In the 1950s, Ruger introduced the venerable Blackhawk revolver, which remains both a desirable collector piece and a popular current-production gun. What makes the Ruger Blackhawk a popular revolver, both in terms of current production and as a collector’s piece?. Introduced in 1955, the Blackhawk was Ruger’s first centerfire revolver, and it’s still produced more than 70 years later. While development of the.44 Magnum was underway, both Ruger and S&W strove to introduce the first.44 Magnum revolvers, Ruger with an updated Blackhawk and S&W with the.44 Magnum, later known as the Model 29. There were a number of Blackhawk variants developed, including the Super Blackhawk, Flattop Blackhawk and the New Model series, along with a number of different caliber options.
The Flattop models tend to command the highest values on the collector’s market. In 1950 Bill Ruger’s gun company was on its way to becoming a major player in the industry, thanks to the success of his.22 Standard Pistol that had been introduced the previous year. The co-founder of Sturm, Ruger & Co.
Was ready to take the next step and add another product to the line. Ruger had always been a fan of single-action revolvers. He liked the simplicity and reliability of the old Colt design, along with its graceful shape and the way it felt in the hand. Image courtesy Sturm, Ruger & Co. Western movies were very popular in the late ’40s and early ’50s, and virtually every cast member was armed with a single-action sixgun.
The Colt Single Action Army had been out of production since 1940, and the company had announced it was no longer going to be made. Timing, as they say, is everything. Bill Ruger saw that the time was right to create a new, up-to-date single-action for a waiting market.
His idea was to make a rimfire six-shooter as a companion to his Standard to be known as the Single-Six. Work on the model was under way in 1951 and, by the end of 1953, had its second handgun on the market. Like the.22 semi-auto pistol, the Single-Six was a big success and became very popular with plinkers, campers, hikers and small-game hunters. The success of the Single-Six encouraged Bill Ruger to take the next step in the development of his line of handguns, a larger centerfire model, with the overall size about the same as the Colt. Like the Single-Six, it would be patterned after the Colt but with several changes, including an adjustable rear sight and coil springs instead of leaf springs in the action.
It was decided that the new revolver would be chambered in.357 Magnum, the most versatile choice because it would also fire the.38 Special. In 1955, Ruger’s first single-action centerfire revolver was introduced with a suggested retail price of $87.50 and was called the Blackhawk. In addition to his interest and affection for firearms, Bill Ruger was an admirer and collector of classic automobiles. One of his favorites was the Stutz Blackhawk. (Yet to come to the Ruger line was the Bearcat, named for another Stutz auto.) Barrel lengths of the Blackhawk were 4.625, 6.5 and 10 inches. Only a few hundred were made with the 10-inch barrel. Image courtesy Sturm, Ruger & Co.
Diversifying The Legend The Blackhawk went on to become one of the most successful Ruger firearms. It’s still being manufactured 72 years after its introduction, and, as would be expected, there have been several changes to the original design. One of the first was the addition of a new cartridge for the Blackhawk. It was being developed by Remington and Smith & Wesson and would be called the.44 Remington Magnum. Based on a lengthened.44 Special case, it was designed for a firearm that would also use.44 Special ammo, like the relationship between the.357 Magnum and.38 Special. In 1956, Bill Ruger learned the.44 Magnum was being developed and quickly decided to chamber it in the Blackhawk, beefing up the cylinder and frame to handle the heavier recoil. Barrel lengths of 6.5, 7.5 and 10 inches were to be offered.
Ruger
The latter two lengths are worth a premium on the collector’s market. There was somewhat of a race between Ruger and S&W to get the first.44 Magnum revolver to market. Depending on who you talk to or what you read, the winner could be either one. Phrases such as “went into production” or “was introduced” are not necessarily the same in the gun business, nor is an exact date when a gun is first sold in a retail setting. But in either event, by the end of 1956, both Ruger and S&W were in the.44 Magnum business, Ruger with the Blackhawk and S&W with what was then known simply as the “.44 Magnum” revolver, later called the Model 29.
