New OM cased Super

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zonk

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
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37
City & State/Province
CT
My first cased Super. got a good deal, but it has some issues.
The case has a few handling marks but nothing major, all hardware is clean.
The gun appears unfired, but does have some surface rust on the barrel, erh, and cylinder. Seems to be very shallow, just on the surface. The grip frame and loading gate are perfect/slightly plum color... Not a mark on the grips.
My question is, would you refinish, or leave as is. My thought, is to have the barrel/receiver, and cylinder reblued, and leave the grip frame plum. Or, leave it as is. Any thoughts? Because of the issues, I got it for a deal (I think)... Not the best at taking pics, but it does appear to be the bright blue..

Thanks,
Gary

DSCF0085_zpsdd6763cd.jpg

DSCF0079_zpsed69776e.jpg

DSCF0078_zps120deb20.jpg

DSCF0077_zps1b33ba68.jpg
 
What's the s/n? The image is, on my screen, too blurry to tell...........

Too bad about the rust. It's a classic case of storing the gun in its' box w/o condensation protection.
Have it professionally restored or simply call it a shooter.......

JMHO,

flatgate
 
Flatgate, in such a case would you consider having Ruger do the refinish, or would you prefer an outside pro service . . . cost being ignored for the moment.

:)
 
I'd consider having Ruger do the work. I'd have to see it up close and then visit with the Factory and see if they'd tackle a job like that. It's obvious it's not a "quick polish then toss the parts into the bluing tank". I've had Ruger "restore" some unsightly specimens but nuttin' like that...........

357690092.jpg


This Super was "restored" at the Factory. I was very pleased with the results........

JMHO,

flatgate
 
sn: 4425

Would ruger take just parts to reblue, or do they need the whole gun, and I uncovert it when I get it back?

Also, do you guys store these outside of the case, to keep this from happening?
 
I also have a good shop locally that does reblues, and I've had and seen some excellent work come out of there
 
A consideration would be that the "works" would be replaced with the "safety upgrade" components.

The original parts are (usually) returned by Ruger, but they would not be refinished . . . unless you could arrange for that to occur prior to sending the gun to them . . . something I'd surely want in writing.

Just a thought.

Can't tell from the pics, but if the hammer and trigger don't need refinishing, I'd remove them prior to sending the gun to The facrory. Might do that anyway.
 
A word to the wise!!! About 15 years ago I was in the processing of moving. I moved in with my Daughter and Son-in law. It took about 9 months to find a contractor and to get my new house built. I had to store my Rugers at my Daughters for that amount of time. So I had 5 or 6 Super Blackhawks with the Mahogany Cases that I put a good coating of vaseline and wrapped the guns up good in wax paper and stored them in the Factory Case. I knew that you shouldn't store the guns in the case but I thought that with the vaseline and wax paper to protect it from the case that it should be OK. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! All of those Supers had a coating of rust on them when I unpacked them. All of the other guns were fine, Just those guns stored in the Mahagany Cases were rusted.

Here is my warning!!! NEVER STORE SUPER BLACKHAWKS IN THEIR MAHOGANY CASES, NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!!!
 
Hey David, is that the same "VASELINE" used when I bought them :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry I couldn't pass that one up :wink: :wink: :wink: I think I got a very fair deal...RR.

Get it redone....why own an ugly gun.....
 
No "vaseline" in that case, the Radical One got one hell of a deal!!

as for the OP and his question (quest) you say a few "parts"?? well those are basically the whole gun!! besides, the Supers were polished ( prepped) as a unit, the grip frame AND cylinder frame as "one"...nature of the beast and how it is "correctly and properly" done................the pictures hsow the typical end result of improper storage, and those "spots" ( speckles) are into the guns finish abnd only a proper buff , polish, prep will do the job RIGHT....as well as to bring it back to its older, original finish....the bluing today from the factory, the gun will be more of a black , than a "blue" finish................
 
I sent a Super Blackhawk (with issues similar to yours) back to Ruger for refinishing over ten years ago. The factory did a fine job, but the grip frame came out plum. I suspect your revolver will turn out similarly. A company like Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing in Crystal River, FL may do a better job, but they probably are much more expensive also.

Bill
 
As far @ Expensive, Rugers prices have gone up alot over the last few years & returning of your gun after work being done has gotten longer! J/S
We have had many threads about this subject over the last few years.....
 
Congrats on your first cased Super. It appears from the pictures the hardware on the case appears to be nickel. Can you confirm if they are nickel or brass? Hard to pass up cased Supers.
 
Case hardware is brass. I'm a better handgun shot, than photographer...

Ruger website says $130 for reblue. I assume that's current, and that they will charge extra for the additional buffing/polishing. I'll call them tomorrow for details, time estimate, etc... Do you usually send the grips with the gun? I really like these, and don't want to lose them. Is it possible to pick up some conversion parts, and put them in before sending it in. I don't want to chance losing the original parts. I know I've seen them for sale here before.

Ale-8, are you saying, remove the parts, and send the gun in without them? I assume they will put conversion parts and send back??? The trigger and hammer look fine, no pitting/no refinish needed.

Thanks to all for the comments/advice.

Gary
 
never send ANY grips or the original box,packaging in for service or refinish, they will even tell you ( at least they USED to) not to send that stuff,,,,as for the Lockwork, me I'd leave it be, I have known NO ONE that we know that did NOT get their "old parts" back, in the small plastic bag,,,,have "heard" tales but not seen that happen, yet.............IF you want to, need to, then by all means take out the old lockwork,they will fit and safety update the gun anyway, that part is "free"....
as for the frame turning 'plum', if it turned in the first place, then most likely it will turn plum again, maybe not right away, but they do, its in the casting "batch" (mix)
Good luck
 
radicalrod said:
Hey David, is that the same "VASELINE" used when I bought them :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry I couldn't pass that one up :wink: :wink: :wink: I think I got a very fair deal...RR.

