Interesting 1956 Letter

Includes all Pre-1973 Old model Single-Sixes, Blackhawks,
Super Blackhawks, Bearcats, Super Bearcats, Hawkeye
and Black Powder Old Army.
chet15
Posts: 734
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:28 am

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by chet15 »

Good stuff on the November flattop listing!
Keep in mind everybody that this does not mean that every one of these had the small ejector rod button.
I am pretty sure serial number 67 is the one I first saw in the early 1980's at a gun show in eastern Nebraska (I will double check on that)
Along with that gun was serial number 67 .357 flattop. I thought it interesting at the time that the .44 flattop would have a large ejector button and the .357 a small ejector button, and mentioned that to the owner, a man by the name of Jim Yeoman... and mentioned that a small button .44 flattop was quite the rarity.
But as we know today, every .44 flattop under serial number 200 has been seen with a large ejector button on it except for #4 which was Walt Bergers, because a majority of those two digit guns left in the purge of August/September 1957 with at least their matching numbered .357 Blackhawk.
Likewise, there were also a few .357's in that two-digit purge that retained the early square serrated button.
At any rate, the next time I saw the pair of 67's he had switched the ejector rods around, turning the .44 flattop into a supposed Type 1.
Chet15
chet15
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Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:28 am

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by chet15 »

johncdougan wrote: Thu Apr 14, 2022 1:29 pm
67 217 294 346 399 554 817 888
72 218 295 347 400 602 820 890
102* 219 299 351 402 668 824 891
169 223 301 355 405 673 830 895
170 226 302 358 456 676 835 896
171 227 303 365 476 679 836 897
172 228 305 366 478 684 837 904
173 230 306 367 487 693 842 908
174 236 309 368 509 701 847 911
175 245 312 369 511 703 848 914
177 247 316 370 516 707 849 * shipped 8/14/56
179 248 317 378 517 708 855
182 251 320 379 519 712 859
185 254 323 384 521 713 860
187 255 330 385 522 715 863
188 256 331 385 529 717 864
190 260 335 386 531 719 867
195 261 336 387 535 720 870
198 263 337 390 537 722 871
200 266 339 391 542 723 872
204 272 340 393 543 726 876
205 275 342 394 544 729 878
206 277 343 395 546 788 879
208 279 344 396 550 810 881
214 289 345 397 551 811 885
John,
I think I had seen in past reference that the first batch of .44 flattops that left on the first day were a batch of 50? Presumably all to different distributors, including serial number 200.
Would you also have reference to the first 50 in that group on the first day?
For these November shipped guns, it would be interesting to see where the true Type 1's fall with small serrated ejector button. I realize that some of those were changed after-factory to the large ejector button, but would be interesting info none-the-less.
The .44 Blackhawk Dope Bag Report Dope Bag report I believe shows up in the October 1956 American Rifleman, serial number 14. That gun has walnut grips and a large round ejector button, which tells us that Ruger probably knew they may have a problem with the review if that gun had checkered rubber grips and a small ejector button.
Well, we know that some small button guns shipped, but dang few... but that didn't happen until November. So after that first batch of 50, I'm thinking the company may have even retrofitted the completed guns to large button after that first batch went out, with large button and/or walnut grips. I say this because Ruger would surely have had a large quantity of guns "in process" or even completed before the first shipments went out.
Likewise, pretty sure the factory also retrofitted their existing RSSE inventory to large button ejector rods in about October 1956, which accounts for why there are guns in the 35xxx and 44xxx range factory shipped with the large button ejector rod.

Whoa! Just caught the note that serial number 102 was shipped 8/14/56! If that is correct, that is definitely a Type 1.
Thought I'd seen in previous reference that serial number 200 was the earliest shipped on the first day?
And the dope bag gun #14 would have left the factory by at least by September 1956 in order to make the American Rifleman October issue, but perhaps sent back to Ruger and then re-shipped to Hatcher at a later date?
Chet15
johncdougan
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:32 am

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by johncdougan »

Hello Chad,

I will see what I can come up with on BKH4.

I agree on RSSE, I don't think all RSSE were assembled immediately upon return from the engraver, rods in use at the time of assembly would have been used. same situation with non-engraved contour loading gates.

John
JussBad
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Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 9:29 pm
Location: No. California

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by JussBad »

Chad
I'm pretty sure that the #200 BKH3 was the first to ship for the .357's. I don't think when the .44's were made that the #200 was first to ship. If memory serves me correctly.

GW
Last edited by JussBad on Wed Apr 20, 2022 1:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
chet15
Posts: 734
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:28 am

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by chet15 »

johncdougan wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:24 am Hello Chad,

I will see what I can come up with on BKH4.

I agree on RSSE, I don't think all RSSE were assembled immediately upon return from the engraver, rods in use at the time of assembly would have been used. same situation with non-engraved contour loading gates.

John
And engraved screwheads....
johncdougan
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:32 am

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by johncdougan »

Hello Chad,

I dug through what notes and scraps of paper I have and compiled a list of shipping data for the November .44 Mag. Blackhawks. I may have missed a couple, but as it stands now, it looks like they shipped out around 170 guns. As shown on my previous post #102 went out on 8/14/56 and is not included below.

20th - Tuesday 1
21st - Wednesday 6
22nd -Thursday 0
Thanksgiving
23rd Friday 19
24th Saturday 26
25th - Sunday 0
26th - Monday 25
27th - Tuesday 8
28th - Wednesday 43
29th - Thursday 38
30th - Friday 2
BKH4 shipped 168

P.S. serial #200 was made in 1956 and shipped in 1957
Brass Frame
Posts: 651
Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 3:22 am

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by Brass Frame »

Thank You John. This adds much to my understanding about when and how many BKH4 Rugers were made in their first month of production. Brass Frame/Lee E
chet15
Posts: 734
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:28 am

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by chet15 »

Interesting stuff!
Thanks John!
67stingray
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Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:35 pm
Location: Iron City, TN

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by 67stingray »

This is why I really appreciate the information shared by the group of members here. The fact that we are still learning more every day is in my opinion one of the best parts of collecting. Thanks for sharing, great information guys.
Bennett
Any day without learning is a day of backing up.
flattop44
Posts: 2351
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 2:31 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by flattop44 »

That's great information John, thanks for posting it.
Bill
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