Hamilton Bowen Rollmarked Barrels

[stateline]

Recently I traded for a Old Model Vaquero that was presented as a light wt Hamilton Bowen Ruger. Beautiful work; however the barrel is not rollmarked. Can anyone tell me if Bowen always roll marks the barrels on his custom rugers? Thanks.

 

[djw54]

I know I read recently (here?) that he didn't mark his early work. You might check with him if he has records of guns he's worked on. No paperwork?

 

[REP1954]

Pictures, pictues, pictures.

 

[mhblaw]

I have several Bowen customs, all have a Ruger rollmark on the barrel. He also marks the rear of the cylinder with a crest.

 

[stateline]

Sorry about the pictures. This Ruger looks exactly like Bowen's pictures in his catalog except no rollmarks and no crests. Sight, cylinder pin, sculpted recoil area, chamfered cylinders (45 acp and 45 LC), Bisley hammer, custom bbl and ejector rod, Thad Rybka holster etc. Guess I will have to pay his $75.00 provenence fee to find out. Traded an old 1917 Colt even up. Thank you gentlemen.

 

[mike454]

The crest is applied to the cylinder if it is rechambered or house built. The barrels of mine that are marked are custom barrels that he did. One that I have with a cutdown factory barrel had the ruger rollmarks removed, but bowen didn't mark the barrel

 

[stateline]

Thanks, Single-Sixer. I believe both cylinders are Ruger manufactured and the barrel as well. The gun came with California registration, but no Bowen or any other paperwork. It was an original all-steel blued Vaquero. Whoever did the barrel work cut it from a 5 1/2 incher to four. It has an absolutely superior trigger, far better than any Blackhawk or Vaquero, and I have had a bunch of them. Sounds very possible it is a Bowen after reading your info.

 

[stateline]

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[dixie884]

That is a very nicely understated revolver. Congrats...........

 

[mike454]

Congratulations on a great looking gun. Marked exactly like I'd expect a Bowen that started and ended as a 45 colt to be. Definitely looks like a Bowen's lightweight to me.

 

[Sugar River]

A close up of the rear face of the cylinder might tell us a lot.

 

[Doc4429]

A .357 Blackhawk converted to .44 Special by Hamilton Bowen. He roll marked the barrel and the frame.

Bill

 

[dwayne]

I have an early conversion from Bowen. It only has the crest on the cylinde; no marking on the barrel.

 

[txn63]

Does anyone have a picture of the crest on the cylinder?

 

[TinStarFirearms]

I have a Vaquero in .44 magnum that had the factory barrel cut down even with the ejector rod housing by Bowen. The barrel looks similar to your's above Stateline. I have the paperwork on mine and there is no marking on the cylinder for mine as I do not believe any work was done there. It also had a trigger job as well as the rear sight channel opened up. I bought it with this work already done.

Andrew

 

[PotatoJudge]

I have a Bowen tuned SBH that came with all the paperwork for the work performed (over multiple years actually, as the prior owner sent it back for additional work twice).

Work included DX front sight, Bowen rear, turn barrel back/remove markings, fix endshake, hone throats, action work, freewheel ratchet, and idk what else off the top of my head. It's basically as far as you can take a gun without replacing factory parts.

The gun isn't marked. I think he only marks custom cylinders and full builds/caliber conversions. Mine started and ended as a 44 mag with factory barrel. It has the smoothest action of any gun I own, and that included fast draw guns by Munden.

I'm sure your gun was Bowen tuned, so no worries there. The letter stating what work was done might help resale or help you get more money, but don't feel like you should need it to reassure yourself.

Congrats on a nice purchase!

 

[stateline]

Thanks to all of you for your information. Since I am not a collector anymore, I intend to shoot the snot out of this Ruger and enjoy it to the max.