How To Remove Gold Lettering From A 50th Anniv. Blackhawk?

[Montelores]

Hi, all -

Are there any suggestions about how to remove the gold lettering from the barrel of a 50th anniversary Blackhawk? Without harming the bluing?

Thanks very much -

Monty

 

[ProfessorWes]

I'd try applying Break-Free or something similar to the lettering, then scrubbing gently with a brass-bristled brush.

Mind you, I haven't given this question a lot of thought as I'm trying to keep the gold in the lettering on my own 50th Anniversary Blackhawk.

If I could scrub anything off, it would be the safety billboard on the left side of the barrel. Unfortunately, that's going to take a lot more work than removing the gilding from the "50th Anniversary" lettering, sigh...

 

[Cholo]

Do not use a brass brush or you will remove the bluing! Soak it in Hoppes and use your wife's soft toothbrush. Be gentle and all's good, well until... :wink:

 

[ProfessorWes]

Do not use a brass brush or you will remove the bluing! Soak it in Hoppes and use your wife's soft toothbrush. Be gentle and all's good, well until... :wink:

And I sincerely thank you for the correction, Cholo. I've used a (soft) brass bristled brush on the cylinder face and frame interior of my Blackhawks on rare occasion without harm to the finish, but I've never attempted to do anything of the sort to the exterior of the guns. (Usually a wipedown with CLP is all the cleaning the exterior of my Blackhawks need.)

Needless to say, from now on I'll use something softer.

As I said, I haven't given a lot of thought to removing the gilding from the letters; I've been trying to preserve mine. :wink:

 

[Hammerdown77]

Anything made for dissolving copper deposits in a barrel will work.

 

[rugerlovah]

I wasn't wild about the gold lettering on mine either. Over time and use, however, it has slowly been fading away. Right now the lettering has a dulled "patina". I wipe the gun down with breakfree or eezox after use, and the gun gets carried in a leather holster on a regular basis.

 

[Montelores]

Well, thanks all for the help.

The billboard is unsightly, but there's no choice about that.

The gold lettering really stands out, and maybe, as mentioned, it will dull after use and time.

The whole thing would look wonderful if I could ask Ruger to put a plain-jane NM barrel on the thing. No lettering and the billboard on the bottom.

Thanks again -

Monty

 

[flatgate]

I have to laugh. Ruger went through great pains to produce those absolutely FABULOUS 50th Anniversary Flattops. Way above and beyond what we collectors would have ever considered.

Don't like the lettering and/or the warning statement? Have your local 'smith pull the barrel, chuck it up in his lathe and fix it........

JMHO,
flatgate

 

[louiethelump]

I am a bit surprised myself. You pay extra for a limited edition gun, and then want to modify it into a routine run of the mill gun..............

I just bought a second one, and other than putting wood grips on it, will leave it just as it came......................

but each to their own............

 

[Montelores]

Well, it may be a limited edition, special issue gun, but the prices at which it is available demonstrate that it really doesn't carry a market premium for the cachet.

So one doesn't really pay extra (actually, they seemed to be priced at a bit of a discount) and, quite frankly, I'm surprised that there are any of them available at all on the used market.

It's a great little gun.

If history is any lesson, the pre-planned "limited edition" marketing ploy rarely adds value to a product.

It's the "sleepers" which carry the real value.

And we won't know which ones those are for 20 or 30 years.

So stock up now, and but all the Rugers you can!

And besides, who's to say that there won't be more than one? A shooter and a safe queen! :D

Best to all -

Monty

P.S. louie - I just read your line: "Deeds, not words." It would seem that I agree here! :D

 

[Sal1950]

I am a bit surprised myself. You pay extra for a limited edition gun, and then want to modify it into a routine run of the mill gun..............

I just bought a second one, and other than putting wood grips on it, will leave it just as it came......................

but each to their own............

+1
I don't get it either? Why buy a Special Edition 50 Anniversary model and then want to get rid of a large part of what made it special.
Before your destroy what could become a potential collectors gun in the future, why not just get rid of it and get a plain jane.
Bet if you put it up for trade in the Classified section here you could make some type of deal fast.
Sal

 

[louiethelump]

I agree it is a great little gun.......... That is why I just bought a second one. Would not even CONSIDER making it into a regular blackhawk, or worse yet, a Modified "former" 50th anniversary edition cutting its value in half or more.

I realize there are a lot of them out there, but as there will be no more, they will eventually go up in value. They HAVE to. And, in the mean time, they are great shooters.............

 

[Montelores]

Thanks, louie -

I'll probably end up doing nothing to it now, based on all this push-back.

I'm not too big to admit I might have been a bit rash.

The LAST thing which I want to do is to get on you people's bad side. :wink:

Stock it shall remain.

Best to all -

Monty

P.S. May I at least swap out the trigger return spring? :D

 

[louiethelump]

no need to be a wise guy.............. do as you wish. If you don't want feedback, DON'T ASK! :roll:

 

[Montelores]

Sorry, louie.

I did not mean to offend.

I apologize.

Monty

 

[TULLYMARS]

A toothpick and a few minutes in front of the tv and it'll be gone. Did mine with no regrets. I just didn't like the gold lettering. It's your gun so do what you like with it.

