Project Blackhawk

[Brules]

I found this NM 357 at the OGCA show. The owner said it was a movie prop gun, but I don't think so. The barrel is marked "blank only". The front sight is gone and the rear needs replaced.
I'm guessing someone used it for a fast draw gun. The barrel is the original Ruger barrel.
For $150, I thought it was worth it.

 

[Hondo44]

Absolutely, that was a great buy! Looks like a pre 1978 gun w/o billboard safety message on the barrel. Still has real wood grips instead of the 'plywood' or black plastic they come with these days. Could be a prop gun, fast draw guns are never marked 'Blanks Only' typically.

See if the rifling was drill out of the barrel. It's been cut back to what looks like 5".

What are your plans for it?

The simplest would be to screw on a new Ruger front sight if it still has rifling and add a rear sight blade. Maybe $12 total from Ruger. Or cut a little more off the barrel to make it a standard 4 5/8" size (even with the end of the ejector housing.

Or cut back to 3 3/4".

In addition add steel ejector housing and blue steel or SS grip frame, and SBH or Bisley hammer and trigger.

Ruger will re-blue it for $150 and it'll cost you about $30 to have a local FFl ship it to them.Best deal around!

It'll come back within 14 days and look like a brand new gun like this:

 

[Brules]

I have an extra 357 barrel around here somewhere...
I may screw on a new barrel and replace the rear sight.

 

[lfpiii]

In the old days movie prop guns accepted the blank cartridge but a loaded round could not fit because the cylinder was cut short. It could have been a wild west theme park show prop gun.

 

[xtratoy]

Curious to what you found out as to rifling in the barrel and/or whether the cylinder is chambered for a .357 cartridge. Nice find! Fitting a different barrel is a nice DIY project.

 

[Brules]

The barrel has rifling, and the cylinder is chambered for 357. I wonder if Ruger would fit a barrel for me.
I suppose I could cut the barrel back to 3 1/2".

 

[Hondo44]

Ruger will only fit a standard length barrel, $80. http://www.ruger.com/service/serviceFees.html

If you go with 3 3/4" the ejector rod housing is a standard Ruger part. Of course trimming a housing is pretty simple if one has access to a lathe. Or they can be hand shortened and filed with a little craftsmanship.