Gunfather restorations

[contender]

We record a lot of stuff, for the times when there's nothing good to watch on TV.
One of the things is the TV show; "Gunfather Restorations."
Now,, I've only watched a few of the shows,, but wasn't too impressed with it,, so I hadn't watched any in a while. Miss Penny was cleaning up a lot of stuff off the recorded list,, and saw that the show that just aired on 10/25 was about a "Ruger .44 Magnum."
She saved it for me to watch.
So tonight,, I sat & watched it.

It was about a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 mag from 1964. (#14654.)It had belonged to one of the show's employee's Dad,, who'd been a LEO, and a Sheriff. Her dad had passed & they wanted to restore it for her mother.
So far,, so good.

But it was totally obvious that they (the show's "experts") were NOT versed in Ruger terminology. The lady called it a "Super Hawk."
Then,, one of the show's photographers was discussing the history of Ruger,, and said; "First was the Single-Six, followed by the .357 Super Blackhawk in 1955-1956." Then they needed a bigger caliber & they built the Super Blackhawk.
Ok,, two people who aren't smart enough to study a gun or the correct terminology or proper models etc PRIOR to actually being recorded & broadcast on TV.
Follow that with one of the guys who was going to restore the gun, and his comments. The comments about the frame turning plum colored. Yep,, the gun was obviously plum colored on the main frame, the cylinder, and the loading gate. He said; "Old guns will often turn color like that because of age. We can restore it to the blue/black color it was originally."
They never commented on the fact that plum colors will return over time because of the metallurgy involved in the original build. Something Bill Ruger had to deal with back in the day.

At one point in the show,, one of the ladies commented that he'd used the gun on duty and it had "pearl grips." yet it came in with factory originals. But a picture they showed of the gentleman wearing the gun,, I'd swear the grips were stag,, not pearl.

All in all,, VERY poor knowledge of Rugers in general. I'd be embarrassed to have a TV show & spout so much ignorance. Makes the credibility of them highly suspect.

Even Miss Penny commented at the end; "Don't you DARE ever send them a gun to restore."

 

[Dave P.]

I've never heard of the show but it sounds a lot like most "reality restoration" type of
shows.
How did the finished product look?

 

[Kevin]

Do you know where they are located? I haven’t heard of them either and wonder if it’s a local show to NC?

it’s too bad they didn’t do just some research to at least get the most basic facts straight. Like names of guns. Although “Super Hawk” doesn’t sound like such a bad name for a new Ruger. How about a 1911 platform in 38 Super? But I digress….

 

[hittman]

I think they’re out west someplace. NY or NJ transplants …. Still have that east coast accent too. LOL

The couple shows I saw they refinished double action Colt revolvers and seemed to do a good job.

 

[jimbo1096]

The gun shop is in Hamilton Montana. The owner and most of the family and cast come from New York ergo, the accent. I’ve watched several of their shows that come on the outdoor channel. Their finished product is usually extremely nice and better than what you would find straight from the factory. But I agree sometimes terminology and the manner they present the work is a little bit irritating.

 

[blume357]

No different than on the odd occasion I see or read a news article on the two things I feel I'm an expert on... chimneys and firearm laws (to a degree) there are always mistakes in them. this past spring The Greenville News has a front page article on the state legislature discussing constitutional carry... the first sentence in the article said they were proposing that S.C. citizens could purchase and own a gun with out having a permit. I'm not making this up, I emailed the reporter and the editor of the paper and never got a response.

So, I'm not surprised at the TV Show Contender watched...

 

[contender]

Yeah,, I expect the normal media to screw up a lot. But a gun show,, supposedly done by "experts" in the field,, getting so much wrong,, is just WRONG!!!!!

 

[blume357]

My wife likes to watch these home restoration programs.... which sometimes I will join in... some of the stuff they do.... especially around and to chimneys is just a joke. And I can't believe how much good stuff they bust up ... like cabinets that could be pulled out and taken to Habitat for Humanity... I once saw the two brothers where they had duct taped a metal vent from a gas furnace together before sheet rocking over the wall..... and they always discover some major problem in the middle of the tear out like asbestos tiles under the carpet....

 

[Hvymax]

I bet if they ever restore a 1911 they'll probably reference the "clip" as well.

 

[GunnyGene]

They're entertainers, no different than any other entertainers. Were you entertained?

 

[Hvymax]

If you call screaming at the TV at a bunch of Joysey knuckle draggers "entertained".

 

[gundog5]

If you call screaming at the TV at a bunch of Joysey knuckle draggers "entertained".

I have watched the show several times.and they seem like nice people. I n my opinion you guys complain about everything. Most of you would complain if you were hung with a new rope.All you experts need to get over yourselfs. IMHO

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Sounds like a classic case of spending $500 to turn an $800 gun into a $400 gun. Leave it alone.

