Old Army Find

[mstan99999]

Did a trade with an old friend, gun dealer this weekend. We were swapping tactical stuff for tactical stuff. But we couldn't quite get to an even trade. I saw this on a bottom shelf and just saw the outer box. When I asked about it, he agreed to let it make the trade even. I LOVE Rugers in 44mag. But I've never owned an Old Army before. Please tell me what you think. The serial number puts it at 1980. However, the red box says Blackhawk .357 and has a 1973 date printed on the box itself. I did find the Old Army label inside the box with the gun and nipple wrench. Did Ruger label over old boxes to ship these? It looks to be unfired. I would love to know your opinion on value. I'm a shooter, not a collector. Is this one I should shoot? Dang, I hope so. This looks like fun. Let me know what you think.

Thanks!!
Matt

 

[Rclark]

Yep. It's a shooter. These are the 'common' variety even though no longer made. Also, not a .44 of course but actually a .45. It shoots a .457 ball. The bore is .451. Enjoy . As for value, that is all over the place! It's crazy. Mine were bought at around $400 just a few years ago.

 

[RSIno1]

Looks unfired. I had a NIB SS one that I couldn't bring myself to shoot - they are only new once. I sold it and intended to buy a nice used one to shoot. I never found one and now the prices are so high I've taken the OA off the list.

 

[daveg.inkc]

Use anti seize on all threads. I prefer the silver over copper ant seize. Grab all the Pyrodex P that you can find. All reload supplies are in high demand. As we all know. Muzzleloaders and blackpowder seems to be last to go. Midway USA has Pyrodex P. With $25 ship & haz mat fee.

 

[contender]

Nice package.
Great find.
Box, & shipper appear to be original. The stick over label,, yep,, commonly done when a box was needed,, and they were awaiting new shipments of boxes. Labels have often been used on different boxes by Ruger.

 

[jgt]

I'm a shooter not a collector. Many of my guns are collected by others. I buy guns I like for quality of workmanship, strength, reputation, and their fit into my shooting scheme. I often hear the phrase, If only that gun could talk. I plan on being the person that gives the gun character and the voice if it ever does talk. So I dare to shoot mine. They may not bring top collector dollar price, but I take care of them. I feel certain they will bring enough at resale. The difference is a bargain compared to the pleasure and experience of owning and using such guns. That stainless gun will take a lot of use and still be able to be cleaned up in operational and cosmetic areas. Shoot and enjoy. Life is too short to do otherwise.

 

[Johnnu2]

Ruger Old Army (stainless) you say....? Better check here for values (seems they may be going UP ?):

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Keywords=Ruger%20Old%20Army

That said, shoot it and enjoy it for years.... You will probably STILL be able to sell it for good money IF you should want to.

J.

 

[street]

Ruger only made 2 sizes of that type of box. The short one was printed for the Standard Auto RST-4. The Larger box was printed for the 6 1/2 in. 357 Blackhawk BN-36. All of the other guns that Ruger Shipped was shipped in those two boxes with the correct paste on label applied. So your box should be the correct one if it has the serial number written on the side of the box.

 

[GLASSMAN]

Collector grade package, North of 700.00.
I remember when we could buy all the NIB Stainless ones
at the gunshows for 300.00 OTD.
I bought several but ended up keeping 1 NIB Stainless and 1 blue, and use a Stainless for a shooter.
Thing is, that shooter is a 4 digit gun with the backward marked cylinder. :shock:
I would shoot that gun and keep it in nice condition, as you said.
You could trade it for a shooter and some cash if shipping and such didn't eat up the difference. Probably only worth considering if there was a couple hundred dollars
involved.

 

[Rclark]

It's interesting the talk about a guns 'worth' . When I buy a gun, it's because I want it to shoot it. I personally don't 'care' what it is worth as I have no intention of re-selling it (in my life-time). I'll let my descendants worry that bone. I am simply going to enjoy shooting them until I can't. Shoot them, not abuse them of course. That's my philosophy on firearms ... but it doesn't have to be every ones! Of course if I run across an original Walker that was stuffed an attic trunk, I'd sell it to a collector who cares about 'historic' firearms to be displayed in a musuem.... Obviously use some common sense here .

 

[chet15]

Did a trade with an old friend, gun dealer this weekend. We were swapping tactical stuff for tactical stuff. But we couldn't quite get to an even trade. I saw this on a bottom shelf and just saw the outer box. When I asked about it, he agreed to let it make the trade even. I LOVE Rugers in 44mag. But I've never owned an Old Army before. Please tell me what you think. The serial number puts it at 1980. However, the red box says Blackhawk .357 and has a 1973 date printed on the box itself. I did find the Old Army label inside the box with the gun and nipple wrench. Did Ruger label over old boxes to ship these? It looks to be unfired. I would love to know your opinion on value. I'm a shooter, not a collector. Is this one I should shoot? Dang, I hope so. This looks like fun. Let me know what you think.

Thanks!!
Matt

The red hinged box had only two variations... the short one with RST4 info printed on the end and the longer one with BN-36 info printed on the end. If it wasn't either of those two models, Ruger just put a label on the end.
Chet15

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Ruger Old Army (stainless) you say....? Better check here for values (seems they may be going UP ?):

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Keywords=Ruger%20Old%20Army

J.

Yes indeed. If that gun does in fact appear unfired it might very well have "collector" value to the right person. What that "value" might be would be whatever the seller and buyer agree on. JMHO

:mrgreen:

 

[gramps]

I bought an ROA blued in Oct 2019 for $450. It has the 7.5inch barrel. It shoots really nice, and accurate.
gramps