Not long after the.44 Magnum Blackhawk hit the market, Ruger began to receive complaints about the six-gun’s stout recoil. The answer was the Super Blackhawk, more substantial Dragoon-style grip, non-fluted cylinder and squared trigger guard. It was introduced in 1959, with the early models sold with a mahogany carrying case, smooth walnut grips and a 7.5-inch barrel. A few hundred were made with a 6.5-inch barrel, and about 1,600 with a brass frame. The original cylinder top strap was flat-shaped and, in 1962, was reshaped to offer more protection to the rear sight. After this change, the earlier model became known as the Flattop Blackhawk.
This was in 1962 at about serial number 42,600. That same year, several new calibers were added to the original Blackhawk including the.41 Magnum,.45 Colt,.30 Carbine and convertible models with interchangeable cylinders in.357/9mm or.45 Colt/.45 ACP.
Other variations to the original Blackhawk over the years included several different grip options, reshaping of the ejector rod and a brass frame for a few rare models. The biggest change to the Blackhawk (and all Ruger single actions, including the Super Blackhawk, Single-Six and Bearcat) was the New Model series. This major change involved a transfer bar that allowed each model to have a fully loaded cylinder.
Early classic single actions were all essentially “five shooters,” and wise shooters always carried them with the hammer resting over an empty chamber. This was a safety issue to ensure the firearm would not discharge if dropped. This change occurred in 1973, and all subsequent Ruger single actions have the transfer bar operating system. With the transfer bar lockwork, the hammer is never in contact with the firing pin. Unless the trigger is pulled, the gun cannot fire. When the trigger is pulled, the transfer bar pivots to a point between the hammer and the firing pin, and when the hammer strikes the bar the energy transfers to the firing pin. Editor’s Note: This Collector’s Corner column is an excerpt from the Fall 2017 issue of One look inside the 72nd edition of Gun Digest and you’ll understand why it’s called “The World’s Greatest Gun Book.” is jammed full of the comprehensive, enlightening and eye-catching information that firearms fanatics crave.
No matter if your passion is long-range rifles, fancy shotguns, gritty Old West single-action revolvers, sleek semi-auto pistols or cutting-edge tactical rifles, Gun Digest brings them all to life and raises your firearms IQ.
SOLD FOR: $1,200 Make: Sturm, Ruger & Co. Model: Old Model Blackhawk Serial Number: 1058 Year of Manufacture: 1968 Caliber:.30 Carbine Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading-Gate Cylinder Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “Sturm, Ruger & Co.
/ Southport, Conn. U.S.A.” The left side of the frame is marked “Ruger Blackhawk /.30 Carbine Cal.”, followed by the Ruger logo.
The right side of the receiver is marked “1501”. The cylinder is marked “S” on its front face and hand scribed “058”. Barrel Length: 7 ½” Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated ramped blade mounted to an elevated base. The rear sight is a square notch adjustable for windage and elevation. Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are smooth walnut with black on silver Ruger medallions.
There are the faintest handling marks on the grips. The grips rate in about Excellent overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue Finish Originality: All Original Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 98% of its metal finish. There are some faint marks on the underside of the barrel from removing the cylinder. The cylinder itself shows the lightest dragline. It is apparent that this revolver was fired/cycled very little. The screw heads are Sharp.
The markings are Clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Excellent condition. Mechanics: The action functions correctly. This old model Blackhawk is in original factory condition without the transfer bar. We did not fire this handgun. Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in an original Black and Orange Ruger Box.
The side reads “BLACKHAWK /.30 CARBINE CAL. REVOLVER / CATALOG NO. BKH31 7 ½” BBL. / STURM, RUGER & CO., INC. / SOUTHPORT, CONN. U.S.A.” The side the box has the serial number written in white grease pen.
