chet15
Hawkeye
We suspected this might be happening when the first pics of the large frame Vaquero .44 Mag birdshead by TALO was first seen. The left side of the cylinder frame appeared to show the "RUGER NEW VAQUERO" phrase as being rollmarked, but the caliber marking below was black and looked etched. Now that appears to be the case, and the serial number is also etched.
You can tell the difference between rollmarked and etched serial numbers because the etched numbers appear to be a more petite font, although I think the real difference comes in the amount of space used, from first digit to last digit, is much shorter. It looks like a small serial number.
I suppose all the .44 Birdshead Vaquero's are like this, except for what is probably the prototype from the TALO website pics...58-99802.
Super Blackhawks are also making the transition, with the change coming between 88-84316 and 88-84806. For these it looks like there was a quantity of the LIPSEYS .454 or .480 Bisley Super Blackhawks in the 88-84xxx range, so perhaps a RF member will be able to tell us how theirs were marked.
New Vaqueros have also made the change...occurring between 512-86038 and 512-93350. What I didn't check on any of these guns was the barrel rollmark, to see if they are still being rollmarked or if they are now laser etched. As with the TALO gun mentioned above, for some reason Ruger is still rollmarking "RUGER NEW VAQUERO" on the left side of the cylinder frame and laser etching the caliber below it as well as laser etching the serial number.
Finally, the Ruger New Bearcat has also made the change...between 95-09442 and 95-09722 for the Shopkeeper model and sometime after 93-68570 for Ruger's cataloged models.
The easiest way to spot a laser etched Ruger is to look at stainless models. The etching leaves behind a black oxide within the letters, as if they've been burnt...which they are. I found that sometimes this black can also come out of the markings, but more often than not, the black remains.
I have not yet seen a new Blackhawk or Single-Six model with laser etched markings.
Chet15
You can tell the difference between rollmarked and etched serial numbers because the etched numbers appear to be a more petite font, although I think the real difference comes in the amount of space used, from first digit to last digit, is much shorter. It looks like a small serial number.
I suppose all the .44 Birdshead Vaquero's are like this, except for what is probably the prototype from the TALO website pics...58-99802.
Super Blackhawks are also making the transition, with the change coming between 88-84316 and 88-84806. For these it looks like there was a quantity of the LIPSEYS .454 or .480 Bisley Super Blackhawks in the 88-84xxx range, so perhaps a RF member will be able to tell us how theirs were marked.
New Vaqueros have also made the change...occurring between 512-86038 and 512-93350. What I didn't check on any of these guns was the barrel rollmark, to see if they are still being rollmarked or if they are now laser etched. As with the TALO gun mentioned above, for some reason Ruger is still rollmarking "RUGER NEW VAQUERO" on the left side of the cylinder frame and laser etching the caliber below it as well as laser etching the serial number.
Finally, the Ruger New Bearcat has also made the change...between 95-09442 and 95-09722 for the Shopkeeper model and sometime after 93-68570 for Ruger's cataloged models.
The easiest way to spot a laser etched Ruger is to look at stainless models. The etching leaves behind a black oxide within the letters, as if they've been burnt...which they are. I found that sometimes this black can also come out of the markings, but more often than not, the black remains.
I have not yet seen a new Blackhawk or Single-Six model with laser etched markings.
Chet15
