3 screw - flat top Blackhawk ??
I buddy of mine picked up an older 3 screw flat top the other day and brought it over. Overall nice condition with the blueing turning a slight purple - but - it had a trigger guard/backstap that looked to be silver (not aluminum or nickle). I know there were some that had brass guards and if factory are worth a bit more, but Ive not seen any with silver. Any ideas???
IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY RIGHTS - GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY (this includes politicians)<P>
IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY RIGHTS - GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY (this includes politicians)<P>
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did you take the grips off and look to see there are any model # on the inside of the grip frame ? 0 -
It could be plated or it could have had the bluing polished off and now the metal is in the "white". If that's the case just have it re-blued. If it's been electroplated, I'd leave it alone. I am not familiar with any factory finish like that on a 3 screw. Maybe someone else has some ideas?
"Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away." Thoreau0 -
The Blackhawk grip frame was an aluminum allow. It would have been anodized, not blued. I suppose it could be re-anodized but not blued. You have said the frame is not aluminum or nickle so it must have been silver plated by a plating shop. All three screw Ruger Blackhawks were not "flat tops". Only the early ones with the perfectly flat top strap are referred to as "flat tops" by Ruger collectors. It is a common error to refer to all three screw Rugers, even Single Sixes, as flat tops but that is not collector terminology. 0 -
I remember years ago seeing a couple of Rugers (both .22's) that had bright polished aluminum backstraps. Now whether they were original, I don't know. I am not a Ruger collector or expert. 0 -
Sorry Herschel - It is a "Flat Top" 3 screw .44 Blackhawk. I do know a little of the terminology, but no expert by any means. Just questioning the strap...
IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY RIGHTS - GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY (this includes politicians)<P>0 -
BlueTic, check the frame with a magnet, will tell you if it's steel (which it should NOT be for an old flatop) or if it's the original alloy frame. Under the grip panels ,it will be marked with the letters "XR-3" which means it was original and someone probably just polished it to whatever degree of "brightness" they desired, could look like nickel plating even.
It could be plated, but I rather doubt it.;)
dan0 -
I put your question to a friend that ran the finishing dept for Ruger and is now retired.Below is his answer I had sent him a link to this topic.
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HI ART, THE GRIP FRAMES THAT ARE ON THE EARLY .44 FLATTOP BLACKHAWKS ARE ALUMINUM ALLOY, AS WAS SAID BY ANOTHER GENTLEMAN. WE SENT THEM OUT TO BE ANODIZED. IF IT IS A STEEL OR STAINLESS STEEL GRIP, IT IS A REPLACEMENT, AS THEY WERE ALL ALUMINUM AT THAT TIME. A 3 SCREW "SUPER BLACKHAWK" GRIP FRAME CAN BE FITTED TO A "BLACKHAWK" BUT THE GRIP IS MUCH LONGER, AND HAS THE FLAT ON THE BACK OF THE TRIGGER GUARD. THOSE ARE STEEL. I HAVE SEEN GUNS COME BACK TO THE SHOP, WITH NICKEL OR CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM GRIP FRAMES, AND SOME EVEN COMING BACK WITH ENGRAVED GRIP FRAMES, BUT THE FACTORY ORIGINAL GRIPS WERE ANODIZED, ALUMINUM ALLOY, DAVE
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I saw an old model 41 Mag Blackhawk at a gun shop with stainless gripframe that looked great.
Regrettably, I was too long in deciding.0
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