Get it redone....why own an ugly gun.....
Click to expand...
Yes RR! I'm just like Bill Ruger!!! No need to waste good Vaseline! :lol: :lol: :lol: Yes you got those guns for just a little over what the cases were worth.
 
Zonk, I do love those early Supers. A suggestion regarding refinish/restore, contact "Rugerguy", he may be able to help in that area. He has done some fantastic prep work on guns in worse shape that yours and has contacts that then do the bluing.

Bill
 
Yes, as Ale has stated, strip out the lockwork. Remove the grips. I'd keep the mainspring parts, too. Ruger will charge you for new parts but I'd sleep better if I knew I had "my parts". Like the pic I posted; I've seen Ruger do some very nice work. I've also heard some "horror stories" but, in my experience, things have been just fine.

flatgate
 
flatgate, I assume you mean that Ruger would charge for only the mainspring, strut, and "keeper" . . . right? Shouldn't amount to much money. All the other internals should be free since thay are part of the required "safety conversion".

I agree with your suggestion, although I never thought of withholding the mainspring-related bits. Seems like a good idea if you're one of us who has some concern about the return of all the Old Model internals . . . in spite of advice to the contrary. It would be just my luck to be the one who loses his parts, and they're not easy or cheap to replace. I think I'd act on the side of "constructive paranoia" and keep ALL the loose bits.

Besides, that would get you a complete spare set of mainspring pieces.

;-)
 
Sorry haven't posted in a while, but work and family have been keeping me busy.
Thanks to all for the advice and comments. I ended up sending to Ruger without the grips. I did end up leaving the lockwork parts installed (right or wrong), being 'promised' by Ruger that I will get them back.

I just called for status, was told UPS has it, and it will be delivered tomorrow, 4 weeks door to door... I'm impressed by the turn-around.

The nice lady on the phone said they did the conversion, replaced a couple extra internal parts (I'm assuming they will give me a list/work order), adjusted the barrel/cyl gap, replaced the grips and screw, and did the refinish/reblue. All for no charge!! I don't know what's up with that, but I'm not complaining.

I''ll post pics as soon as I can. Also, westerville asked earlier about the hdwr on the mahogany case. Hinges and latch do in fact look like nickel, not brass as I thought.

I'm not selling, but curious what's it worth, just wondering how I did...
4 digit super - 1960
factory reblue
converted/soon to be unconverted
Looking before I sent it back, I don't think it was ever fired
mahogany case w/nickel hdwr (some handling marks, 1 small chip on corner)

Thanks
 
well here is the "caveat", any and all pricing is based on the % of the guns "original finish", so the value will be very 'subjective' and worth what someone is willing to pay for a gun that is "refinished"......now comes the "reality" part of this 'conundrum' (sic)
case, parts, 4 digit serial number OM Super................hhhmm :roll: (it's still a lot........) :wink:
 
Several years ago I sent a 3 screw Single Six in that I had bought cheaply because it was missing the .22 LR cylinder. I asked to have a .22 LR cylinder fitted. A few weeks later when they returned the gun with the safety conversion done as is their policy, they had not only had fit a new .22 LR cylinder, but also a new unfluted .22 mag cylinder, and did not return my original parts, including the magnum cylinder
I immediately called Ruger customer service and luckily they located my original parts. I asked if there was an issue with the original mag cylinder and the lady checked with the service department. There wasn't, and no one seemed to know why a new mag cylinder was also fit to the gun.
Anyway, a few days later I got my original action parts and the magnum cylinder back. Stuff happens.
 
Finally got a couple pics.. Had some minor hand surgery this week, so I had time off to play, but only 1 hand, and the wrong hand at that... Crappy pics, but the best I could get with only my left hand, and still on pain meds... I'm happy with the results of the reblue. The trigger guard looks light in the pic, but that's the lousy lighting. And the loading gate is still a nice plum color... If I look real close under the right light, I can see 2 very small pits on the cylinder, and a little discoloration at the base of the front site. And the 3 screws are on the light side. In my opinion, not bad considering what they had to work with. Still MUCH better than what I had before... Ruger did give me back the old parts, which I've already re-installed.
Workorder says in addition to the conversion and refinish, they corrected barrel/cyl gap, and 'repaired' the ERH. Not sure what was wrong. I think this gun was unfired, so don't know what needed to be repaired. Did I read somewhere that the early SBHs did not have a ferrell(?) supporting the ERH under the screw? It does now..





And a closer pic of the nickel case hardware..
 
Nice job, it came out pretty darn good...........yes, the "ferrule" ( stud) in the barrels do come loose and may have had to be "repaired, which would have called for a "refinish" of the gun anyway, a "win-win" for you in the long run.....love it when a 'plan' works out :wink:
 
I would definitely remove the "lockwork" and install a "conversion kit" PRIOR to shipping to Ruger. :D
After all, most of the "good ol' boys have boxes and boxes of conversion kits. Don't you? :D

JMHO,

flatgate
 
Keep the lockwork so it cannot in any way, shape or form get "lost". Keep the grips.

Send the gun to Ruger. It'll get a little stamp "the letter S, IIRC" and come back looking very nice. Get your hammer/trigger reblued locally. Store gun with pride! ! !

JMHO,

flatgate
 
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