The box is in Fine condition. Inside the box are the original Instructions and parts list for Ruger Blackhawk Revolvers and an NRA promotional card. Our Assessment: This is a fantastic looking revolver for one that is 45 years old and doesn’t even look like it has ever been fired. It has a mint bore and a great cylinder lockup.
With its four click hammer, it sounds and functions like a Colt except the Ruger has more reliable coil springs. So, if you like “period” revolvers, this is as close as you can get with a modern design.
This very early first year of production.30 Carbine Blackhawk should be of great interest to the Ruger collector. Also, the adjustable sights make it easy to adjust for different loads without losing accuracy. The.30 Carbine cartridge can push a 105 grain bullet to over 1500 ft/sec out of a revolver. This revolver will be great for hunting small to medium sized game.
Lock, Stock and Barrel Investments specializes in the acquisition and sale of firearms, firearms paraphernalia and military / war memorabilia. We acquire items of any vintage and any condition from estates for any liquidation purpose. We will purchase or consign single items or entire collections. We pay fair market prices and have a history of achieving better than market prices for our consignors. We are liscensed FFL dealers and adhere to all local and federal laws. Firearm Consingments are ALWAYS welcome.
Welcome to the forum. My copy of the RENE Reference places your serial number in 1972 and says you have a model BKH-44X. Production started in 1971 and ended in 1973 when the transfer bar safety system was incorporated in the design and the New Models appeared.
No actual production numbers are known (typical of most Ruger products) but the RENE Reference does have this to say: 'BKH-44X and BKH-45X with silver eagle medallions. Known s/n range 45-07574 to 45-23016. Only a few thousand of each produced with the BKX-44X being the scarcest.' I think it would be safe to say you have a 'scarce' old model Blackhawk. Post a photo if you get the chance.
Thanks guys for all the information. I had no idea what the gun is worth, but I gave a lady 300.00 for the gun and an old cowboy holster. Since it is so rare any ideas on how it is worth for insurance purposes? In the right condition and to the right buyer it might be worth double what you paid for it.
The key is its condition and finding a collector who knows its rarity who would want it bad enough. On average 'post it on a forum and sell it price' you're probably closer to the 450-500 ballpark in very good condition. Again, condition being everything.
The holster may add additional value if it's a particularly nice rig by a well known maker. Any stamping on it?
Either way for 300.00 you done good. I have a new model convertible.45 and I love it. 45 Colt is probably the most reloaded pistol caliber in history. They like heavy bullets and slow burning powder. Since yours is an old model, it will handle the 'Ruger only' loads in most manuals.
I have always liked WW296 or H110 (which I think are the same exact powders just packaged for Winchester or Hogdon) and lately investigated Hogdon LilGun. Any of the manuals will have standard pressure load data for a vintage Colt which should not be subjected to over 20,000cups and you can shoot these in the Ruger if you want easy shooting loads, but I hunt with mine and favor the heavy loads. Here is 'Ruger ONLY' load data for H110 and LilGun from Hornady, which I posted in the reloading subforum.
Contents. History In the early 1950s, were popular in movies and television.
Had discontinued the iconic prior to, and few single-action revolvers were available to meet market demand for cowboy-style revolvers. In 1953, the new firm of Sturm, Ruger & Company introduced the, a single-action revolver. The Single-Six proved to be a popular seller, leading Ruger to develop and market a revolver similar to the Single Action Army: the Ruger Blackhawk. Ruger introduced the Blackhawk in 1955. Chambered for the, the Blackhawk was a simple and strong design, and it sold well. In 1956, as was introducing the new, Ruger quickly developed a variant of the Blackhawk in the new cartridge.
