Ruger Old Army black powder

[ausman]

Have been thinking about trying out a black powder revolver. The Ruger Old Army 44 has been popular, though not listed (on the Ruger pages I have looked at) so I assume it has been discontinued. Is this correct, and if so are spares available should I purchase a second hand revolver?

Sorry if this question seems a little daft, however I live in an area where a lot of firearm information is a little harder to access than most of your forum members would be used to.

 

[chet15]

Yes....sadly, Ruger's Old Army revolver was dropped from their catalog a few years ago....and prices continue to go up little by little.
Secondhand guns will shoot just as good as NIB examples. In fact, I would be that most used Old Army's have not had that many rounds through them anyway.
Chet15

 

[contender]

Chet15 is correct. Quite often you can find unfired "used" ones, as well as well cared for used ones.
I will suggest you look closely at the nipples and chamber areas to see if they were cared for. Easiest place to see any problems.
They are fine shooters!

 

[gunman42782]

Bill Ruger said that they would never drop the Old Army as long as he lived. They didn't wait too long after he was dead and gone to discontinue it. The Old Army is, without a doubt, the finest black powder revolver that has ever been made, bar none.

 

[gclefton]

The Old Army is, without a doubt, the finest black powder revolver that has ever been made, bar none.

+1 -- Very pleased with mine.

 

[STGThndr]

I miss my Old Army, had to trade it off to get a duty revolver, I got one of the earliest made... Hope to get a stainless 5.5 inch bbl someday. I can't think of a better black powder revolver ever made, mystifies me why Ruger discontinued it.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

The Old Army is, without a doubt, the finest black powder revolver that has ever been made, bar none.

+2

I bought a used one, comparatively cheap, just before they were discontinued. You used to be able to buy used ones reasonably!

Then I found another one that was LINB that came with a bunch of stuff. That one got shot about 100 rounds (some of those CAS gunfighter style with the other one, major fun!! ), cleaned well and put away for now, but not permanently. The first used one is my "shooter", has been shot at least 800 rounds since I've owned it and I just cast another 200 balls for it. No telling how many times it had been shot before but it definately had and had been cared for properly, although being SS helped. I don't think its going to wear out anytime soon. It just seems to keep getting smoother. I have been using it a lot lately, it is just so much fun to spend an afternoon taking my time to shoot 50 rounds rather than 30 minutes shooting a hundred.

 

[Axehandle]

There seem to be plenty of used copies available here.. Gunsmith David Clements just made a batch of ROA hammers and trigger that allow use of the NM Bisley grip frame on the ROA. He also converts the ROA to a 5 shot 50 bore.

 

[ausman]

Thank for the replies.
I'll take my time and keep an eye out for one that's in good nick.