I have decided Rugers are not for me, but..?

[Warden Callaway 4,673]

The gun/pawn/and Stihl chainsaw shop in a small town in southern Missouri has had this pair of Old Army fixed sights stainless with conversion cylinders for too long.  Sawmill Mary and I took a drive today and, long story short, came home with them.

 

 

We got what looks to be Hogue checkered grips thrown in to top off the deal.

 

I may be able to live with these Rugers. They have 3 screws (although on wrong side) and the action is somewhat familiar. 

[Colorado Coffinmaker 3,463]

 

They also sport Conversion Cylinders.  Gonna be fun with cartridges.

[Warden Callaway 4,673]

9 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

They also sport Conversion Cylinders.  Gonna be fun with cartridges.

 

Yes,  somewhere in the shuffle,  the boxes and original percussion cylinders were lost. But they look unfired. They look high polished.  Did they come in polished and not?

[J-BAR #18287 6,037]

Welcome to the club.

 

 

After fighting with '51s, '60s, '58s, etc.  you are going to feel spoiled.

 

Enjoy, my friend.

[Stump Water 115]

Well, they obviously weren't listed in the SASS classifieds.

 

Helluva find.

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 1,429]

Wish I had that kind of shop in my area!

 

Randy

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783 2,736]

Well done!

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263 800]

Very nice.  They remind me of the pistol Henry Darrow's character uses on High Chaparral. What caliber, Warden?

[Warden Callaway 4,673]

36 minutes ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

Wish I had that kind of shop in my area!

 

Randy

 

You never know.  On our way back from Black Gold a couple of years ago,  we came through the middle of Tennessee.   We deliberately drove the state highways when we could.   Through one small town we spotted a small archery shop that said guns.  Pulled in and they guy had many 8 long guns.  But one was a pre-safty Marlin 1894 44 Magnum in safe queen condition.  It had a new scope and rings. The price was half what you'd expect to pay. The story was, a divorced woman brought it in and put it on consignment.  She set the price at what they paid for it new years back.  I tried to get him to take the scope and rings off and lower the price but he wouldn't.  I didn't need it but I couldn't see leaving it. 

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 1,429]

I guess there is always hope. 

 

Thanks 

Randy 

[Yul Lose 6,451]

1 hour ago, Warden Callaway said:

The gun/pawn/and Stihl chainsaw shop in a small town in southern Missouri has had this pair of Old Army fixed sights stainless with conversion cylinders for too long.  Sawmill Mary and I took a drive today and, long story short, came home with them.

 

 

We got what looks to be Hogue checkered grips thrown in to top off the deal.

 

I may be able to live with these Rugers. They have 3 screws (although on wrong side) and the action is somewhat familiar. 

The addiction starts.

[Warden Callaway 4,673]

6 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

The addiction starts.

 

I have 5 Pietta cap guns so I've been addicted for some time. 

 

Problem with these Rugers,  I don't have holsters for the long barrels.  And if I can snag percussion cylinders,  I don't have molds to make BIG bails. 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 1,113]

I can't say for sure if they are, but I have always believed that the Ruger Old Army was essentially a "modernized" Remington '58, much like the Vaquero is a modernized SAA.  [Any Ruger shooters, please correct my assertions if they are incorrect.]  Anyway, while I recognize that it is a very well made gun, I am not personally interested in the Vaquero.  However, I have always thought that the Old Army was one really cool looking pistol and would love to have one that's been cartridge converted.   And wow, you found a matched pair of them.   I am jealous.  You've got a good find.  Hooray for you.

[Warden Callaway 4,673]

The conversion cylinders are marked R&D on ratchet area and don't have they small rim view windows like the current models. 

 

Is it much of a problem just cutting in view ports?

[Yul Lose 6,451]

5 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

The conversion cylinders are marked R&D on ratchet area and don't have they small rim view windows like the current models. 

 

Is it much of a problem just cutting in view ports?

Adding the ports is not that big of a deal. I used a file on one set and a machinist friend of mine did another set. That being said sometimes if the shadows or sun is just right you still have to check the firing pins to see which one is not protruding.

[Warden Callaway 4,673]

Maybe a DIY video! 

 

I'll have to do it while Sawmill Mary's not watching.  She was complaining to the gunshop guy today that every gun I buy ends up taken apart on the dinning table. 

[Yul Lose 6,451]

54 minutes ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

I can't say for sure if they are, but I have always believed that the Ruger Old Army was essentially a "modernized" Remington '58, much like the Vaquero is a modernized SAA.  [Any Ruger shooters, please correct my assertions if they are incorrect.]  Anyway, while I recognize that it is a very well made gun, I am not personally interested in the Vaquero.  However, I have always thought that the Old Army was one really cool looking pistol and would love to have one that's been cartridge converted.   And wow, you found a matched pair of them.   I am jealous.  You've got a good find.  Hooray for you.