 

[ElrodCod]

I don't think that the 50th anniversary Blackhawks are all that valuable. CDNN sold them for $359. Another way to remove the (awful) gold lettering is with some Hoppes #9 and a toothpick. It's a bit tedius but it'll get the job done without causing harm to the finish. There are products available to replace the gold should you ever sell the gun.

 

[tulsamal]

Anything made for dissolving copper deposits in a barrel will work.

Yep. I removed it from my .357 FT right after I got it. A little Shooter's Choice and it just flowed right out of the engraving. Didn't have to do any scrubbing or picking at all.

Why did I remove it? I knew I was going to shoot it and carry it. And every gun I've had with letters like that eventually started to look crappy because one or two letters would fall out. Just normal solvent and wiping eventually gets under one or more letter that didn't quite fill and grab as well as the others. So then I end up with something that looks cheap instead of elegant. I decided I would rather just skip straight to the final step rather than be irritated by the slow progression over the years!

I didn't remove the lettering from my .44 FT. I don't like it nearly as much and I've only shot it a couple of times. So far the lettering looks fine. But if one letter drops... the Shooter's Choice is coming back out!

Gregg

 

[Hondo44]

If you're gonna use the gun anyway, it won't matter in value so do as you please. There are no plain janes of that model made so you don't have a choice as someone suggested. But you might find a standard barrel, even one with no billboard on it and you could do an easy swap and keep the original pristene.

A zillion old model 357 flat tops have been converted to 44 Spl or something else so there's a ton of pre billboard barrels laying around with just the ruger name and address on them.

 

[Montelores]

Thanks, all -

It is such a wonderful little(!) gun, I'm really surprised that it isn't a regular production item in .357.

I would really love to have a FT in .44 Spl., but that will need to be postponed a bit into the future.

I'll be asking for reloading advice when I do get one!

My best to all -

Monty

P.S. Hondo - Are the OM barrels and the NM barrels interchangeable?

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I think it's funny some of the responses on this thread. People coming across as being offended because the man doesn't like the gold on his gun. It's a cheap gun and that's why a lot of us bought it. Yes, it is an awesome gun and well designed. But it has zero collector's value and probably won't have any for a LONG TIME. I bought mine because it was a chance to get a crazy bargain: $349 NIB! By all means, get rid of the crappy gold lettering; it's your gun. I may take the gold off mine too. Then again the lettering on mine was never quite right. Now you guys got me wanting to get mine out an shoot it! :D

 

[Ruger4Life]

WEAR that lettering off through heavy use. That's what Rugers are made for!

 

[tacklebury]

Many guys use colored china markers to fill in their letters with colors to make them stand out for pictures, why couldn't you use a black one to color them in. Usually that wax they make those with lasts quite a while. Might just have to color it once or twice a year. ;)

 

[Rclark]

It is such a wonderful little(!) gun, I'm really surprised that it isn't a regular production item in .357.

I agree, but in 5 1/2" barrel though :) and then drop the large frame .357 from production. No one would miss it.

I left the gold lettering on both of mine. Let it wear off naturally although so far the lettering looks as good as the day I bought them. BTW, the only problem I had with my .44Mag was the ejector housing leaving the gun. Replaced with an aluminum one I had handy and all is well with the heaviest loads.

 

[Hondo44]

I agree, but in 5 1/2" barrel though :) and then drop the large frame .357 from production. No one would miss it.

I agree who would miss that boat anchor! And yeah, what's with no 5 1/2" for the 357 Blackhawk? Ruger makes them in Vaqueros.

However I will admit, it made a great host gun for my custom 38-40 Magnum by rechambering the 357 cyl. I only had to get another barrel. I couldn't have made it on a med frame. But then again there's large frame 30 Carbines out there that would have worked too.

 

[Chief_10Beers]

Hi, all -

Are there any suggestions about how to remove the gold lettering from the barrel of a 50th anniversary Blackhawk? Without harming the bluing?

Thanks very much -

Monty

I used Acetone, a stiff nylon brush and some q-tips. The paint came right off.........................

 

[MKII]

Mine has mostly come out from shooting and being carried in a Ruger Practical holster or Bianchi #1.

The gold never really bothered me, but it fading is not bothering me as well.

Regards
Chuck

 

[hutchman]

I have to laugh. Ruger went through great pains to produce those absolutely FABULOUS 50th Anniversary Flattops. Way above and beyond what we collectors would have ever considered.

Don't like the lettering and/or the warning statement? Have your local 'smith pull the barrel, chuck it up in his lathe and fix it........

JMHO,
flatgate

Hmmmmmm, some people even went so far as to install a Dragoon grip frame with a round trigger guard! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Montelores]

"BTW, the only problem I had with my .44Mag was the ejector housing leaving the gun."


Is there an issue with the weight of the original ERH as regards usage (which an aluminum ERH will solve)?

Thanks for the replies, everyone -

Monty

 

[Chief_10Beers]

"BTW, the only problem I had with my .44Mag was the ejector housing leaving the gun."


Is there an issue with the weight of the original ERH as regards usage (which an aluminum ERH will solve)?

Thanks for the replies, everyone -

Monty

Use Blue Loctite on the ERH Screw Threads.....................................