Ruger "WARNING" billboard on revolvers - kiss of death to collectibility?

[Confederate]

Rugers are outstanding guns, and I don't think the warnings are going to affect prices. If some guns had them and some didn't, and they were made at the same time, the guns would differ in value, with the ones in the minority having the greatest value.

Guns are going up in price and Ruger prices are going up faster than others. I watch for used Security-Sixes, and find that most are in pretty grungy condition. Stainless guns clean up pretty well, but they're still pretty dinged up in many cases.

In primo condition, I don't know what they'd go for. I certainly don't think these "blue book" listings are realistic in many respects.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I won't but a pistol with all that junk printed on it. No matter who makes it.

 

[Rexster]

In keep accumulating Rugers. Accumulating, not collecting. I don't understand collecting. My guns are purchased for shooting purposes.

Ruger is certainly not the only company that puts distracting billboards on their firearms.

 

[nerd-with-a-gun]

I think that the warning is less of a factor than if you were to port the barrel or make other modifications to the gun. The warning is put there by the factory so that is the way the gun comes from the factory. If you make modifications on the gun however, that will effect the future value of the gun because it is no longer stock. IMHO.

 

[Cosmoline]

however these mass produced guns arent ever going to be collectible so dont worry about it. what is the most that any regular production run ruger has increased in value?

Those are two different concepts. A lot of mass produced firearms are highly collectible, but not very many have been able to outpace inflation. This one, for example, is a highly collectible piece:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=158395441

But even at $700, it's hard to say that it cost more in real dollars than it did when it was sold from the factory.

 

[Rexster]

Indeed, except for such example as First Generation Colt Single Action Army sixguns, fireams don't keep up with inflation, over the long haul. Moreover, knowing what will be desirable in the future is a very inexact science, as indicated by reading books and magazine articles from the 1920's and 1930's indicates. Nobody thought the old Colts were very valuable at that time.

Moreover, when a firearm does finally become collectible, original condition is very important to collectors. So, if Rugers ever do become collectible, one with the billboard removed will be considered a "user" or shooter, NOT a collectible.

 

[cottonmouth]

Don't get me wrong I do not like, the other 25 S&W revolvers I own do not have the lock. But the only option in the 500 does.

J.B.

 

[conhntr]

so they are as collectible as a savings bond... i just dont understand buying a 500$ mass produced gun and trying to convince yourself its a collectible

 

[Ben86]

Even sadder than how the billboard looks, is the reason for having to put the thing on the poor gun in the first place. Most guns have them though, it wouldn't put me off, unless it was just extremely obnoxious.

 

[Boats]

Just get rid of the warning, it ain't rocket science.

 

[Guillermo]

Boats,

You are correct that you can get rid of the billboard. And you can correct the trigger. But you shouldn't have to do either.

When you drop 5 bills on a revolver you shouldn't have to polish the bullsqueeze off and buy and install a Wolf trigger kit. That is a bunch of Barbara Streisand

 

[Boats]

It was so rough to take a B&D mouse sander to the paragraph and take the time to remove it--tantamount to torture really. Also, taking the twenty minutes it took to put in after market trigger return and main springs had me thinking that Ruger had violated the 13th Amendment when they sold me the revolver.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I hate it, I hat it, I hate it! I recently bought two Rugers that DON'T have the warning on the side (it is now under the barrel on my ,44 Special and 50th .44 Mag). Much cleaner. Only took Ruger 20-25 years to figure that out.

[/IMG]

 

[1980]

Just get rid of the warning, it ain't rocket science.

Nice! Does it look as good in person as it does in the photo because from where i am sitting you can't even tell that someone took a black and decker sander to it. Did you sand and polish the entire frame or just the barrel?

 

[Boats]

Just the barrel. A B&D mouse is not a very aggressive sander when used as a wet sander with automotive sandpaper. You just have to faithfully follow the curvature. The roll mark is not that deeply cut.