For me the ROA addiction is similar to my love of Pedersoli Lightning rifles and 16 gauge shotguns. My wife has told me that I’m a little different and I guess it shows with my affection for the not so main stream cowboy guns.

[irish ike, SASS #43615 1,174]

I don't have the ports. I just look to see which firing pin isn't sticking up.

Would it be rude to ask what you paid? I have the exact same thing sort of, Blued and short barrels, R&D, and action job. I might sell them.

[Warden Callaway 4,673]

8 hours ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

Would it be rude to ask what you paid? I

 

Well,  I'll just say with something that's not been made in any big quantities or for some 30 years,  you pay based on how badly you want it and how motivated the seller is.  One sale probably ain't enough to make a market analyst.  The curve is too flat.

 

I've spotted this pair nearly two years ago in this shop and looked at them. And expected them to be gone the next time we came back. I guess the area doesn't have many Cowboy or black powder shooters as they were still there.

 

Not having original cylinders,  box and papers kind of knocks them off the collector's list. Even though they look unfired. 

 

The shop is like all others,  getting picked over by people buying black rifles and Tupperware pistols.  They are not putting money into big, clunky, slow loading shiny guns when they can buy something that is tacticool. 

[Texas Joker 251]

Can't wait to see those in the spring! That is a great find Warden.

Old armies like that need a couple US cavalry holsters. Thems officers guns

[J-BAR #18287 6,037]

Classic Ballistix can send you BP cylinders for your ROAs.  Yes, the price is breathtaking.  Yes, the guns are worth it.  Sell the conversion cylinders since you already have .45 Colt cartridge guns.

 

http://www.classicballistx.com/our_cylinder.html

 

 

[irish ike, SASS #43615 1,174]

Wow, the cylinder price is what you could get an ROA for back 10 years ago! Yikes.

[Yul Lose 6,451]

37 minutes ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

Wow, the cylinder price is what you could get an ROA for back 10 years ago! Yikes.

Capt. Baylor wrote an article in the October 2020  Chronicle about C&B cylinders from Ran Can for around $185.00 per cylinder. A pard of mine just got two of them and they are very well made, fluted too.

Edited December 19, 2020 by Yul Lose

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 578]

I'd check with Ruger, they might have some still in stock.

[Dirty Dan Dawkins 895]

On 12/18/2020 at 7:42 PM, Warden Callaway said:

 

You never know.  On our way back from Black Gold a couple of years ago,  we came through the middle of Tennessee.   We deliberately drove the state highways when we could.   Through one small town we spotted a small archery shop that said guns.  Pulled in and they guy had many 8 long guns.  But one was a pre-safty Marlin 1894 44 Magnum in safe queen condition.  It had a new scope and rings. The price was half what you'd expect to pay. The story was, a divorced woman brought it in and put it on consignment.  She set the price at what they paid for it new years back.  I tried to get him to take the scope and rings off and lower the price but he wouldn't.  I didn't need it but I couldn't see leaving it. 

I bought a nearly new 44-40 Cowboy 24” with action job for $500 under similar circumstances 

[Warden Callaway 4,673]

On 12/18/2020 at 7:24 PM, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

I can't say for sure if they are, but I have always believed that the Ruger Old Army was essentially a "modernized" Remington '58,

 

I'd say more like a Spiller and Burr. The three screw action and the base pin / loading lever design.  About 9 minutes into this video Mike takes the gun apart and shows the difference in design.

 

 

 

Did the Old Army stainless come in dull and bright polished finish?  These are polished remarkably well.  The best finished Rugers I've seen. I had a pair of stainless Vaqueros that looked like they were finished by the sheltered workshop. 

[J-BAR #18287 6,037]

2 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

 

Did the Old Army stainless come in dull and bright polished finish?  

I have a pair of 7 1/2” bright stainless ROAs that are factory originals and remarkably accurate, poi is poa for both, without any tweaking.

 

[bgavin 1,567]

On 12/18/2020 at 4:42 PM, Warden Callaway said:

... we came through the middle of Tennessee.   ...But one was a pre-safty Marlin 1894 44 Magnum in safe queen condition.  The story was, a divorced woman brought it in and put it on consignment. 

This is "antique" shopping for cowboys.
Kudos on the exceptional find.
If one of those in 44 mag fell off the truck in front of my house.. I'd sure keep it.