Ruger achieved wide popularity with this firearm in a hotly anticipated new cartridge, which was both cheaper and more readily available than the revolver. According to popular legend, Ruger was able to field a.44 Magnum revolver at nearly the same time as Smith & Wesson due to a Ruger employee finding expended.44 Magnum cartridge cases at a scrapyard and deducing that Smith & Wesson was about to launch a new cartridge. The 1955–1962 Blackhawks are known today as the 'Flattop' models, because their adjustable rear sights were not protected by 'ears' extending up from the frame as later became standard. From 1962 through 1972, Ruger made the 'Three Screw' Blackhawk in various calibers, so called by the number of screws visible on the side of the revolver. The Flattop and Three Screw Rugers were modernized compared to the Colt Single Action Army, in that they had adjustable sights instead of the Colt's fixed sights, and they used wire instead of the Colt's flat. Chose coil springs due to their greater durability, saying that it solved one of the primary weaknesses of the Colt design. The early models of the Blackhawk still operated the same way as the Colt, in that the hammer was half-cocked to load and unload and that the firearm was not safe to carry with all six chambers loaded due to the hammer resting upon the sixth chamber.
Ruger New Model Blackhawk .45 Serial Numbers
In 1973, in order to eliminate accidents occurring from the hammer jarring against a round loaded in the sixth chamber, Ruger introduced the New Model Blackhawk. The New Model Blackhawk did not require the hammer to be half-cocked for loading and unloading, and it employed a mechanism which prevented the cartridge under the hammer from being fired without the trigger being pulled. The New Blackhawk was seen as limiting firearms accidents and legal liability. Ruger then began offering a retrofit program, offering free transfer bar conversions to earlier variants of the Blackhawk. It is worth noting that the Super Blackhawk is capable of operating with much higher pressure handloads than factory produced ammunition in.44 Magnum. Factory produced loads, such as Federal Champion 240 gr JSP loads are right around 800 ft-lbs muzzle energy.
Loads in excess of 1200 ft-lbs muzzle energy are commonly produced by handloaders for this caliber and the Super Blackhawk can, in fact, handle more powerful loads than any.44 Magnum lever action rifle and substantially more powerful rounds than any double action.44 Magnum revolver. Buffalo Bore makes a heavy load that is in excess of 1500 ft-lbs muzzle energy. These facts make the Ruger Super Blackhawk one of the top choices for handgun hunting. It is capable of reliably taking down deer, elk, caribou, moose, lion, grizzly or brown bear and even cape buffalo.
It is commonly used to deliver a coup de grace shot to mortally wounded large game, having the ability to dispatch even an elephant with a conscientiously placed point blank shot to the head. The wide availability of.44 Magnum cases and bullets make the.44 Magnum chambering far more practical than.454 Casull or.480 Ruger, while allowing for similar ballistics in custom loadings. The Ruger Super Blackhawk in.44 Magnum is one of the most accurate big bore pistols for target shooting, typically returning 5 shot groups that are one ragged hole from a rest at 25 yards.
Work is commonly performed on the action of these revolvers to give a light, crisp trigger pull, thereby contributing to accuracy. Various models. Variation of Ruger Blackhawk of all-steel construction and a number of retro features including.357-size frame and steel micro sight. Best of sizzla the story unfolds. There is a Bisley Grip Variation and a selection of calibers.44 Special pictured. Over the years the Blackhawk has appeared in a wide variety of models.
These models include:. New Model Blackhawk: Produced in in, and; produced in in with an 8-round cylinder,.357 Magnum, and.45 Colt. Multiple barrel lengths were offered in many of these configurations. New Model Blackhawk Convertible: The cylinder of a Blackhawk is easily removed, and can be replaced with a cylinder for a different cartridge of the same diameter. Ruger has offered 'convertible' cylinder revolvers in /.45 Colt, /, and.357 Magnum/. Other than being sold with multiple cylinders, these firearms are identical to the Blackhawk.
