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ruger blackhawk
briguy
Member Posts: 459 ✭✭✭
Would a Blackhawk with the barrel marked "Made in the 200th year of American Liberty" be worth a premium over a standard blackhawk?
Comments
It's a Ruger Blackhawk 45colt. I believe it's a 5 1/2 inch barrel. On the top of the barrel it says something like made in the 200th anaversary of out revolution (or something like that). It is in very good comdition. Also I assume that it was made in 1976. Am I correct in that?
Thanks,
Tony
Most of them shoot OK, nothing special or exciting. Good serviceable pistols on the low end of price and craftsmanship IMHO.
Neal
These may have slightly better/slicker actions, but the older Colt design means they can go off if dropped with the hammer down on a loaded chamber. Traditionally, these are loaded with five rounds in the cylinder and the hammer down on an empty chamber for safety.
You can read, probably more than you'd ever want to know, about these below:
http://sportsmansvintagepress.com/3-screw-ruger-blackhawk/
Edit: And yes, many of the older guns have been retrofitted by Ruger with the transfer bar. So from a functional perspective, there many not be ANY difference. As an aside, I've been told that if you send Ruger any older gun, for any reason, and it hasn't already been done, they'll automatically retrofit the transfer bar safety whether you ask them to, or not!
About the retrofit of the new parts. They fit a transfer bar to the old gun, and have previously sent the old parts back. As to function, the retrofitted guns, do not change in function. To load and unload the gun, you open the loading gate, and pull the hammer to half cock to load and unload the gun. The New Models, to load and unload, all you have to do is open the loading gate, and the cylinder will turn to load/unload it. This is from experience! I have my late grandfathers 98% first year flattop Blackhawk, and my late father sent it in to be retrofitted. I have the old parts, and the pistol. My late grandmother paid $82.95 for it new, is what the receipt says. Yes, I am blessed!
Edit 1
I hate to say it like this, but the Old Models were made in the time frame that was the epitome of firearms manufacturing. The bean counters, had not yet gotten their hands on the production floor, and there was a lot more hand fitting, and pride that went into every one.
The 3 screw 44 Magnum Super Blackhawks are especially well made with beautiful bluing and great triggers. They are also very accurate. I'll take an old model over a new model every time.
Are they still returning the SAA type parts? Their lawyers might be worried about people putting them back in and making the guns "dangerous" again.