Medallion colors

Holiday009
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 9:21 am

Medallion colors

Post by Holiday009 »

I’ve seen several photos of the original red eagle, but, none of the original black that would’ve been on the MK series after Mr Sturms death.

Anyone have any photos of the different logo’s ?

Also when did they drop the SR on the logo ? All newer ones I see are just R
rugerguy
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Location: NE OHio

Re: Medallion colors

Post by rugerguy »

you almost have to go and look at , read the various books and periodicals put out over the years because the vintage of the eagle itself has changed over the years quite a few "variations", wide neck, skinny neck neck feather in the 1967-68 period as well as different points on the feathers of the wings...cannot recall any one source that listed them ALL together in one shot....yes even chin feathers on the birds beaks,,,,and on and on
yes even the background of the silver of the medallions there is brushed, and shiny ( glossey)
RocDoc
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Location: E Idaho, N Texas

Re: Medallion colors

Post by RocDoc »

This doc by Bill Hamm has been pubished a few times and hosted at GunBlast. He describes some details on medallions.

https://gunblast.com/Hamm_Ruger-SA-GripFrames.htm

These are the only versions I have been able to accumulate so far. Think I have another version on the way to me in the mail. I think there was a gold colored version for a special issue SA?
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RocDoc
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Location: E Idaho, N Texas

Re: Medallion colors

Post by RocDoc »

Had to go find this I remembered reading before, suppose this is the mostly complete list on medallion versions.

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewto ... 0#p1094322

Found the gold tone medallion

https://milestoneauctions.hibid.com/lot ... -blackhawk
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Mohavesam
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Location: Rugerville, AZ USA

Re: Medallion colors

Post by Mohavesam »

8-) it (finally) dawned on me that the medallions were always quite different than the registered trademark(s), aside from a general resemblance in theme. I'm left wondering if a factory "historian" might actually have a stack of engineering drawings (blueprints to Californians) for each medallion revision or other shop instructions as to unique medallions for specific revolvers or even grip styles?? Surely if the medallions were sub-contracted from a supplier, purchasing would have spec drawings with critical characteristics...

...I'd hate to be left suspecting/believing that Ruger did anything with random execution. :roll:
:o It is a Right, NOT a permit.
Political Correctness = Political Submission :oops:
RocDoc
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Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2014 4:19 pm
Location: E Idaho, N Texas

Re: Medallion colors

Post by RocDoc »

The only thing I have is a doc Don Findley shared in one of his books. Was it the Sturm book? This blueprint initialed by AS. Sure you are right about the evolution to other designs. Don may know something about whether contracted or in-house production?
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chet15
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Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:28 am

Re: Medallion colors

Post by chet15 »

The "AS" would be Alex Sturm.
It would be interesting to do a measurement on the thickness of the earliest sunk in red eagle medallion as compared to the later medallions. The earliest sunk in medallions for the red eagle were very thin, and staking the stem on the ack of the medallion would more times than not, push the center of the eagles chest outward, sometimes even braking the paint. This was fixed sometime in early black eagle production to a thicker medallion.
The very first red eagle medallions pre-dated this blueprint as they were two piece brass medallion and stem, with the stem brazed to the backside of the medallion and the red of the eagle enameled flush with the surface of the medallion.
Chet15
rugerguy
Posts: 194
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 1:57 pm
Location: NE OHio

Re: Medallion colors

Post by rugerguy »

well there is NO "historian" Chad is about the closest we'll ever have to that,,( you're welcome Chad) and the picture of Bill Hamms shot there are "variations of each of the ones pictured along with many other , speckled finish silver, squashed chickens, and yes the browned ones that were NEVER silver when the left the factory on the mid 70s...and as I said earlier above let alone the variations of the BLACK eagles , and the neck sizes, feather tips numbers, and on and on...the drawing (AS) is what they wanted, the vendors sent what they actually made up, and each one did it differently........wish I had taken a picture of every varient of the medallions over the years,,,there are MANY<,,,go look at the books as I suggested........

here is a picture I found of some "basic" ones, author of this picture unknown........



Image
chet15
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Re: Medallion colors

Post by chet15 »

Thanks Dan!
Mohavesam
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Location: Rugerville, AZ USA

Re: Medallion colors

Post by Mohavesam »

rugerguy wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 5:29 pm ...the drawing (AS) is what they wanted, the vendors sent what they actually made up, and each one did it differently.......
- so in theory then, every medallion style except one, may in fact be a "close enough for a Ruger" non-compliant design accepted by extremely flexible purchasing and recvg. Inspectors... Hmm...
Why would WBR tolerate that tho? Would Colt or S&W?
--- just something else to ponder
:o It is a Right, NOT a permit.
Political Correctness = Political Submission :oops:
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