New Model Super Blackhawk: Produced in blued and stainless, with or without a rib for mounting a. The Super Blackhawk is built on the same frame, but with a larger grip (in the 7.5' and 10.5' barrels) and unfluted cylinder (except for 5.5' barrel), in order to more effectively deal with the.44 Magnum's recoil. Also, the grip frames are made of, versus for those same components in the Blackhawk. Ejector rod housings were originally steel on old model Super Blackhawks. The new model stainless steel versions have steel ejector rod housings. and New Vaquero: With the popularity of came demand for a single-action revolver that was more traditional in appearance.
Verb forms list with hindi meaning. Ransitivetay-erbvay.pdf - Transitive Verb List A transitive verb is an action verb that requires the addition of an object to complete its meaning. “Bell invented. Dec 25, 2017 - Verb English to Gujarati with favorite options. Words are divided into categories so that you can learn them very easily. With the favorite options. Basic Vocabulary of Gujarati. (First Draft). Price list -avp{ak neut. Principal mu¥l adj. Property imlkt fem. Rate -av masc. Dec 28, 2017 - Distribution of native Gujarati speakers in India Gujarati (; ગુજરાતી gujarātī ) is an native to the state of. It is part of the greater.
As the standard Ruger Blackhawk departs from the Single Action Army looks due to its adjustable sights, Ruger offered a fixed-sight equivalent to cater to buyers wanting a more traditional appearance. In all other ways, the Vaquero was identical to the Blackhawk, though offered in slightly fewer variants. The original Vaquero was offered in.357 Magnum,.44 Magnum, and.45 Colt. After some time, Ruger went with a smaller frame to more closely resemble the actual size of the Colt SAA, changed the name to the New Vaquero, and dropped the powerful.44 Magnum from the lineup.
While keeping the smaller size, Ruger later went back to the simple Vaquero name.: The Bisley grip is a type of angled grip developed by Colt for target shooting at the end of the 19th Century. Ruger's 'Bisley' offerings incorporated a Bisley-style grip, hammer spur, and trigger.: The Old Army is a (') revolver based on the Blackhawk frame. Calibers. / Convertible (Single distributor—discontinued). / Convertible. (Discontinued). / Convertible (Single distributor—discontinued).
(Super Blackhawk only). / Convertible (Single distributor—discontinued). / Convertible. (Super Blackhawk Distributor Exclusive). (Super Blackhawk Distributor Exclusive) Finishes.
See also. References. Single Action Sixguns. Krause Publications. Big Bore Sixguns. Krause Publications. Sturm Ruger booklet 'Fifty Years of.44 Magnums'.
Larson, Erik (24 June 1993). The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 October 2015 – via Proquest. (Subscription required ( help)). Buffalo Bore Ammunition Strictly Big Bore - Strictly Business. Retrieved 2017-10-15. Shooting Times.
Retrieved 2017-10-15. Retrieved 2017-10-15. DIYautotech (2012-11-22), retrieved 2017-10-15 External links.
Ruger New Model Blackhawk Serial Number History New Model Blackhawk Revolver (Includes Bisley Models) Caliber: 45 Colt/45 ACP Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 46- 46- 46- 46- 46- 46- 46- 46- 46- 46- 46- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 47- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48- 48-56911 and.38-.38-.38-.45 cal. Blackhawk serial numbers rollmarked with.357 cal. Blackhawk revolvers beginning in 2013. The above chart shows the approximate first serial number shipped for the indicated year. This number should be used as a point of reference only.
It is not necessarily the very first serial number shipped, but it can be used to determine the approximate year your Ruger firearm was shipped. Ruger does not necessarily produce firearms in serial number order. There are occasions when blocks of serial numbers have been manufactured out of sequence, sometimes years later. Also, within a model family the same serial number prefix may be used to produce a variety of different models, all in the same block of serial numbers.
And in some cases, firearms may be stored for a length of time before they are shipped. For details on your specific serial number you may contact our Service Department: 336-949-5200 For serial numbers manufactured prior to our electronic records, or for an official letter confirming the details on your firearm please download and mail in the form.
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