Help dating an early SBH please

[k22fan]

I think I stumbled onto a pretty good deal on an approximately 90% condition early SBH this evening, $383 OTD. Only its grips look wrong. They may be too new. I suspect the LGS's owner sold its long neck eagle grips separately. He does that sort of thing. Other wise it's sent some lead down range and has holster wear near the muzzle and edges and corners. The best part is it appears that the frame and grip frame screws have not been turned since it left Ruger.

Reading this forum put the notion in my head that I needed a 3 screw BH. Now I've got one with my favorite grip frame if not my favorite trigger guard. Even better I'm hopping it's a very early SBH with its no prefix 320xx serial number. Am I right?

 

[contender]

Ok, a Super Blackhawk with a serial number of 320XX would have been shipped in 1967. It should have the squared back Dragoon trigger guard. Medallions would be recessed black eagles. Possibly of the "neck feather" variety. The SBH was introduced in 1959. In 1968, they started the prefix serial numbers.

 

[street]

contender is right on with his information. It's a good chance that the grips would be the ones with the black eagle with the neck feathers. If not those then it would have the Eagle with the "fat neck". which started in and around 1966. Hope you have luck in finding a set.

 

[k22fan]

Thank-you both for the information. The grips are dark walnut. Their medallions have recessed eagles with neck feathers so I was wrong suspecting the store owner had swapped grips. That also explains why there's no screw driver marks on the grip screws.

I'm very happy with my purchase. Ruger did an excellent job of polishing before bluing. It's my favorite variety of collector item in that it's an old shooter who's originality I have no desire to alter but I don't need to worry about a little more wear and tear. I just need to get some reloads assembled and make time for the range.

 

[street]

To the serious collector that variation with the neck feathers is a hard gun to find. Good find!!!

 

[flatgate]

No offense intended, but I sure hope you know "how to handle" one of Ruger's "best" and not get a "ring on the cylinder started". One can shoot the Old Models time after time and NEVER develop the "ring".

These two have been fired alot. I added the brass grip frames and wide spur hammer/trigger sets. I carry one or the other just about every time I head out into the woods. I shoot either (one .45 Colt and one .44 mag.) frequently.

Just sayin'.......

flatgate

 

[k22fan]

Don't worry about offending me. I'm honored when someone thinks my opinion is worth their time disagreeing and just barley smart enough to realize there's more to learn.

Hondo44 recently posted how to handle an old model without creating a cylinder ring but since I hadn't owned one it went in one ear and out the other. Even though my "new" SBH got its cylinder ring a long time ago I'd appreciate reading the technique again.

After owning my first old model for a few days I realize that I need to walk into one of those anonymous meetings, swallow my pride and say "hello, my name is k22fan and I have a problem. I've never owned a Single Six."

Returning to grip medallions, is there a sticky with the approximate date each type was phased in along with pictures of medallions?