OM Ruger SBH refurbish?

[babills]

I just traded into a 3 screw SBH with a 7.5 barrel. It has a lot of honest wear on the finish but very minimal rust or pitting. Grips are in good shape, and it shoots fantastic and accurate. Should I send it to Ruger for a refurbish? I know they will convert it but I believe I can take it apart and keep the parts to convert it back. Not sure of collectors value and how it will be affected? Keep original or refurbish? I also thought about a case colored frame and fire blue screws with new sights and and reblue on everything else? Sort of custom? I need help with my decision please!

 

[Get Wood]

I See Nothing Wrong With It . It Is Great. I Would Leave It As Is And ENJOY It. Just My.02.
.

 

[Johnnu2]

The last thing I would do is send it to Ruger..... I just hate that they "convert" even though we can convert back. They do stamp and big scarlet letter under the grip frame to designate it as converted. Just my personal peeve.
Value if refurbished? I believe that there are so many bazzillions of this great model, that "value" is negligible either way. Personally, I like it the way it is.........if you make it too pretty, you may not use it the way you should.... (happens to me all the time).
If you want to make it pretty, (and have LOTS of money), I would send it to one of the many great gunsmiths (Bobby Tyler comes to mind, as do several others) and have it color case finished (Turnbull's is beautiful); then get you some custom ($$$) fancy grips. My estimate for this level of work including bluing (and no other gunsmithing) would be $1000 minimum.....but beautiful.
Net: leave it alone, it's a "super" gun you got there....p.s. you could always throw some after market grips on it.
IMHO,
J

 

[BULL'S-EYE]

Keep it as is and enjoy it. I have several OM Rugers with honest wear, which I prefer to think of as "character"...And the last thing I'd ever do, is send them back just so Ruger's legal department can check yet another box. Besides, they're not doing the high polish blue anymore anyway, so you'll likely be disappointed with the results.

 

[cowboydave]

Keep it like it is and buy ammo with the money you would spend on it.
BTW it looks great .

 

[azleite]

Please, leave It Alone

 

[hittman]

When I see a refinished gun I wonder what else was wrong with it and how badly it was abused.
Honest wear is a badge of honor.

 

[rugerguy]

welcome to the forum, and from what we see of your picture no good reason to have it ""redone",, we've done hundreds over the years and they were ALL worse than yours looks,,,just needs a bit of tlc and touch up,,,, enjoy it, save the money for ammo as noted above...........just my .02 cents

 

[Cholo]

Besides, they're not doing the high polish blue anymore anyway, so you'll likely be disappointed with the results.

My first thought

 

[arfmel]

That’s a neat looking gun. Don’t let them monkey with it.

 

[contender]

I have to agree with the good folks above,, leave it as is & enjoy it. Or if you must redo the finish,, go ahead & let a custom place do the work.

 

[Hankus]

The last thing I would do is send it to Ruger..... I just hate that they "convert" even though we can convert back. They do stamp and big scarlet letter under the grip frame to designate it as converted. Just my personal peeve.
Value if refurbished? I believe that there are so many bazzillions of this great model, that "value" is negligible either way. Personally, I like it the way it is.........if you make it too pretty, you may not use it the way you should.... (happens to me all the time).

Unfortunately, Tyler Gun Works isn’t currently accepting any one-off custom work … I need to find someone else to do some work on my Vaquero Bisley.

 

[Actnbill]

I would strip it down....clean and oil it properly.... and buy a set of Rosewood grips with the Ruger Medallion in them..... and that's it....

It's amazing what a good cleaning and a new set of grips will do for a revolver....

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Collectors and enthusiasts often grade guns in percentage of original finish remaining - remember that a refinished gun has 0% original finish remaining.

 

[bykerhd]

I like it as is.

 

[The Preacher]

Just shows character. As others have said, keep it as it is and enjoy it.

 

[dobegrant.45]

welcome from Arizona, I
would also use it as is.

 

[Danjet500]

Your gun. Do as you please. Myself, I would leave it as is and shoot it. Never have to worry about scratching or marring the new finish. You said it yourself, it shoots great. What more could you want from the old girl?

 

[woodperson]

I like your gun the way it is. I bought a OM .41 mag that was in really rough shape once. I sent it in to Ruger and had a steel grip frame put on the gun and the gun refinished. I liked it at the time. But over time I now know I would be happy to have the gun original and rough now. And to have put the refinish money into another gun.

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

I agree with the "let her be crowd"
Everyone should have at least one shooter with character in their line up.

My "old Girl" ....1960 BKH 34, Type IV , Scarce 8 groove, ser,# 31461, 2450 made. Micro target frt. sight with FITZ Stag grips.

Terry

 

[44Squatch]

Leave it … it’s nice.
And contrary to the far above, there’s only a little less than 100,000 made. Shooting from the hip here (yes, intended pun) with numbers, there’s a smidge less than 35,000 non-prefixed made and a smidge less than 65,000 pre-fixed made.
And none have been made in 50 years.

 

[Hawk-in-Wi]

that doesn't even have honest wear----- shoot it's darn near new , keep it the way it is and enjoy

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Some look good with wear

Some look good without wear and a little plum