Hardware Store with a gun counter. Lucky find

ontarget

Sorry about that but I just enjoy showing it off! Ruger did a great job when they built this one, especially with the overall fit and finish. The American Holly grips by Private's Custom Grips were to me the perfect choice to go with this gun!

And for me it's my instant connection to Skeeter Skelton and for all of the times he kept me entertained with all of his stories and his Hipshots column in Shooting Times magazine.

Armored farmer said:

Beautiful! What a find! Congrats.
Are you familiar with. 45colt?
Its my favorite big bore.

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Yes!
Get yourself a Lee 255gr mold and some unique. Start about 8gr.

Armored farmer said:

Yes!
Get yourself a Lee 255gr mold and some unique. Start about 8gr.

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Nice, where did you get those grips?

Paul7 said:

Nice, where did you get those grips?

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I cant remember.....but they were just faux ivory, my local guy laser guy engraved them for me.

It must have been around 1973 that I walked into a little hardware store not far from my home that had a gun counter. In the case was a excellent condition 10-1/2” Super Blackhawk. The price was $150 if I remember right and I just had to have it. I kept it until three years ago when I sold it and bought a Nickel Smith model 34. As much as I love that Ruger, arthritis took its toll on my wrists and I had to do to something softer shooting.

In the late 70’s I was in another little hardware store about an hour from my home. I seem to remember it was closing and they had a sale going and Colt and S&W signs in the window. My first mistake was stopping by and my second was going in. I became blind to everything in the counter except for a couple of Colt Pythons. One was a 4” and the other a 6”, both blue. The price was right and I had to have one so I chose the 6”. A few years ago I couldn’t resist cashing in on what they had gotten up to in price. How stupid! Now I’m looking for a new one and last week a big box dealer near me listed them but they were over $2100. No way I’ll pay over retail so I can wait till I find one at or below retail. I have a problem paying retail but I’d be tempted for another Python.

Bandit67 said:

Thank you! Let the search begin. I like the 6-cavity Lee's. Wish me luck. Apparently all the molds have been bought up along with everything else.

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Bandit67, if you're still reading this thread, I have to agree with Armored farmer about a load. 250-255gr rnfp and 8.0-8.5gr Unique. That is a .45 Colt load. Sure you'd like it.
BTW, fantastic find on that BH.

Bandit67 said:

Like a lot of THR members, I have little or no self control when it comes to guns. Lol.
I stopped in a small town Hardware store that I remembered had a small gun counter to see what they might have. They only had 9 guns total. 5 new and 4 consignments.
On the bottom shelf I saw a beautiful
Blackhawk wearing incredible Stag grips in an old ruger box. I asked to see it and realized it was a 45 Colt. Just what I've been looking for. Serial no. dates it to 1977.
The bluing is just about perfect. Not a mark. Very faint turn line on the cylinder. Perfect grips with that Awesome yellow aged color. I removed the cylinder. No carbon fouling, No visible wear, Hammer is beautiful, bore is beautiful with only a little dust at the muzzle. If this gun was ever fired it certainly wasn't fired very much.
I could go on but when I saw the price, well you know the old cliche.
Only one pic for now. I'll probably start a new thread when I clean it up and shoot it.
View attachment 976396

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Wow! Nice score! A "barn find" if I ever saw one.

chicharrones said:

You found a beauty of a gun for sale in a hardware store?

I don't know what to congratulate you for, the Ruger or the Time Machine you used to get to that hardware store.

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Temporal Vortex.

Bandit67 said:

I knew they were faux stag but they do look awesome. Thanks.
You guessed right on the other gun. Colt 1917. It looks to be in very good condition with the original blue finish, not parkerized. It's missing the original grips and the lanyard ring.
I won't be able to get back there until Thursday at the earliest. I don't want to pay the asking price so I'm hoping they will be willing to negotiate.

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Jay Scott grips were associated with Colt's manufacturing and are collectible in their own right. They are VERY well made grips, typically. You done good!

Nice machine there......nope, I wouldn't have been able to walk out of that store without that.
One of those "I didn't know how much I needed it" moments for sure, at least for me

Armored Farmer provided you sage advice on that Unique load. My standard .45 Colt formula as well.

The problem for you now is the simple fact that you’re only 50% to your final destination. There’s a .45 Colt lever gun in your future. That BH is just too nice a gun not to pair it up.

1st year issue Marlin Cowboy in .45 Colt paired with NM Vaquero.



I planted the seed....My work is done here....

Bandit67 said:

Oh, and I'm going back to that hardware store soon to see what else might have shown up.

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Absolutely.....that would be a must stop anytime I was within 50 miles of it

Frulk said:

Armored Farmer provided you sage advice on that Unique load. My standard .45 Colt formula as well.

The problem for you now is the simple fact that you’re only 50% to your final destination. There’s a .45 Colt lever gun in your future. That BH is just too nice a gun not to pair it up.

I planted the seed....My work is done here....

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Oh, I see we have an enabler here. Nice work there Frulk. That will give Bandit67 something to ponder.

.45 Coltguy....It needed to be said...everybody that was reading the thread was thinking it....

Yes, as Armored farmer says 255gr lead and 8gr Unique is what I shoot from my Blackhawk. You can shoot them all day.

Beauty of a find. It would have stopped me dead in my tracks.

-Jeff

I've got several sets of those Ajax grips. A little too thick for my taste but then so are the real stags I have on a couple Rugers and a Smith or two. Looks win out sometimes. Real organic grips over plastic or rubber. Not knocking yours. They look good. My wife's Wrangler wears a set.

Bandit67 said:

There was another revolver that I'm definitely interested in. I made an offer on it but I have to go back and talk to the owner tomorrow. He wasn't in today.
If I end up with it, it deserves its own thread. I'll give you hint. It's over 100 years old and may have traveled to France and back..

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And?

We have an independent hardware store with a gun counter. I need to go see if they have any lost treasures.

Bandit67 said:

Not sure what Ajax grips are. These are vintage Jay Scott laminate with a wood backing under the faux stag. They are fatter than factory wood but I think I can get used to them. Of course real stags look better but I'm too cheap to spend that kind of money. Lol.
Thanks for the compliment on the looks......I think.

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That's them. I did a politician's conflation. That is, I made a mistake but don't admit it. I looked at mine, yup, Jay Scott.

OP...nice Ruger and grips and box!

Here's some polished sho nuff Elk antler grips I have on a Ruger BH. Grips made by Ken Driskill in Colorado.

Off topic but Ken does good work!