Low number OMBH

[mhblaw]

Many years ago, early 80's, I acquired an OMBH, 41 Mag. S#880, no prefix. Traded for a Kimber 218 Mashburn Bee, and traded that for a Kimber 6x45 Ultra Varmint. No real connection, but am curious as to the low number for the 41 Mag and no prefix. Currently have a number of BH's, new and old, all shooters. Really like my Buckeye 32 mag rechambered by Bowen to 327 Federal mag.

 

[street]

The Old Model .41 Mag came out in 1965. Ruger didn't start putting a digit prefix on their guns till 1969. This was because of the GCA of 1968, which states that no two guns from the same manufacturer could have the same serial number. So Ruger gave each type of gun a different prefix.

The non-prefix .41 Mag. serial numbers went up to somewhere around 16,000. RENE gives a price for a 3 digit Old Model .41 Mag. at $1300.00

 

[contender]

Yes,, the above info is all good except he left out the part that the value is based upon a NIB example.

 

[street]

Yes,, the above info is all good except he left out the part that the value is based upon a NIB example.

Sorry but that's not what the RENE price guide says. The older guns , the ones that are pre-1970 are to be considered 95% to 98%. These guns are not considered to be boxed either. So my price of $1300.00 should be in line.

 

[Ruger1441]

Street thats the way I have always understood the pre 73 guns

 

[contender]

Ok, I do stand corrected according to the RENE. However,, in my experience and from actual sales I've seen, it would have to about ANIB to bring the $1300 listed. Yes, it was made in 1965,,, and yes the RENE says 95%-98% condition. But real world prices, ESPECIALLY the RENE says that the prices listed are what one collector should expect to pay from one to another. I just wanted to point out that the gun in question above needs to be in VERY good shape to realize that kind of $$. Especially when a 4 digit etc only brings at best for a 4-5/8" bbl one about $790. The gap of $510 in prices is why I mentioned the "condition" etc of that so as to NOT mislead someone who doesn't understand the proper grading of a gun and the real world prices paid. I have had to pass on some mighty nice guns because the seller "saw" something somewhere that gave X amount for a gun and automatically felt his gun was the exact same thing.
Since there wasn't much info on the gun mentioned above,, (barrel length, INC vs non-INC, condition, box papers etc,) I think maybe we both posted info that could be taken out of context. For my part in that,, I apologize.

 

[street]

Ok, I do stand corrected according to the RENE. However,, in my experience and from actual sales I've seen, it would have to about ANIB to bring the $1300 listed. Yes, it was made in 1965,,, and yes the RENE says 95%-98% condition. But real world prices, ESPECIALLY the RENE says that the prices listed are what one collector should expect to pay from one to another. I just wanted to point out that the gun in question above needs to be in VERY good shape to realize that kind of $$. Especially when a 4 digit etc only brings at best for a 4-5/8" bbl one about $790. The gap of $510 in prices is why I mentioned the "condition" etc of that so as to NOT mislead someone who doesn't understand the proper grading of a gun and the real world prices paid. I have had to pass on some mighty nice guns because the seller "saw" something somewhere that gave X amount for a gun and automatically felt his gun was the exact same thing.
Since there wasn't much info on the gun mentioned above,, (barrel length, INC vs non-INC, condition, box papers etc,) I think maybe we both posted info that could be taken out of context. For my part in that,, I apologize.

The information that I gave for this gun was just to give the person a little history on it. I only stated what the RENE listed a 3 digit gun to be worth. Yes this gun would have to be 95 to 98 percent to bring this price. You say by experience that a gun would have to be ANIB to bring this price. This is the reason that Chad sends to 30 different collectors around the country so as to better get an average price. In your part of the country guns may sell a little less or a little more then other parts of the USA. Flatgate is always remarking about guns in his part of the country being higher then the Eastern USA.

As for a 4 digit gun only bringing $790, you have to realize that there are 9000, 4 digit guns made while there is only 900, 3 digit guns made, a 10 to 1 ratio. As you know, Collectors give a lot of value for a low digit firearm. They also give more value to a first year gun, which this one is. But again this is not my price it's an average price from 30 collectors from different parts of the country.

As for posting out of context, I asume you mean the value of the gun. I didn't say his gun was worth $1300.00. I made sure that I didn't do that for the reasons you stated, as I didn't know what shape it was in. What I posted was. " RENE gives a price for a 3 digit Old Model .41 Mag. at $1300.00". This was not out of context, but straight out of the RENE. I didn't give the information of how it was decided on by the RENE on their prices, but I did do this in my next post to justfy my price to your statement in your first post that the gun would have to be NIB.

Now not to mislead anyone, a .41 Mag. Old Model at 95 to 98 Percent, with a 3 digit serial number, and no prefix on the serial number, per the RENE has a value of $1300.00. Now if it's mint with the box and papers and shipping box, it would be worth more. How much more, check the RENE for prices. :lol: If it is less then 95% then it is going to be worth less.

 

[mhblaw]

Thanks for the info as the serial number thing is what I was curious about. Do not recall what I got on trade for the Mashburn Bee, but 41 Mag was a 4 5/8's barrel and probably 85-90% condition, no box.

 

[rugerguy]

yes, the "premium" would be on the 3 digit gun, and top condition, in the "real" world and at MOST of the gun shows we attend, there is a BIG ( vast ) difference) in the RENE prices, and what they actually will sell for....they are ONLY worth , what someone is willing to pay for it...I see lots of high priced guns just "sit there...." at ANY given show.Yes, an about "perfect" speciman will indeed sell itself to another collector, but it better be "about perfect, and the whole enchilada (package)" BIG difference when the "non 3 digit guns" drop to 95 % and lower, look at the books and that is what the "general public" looks at and bases their buying habits..........
and then there are the auction prices.......another story............