 

[Hvymax]

$500

 

[Johnnu2]

It's just scripted TV...... no biggie..!!
IMHO of course
J.

 

[TINCANBANDIT is back]

I have been to their shop in Hamilton Montana.....looks nice from the outside, but they don't allow visitors in, it is a show only, not a real gun shop.

 

[blume357]

I have watched the show several times.and they seem like nice people. I n my opinion you guys complain about everything. Most of you would complain if you were hung with a new rope.All you experts need to get over yourselfs. IMHO

Apparently you don't understand one of the primary functions of this forum. And just because someone is nice does not mean they know anything about a certain subject... I'm a prime example. I'm a very nice kind person that gets along with just about everyone and often you'd swear I was missing a few lights on my Christmas tree.

 

[Mega Twin]

Do you know where they are located? I haven't heard of them either and wonder if it's a local show to NC?

it's too bad they didn't do just some research to at least get the most basic facts straight. Like names of guns. Although "Super Hawk" doesn't sound like such a bad name for a new Ruger. How about a 1911 platform in 38 Super? But I digress….

Yes but Super Hawk was a Honda

 

[eveled]

I try not to take myself or my knowledge too seriously.

Sounds like they are firearms knowledgeable, but lack specific Ruger knowledge.

On the one hand, If the finished product was nice, then what difference does it make what they call it?

On the other hand it brings their credibility into question to not have basic knowledge. I mean they could have gotten better info from Wikipedia.

My lack of formal education makes me very conscious to not sound like a moron. Because I know people judge me. You would think people on tv would be more aware of it.

 

[TINCANBANDIT is back]

I try not to take myself or my knowledge too seriously.

Sounds like they are firearms knowledgeable, but lack specific Ruger knowledge.

On the one hand, If the finished product was nice, then what difference does it make what they call it?

On the other hand it brings their credibility into question to not have basic knowledge. I mean they could have gotten better info from Wikipedia.

My lack of formal education makes me very conscious to not sound like a moron. Because I know people judge me. You would think people on tv would be more aware of it.

yes, just like in the movies, or TV dramas, how much work is it to do 5 min of research when writing a script?.....like in the TV series Jack Reacher, he called a 95 grain 9mm "subsonic", which is exactly backwards or when they call a Ruger 10/22 a "high powered rifle"...just a little extra time and they could get it right....I guess I just hold people to a higher standard.

 

[contender]

"I have watched the show several times.and they seem like nice people. I n my opinion you guys complain about everything. Most of you would complain if you were hung with a new rope.All you experts need to get over yourselfs. IMHO"

I know this is an older thread,, but obviously gundog5 missed my point.

My point is that it's supposed to be "experts" in the field,, who obviously fail to realize that for them to be credible, they should at least educate themselves prior to producing a show to be aired in a very public place. As it's was once said; "It's better to be silent than to speak up & remove all doubt." Just like eveled said; "it brings their credibility into question to not have basic knowledge."

He understood the point of my post. And if I were to own a gun, as an heirloom, but wasn't knowledgeable as to where to send it for restoration, as a viewer of the show,, and wasn't knowledgeable about where to find a GOOD restoration place,, I may be the type to try & let them do a gun for me. But when it's obvious that not one, but 3 different people didn't know actual facts,, that are easily discovered with just a little research,, as an educated person, I'd never let someone like that touch a gun of mine. It just points to their lack of willingness to portray correct knowledge. Which does point to a question as to their credibility.

And it's obvious that they aren't a real gun place,, if TINCANBANDIT has been there & says they aren't a real gun shop,, then it also points to people claiming to be something they aren't.

I'm no expert. I readily admit there is a lot I do not know about Rugers. But I do know a lot of the basic information,, and more importantly,, if the folks who do that show were to actually visit this Forum, they would get a wealth of actual facts & good information. THAT'S why we have a great Forum. Folks here try hard to be knowledgeable and help others.

 

[4896worker]

Hope this doesn’t violate any rules . I have watched the show . If I remember the wife looked like she had a lot of after market parts added to the point of over doing it . I hope they don’t do that to the firearms

 

[TINCANBANDIT is back]

I dug around and found the picture of the front door, they had black curtains covering all windows.....sign says "by appointment only"

 

[Hvymax]

I spent an hour or 2 yesterday talking with a movie producer about available guns in 1847 and how they work. Imagine John Wick joining the Magnificent 7 to save a Mexican village. Dude is fixated on the guy having a repeating rifle. The only practical candidate I could come up with is the Hunt Volitional but there was only 1 made as a patent example.