week. Two CCG custom guns. I plan to shoot the hell out of them.
 

dougader

Hunter
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
3,108
Location
OryGun
Aggie01":1y41fqxi said:
I'm in Fort Worth. Be happy to look at it for you and give you an amateur opinion.

I shoot them all.
I am taking delivery of 6K worth of Ruger single actions within the next week. Two CCG custom guns. I plan to shoot the hell out of them.

I hope we get to see the pics! :)
 
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