RCA

TULSA  RUGER  COLLECTORS

DISPLAY SHOW 2006

by Bill Hamm

Photography by Matt Olivier

Joe Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show, Tulsa, OK

October 21-22,  2006

The Ruger Collectors Association held its annual October display show once again at the Wanenmacher Tulsa Arms Show in Tulsa, OK.  The show was well attended by Ruger collectors from all areas of the country.  Several collectors attended for the first time and joined in the festivities.  We had an Awards Banquet on Saturday night with over 50 people in attendance.

 There were several tables of Rugers for sale and/or trade.  Lots of wheeling and dealing was going on.  Many fine and rare guns were changing hands, sometimes in large groups!! 

There were twelve displays of some of the finest Rugers in existence.  Each of them is described and listed below.

(Click Pictures for a Larger Version)

“RUGER- 50 YEARS”

Dale Dalbotten

Dale’s outstanding display consisted of four guns…all serial number 997!!  There was the original  Blackhawk .357 Flattop #997,  the New Model .357 50th Anniversary Flattop #520-00997, the original Blackhawk .44 Flattop #997, and the New Model .44 50th Anniversary Flattop #89-00997.  All their original boxes were displayed along with period gun magazines and advertisements.  I don’t have to tell you that putting together this group of Rugers is quite a feat!!

Author’s note:  The man that owns Single-Six #997 was at the show and introduced himself to Dale.  I’ll bet these two will have some interesting conversations over the next few months.  Good luck, old friend!!

“THE  LAST  COWBOY”

Allen Daniels, won RCA Second Place Advanced

  Allen’s well designed display presented examples of the five variations of the Ruger Single-Six ‘mini Vaquero” .32 H&R Magnum revolver.  TALO distributor group purchased the last 1,000 fixed Vaquero style sight .32s manufactured by Ruger.  TALO then had them engraved and the blue guns gold inlayed with the “Last Cowboy” theme.  T Jeffrey, Tuenbull, CT, did this specialized work.  Allen’s display had an old barn wood backdrop with old barbed wire, lariat, spurs, etc. 

"STURM, RUGER & CO., RARE AND UNIQUE PISTOLS, REVOLVERS, & SUNDRY RELATED ITEMS"

John Dougan, won RCA First Place & Second Place Tulsa Show

  My words cannot adequately describe John’s display.  It was simply breathtaking!!

Displayed were the John Amber Gun, the Engraved .357 Blackhawk #100, the Spanish Engraved Sample Pattern guns #5003 & 5009, and Charles H. Jerred’s Sample Pattern gun that he submitted to Bill Ruger along with its presentation case & cardboard outer shipping carton.

Two experimental .256 Winchester Magnums built on the .44 Magnum Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk frames, an experimental Tool-room model Hawkeye marked “X1”, a couple of prototype “X” marked Hawkeyes, and the one of a kind .221 Fireball Hawkeye were all laid out in a row.  

Included were a prototype Single-Six that was marked “P”, prototype “X” marked .22 Magnum Single-Sixes, a gold tone grip frame 9-1/2” Single-Six, and a special order Single-Six with a 7-1/2” barrel.  There were the All Blue and the Tri-Color Light Weight “S” marked guns and a one of a kind dual cylinder Light Weight.  A “Sample” Alphabet Bearcat with a Square Back trigger guard along with a couple of "Salt Cod" early .22 autos with their boxes and the Chrome Plated #10000 Standard Auto were displayed.

The extremely rare and unique sundry items were more than a complete display alone!  They included a rare Ruger Quick Draw clock and one of the first Ruger gift ashtrays with a handwritten letter from Paulina Sturm thanking Bill Ruger for the gift.  The original drawing for Bill Ruger’s Lightweight Machine Gun with hand written notations on the drawings from Mr. Ruger and the Patent Letters for the LW machine gun dated November 1945 were shown.  Bill Ruger’s personalized well-worn leather notebook, portfolio, and wallets along with various documents were displayed.

I would like to personally thank John for bringing our all of these extremely rare Ruger items for us to see and enjoy.  This was indeed a rare opportunity for all the folks who attended the Tulsa show.   All of John’s awards for this display were well deserved.

“RUGER’S  SPECIAL  'WRITERS'  GUNS”

Bill Hamm

  This display consisted of four guns owned by gun magazine and book writers who were assigned special “subscription” gun numbers by Bill Ruger.  Elmer Keith, Guns & Ammo Guns Editor,  Super Bearcat #91-00015.  Pete Kuhlhoff, Argosy Guns Editor, #19 Blackhawk .44 Flattop and also his #19 Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum Long Frame. Jack O’Connor, Outdoor Life Shooting Editor, #20 Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum Long Frame.  All of these guns are new with their original boxes and have outstanding burled grip panels.  Examples of books authored and magazines with their work were displayed.

“3 of 238”

Rod Kirian, awarded RCA Second Place Intermediate

  Rod’s great display consisted of three of the rare Charles H. Jerred factory engraved Single-Sixes in their factory presentation cases.  Two were consecutive serial numbers…#50680 & 50681.  The other was a “chrome plated” RSSE #30823.  The original factory invoice for the consecutive set was displayed along with a sign and stationary from Jerred’s shop.  A very unique Jerred hand carved soap stone pipe was also displayed.

Author’s note:  Guards were seen stationed by this display to help contain Dan Meigs’ extreme interest in the “chrome” RSSE!!

“THE  RUGER  NO. 1 SINGLE SHOT RIFLE”

John Krukenberg

  John’s displayed six of the finest No. 1s around!! Three of them were factory engraved and some gold inlayed.  Models 1-A, 1-B, 1-S, and 1-H were represented in a variety of calibers.   All had outstanding wood!!  Period copies of the Gun Digest introducing the No. 1 were displayed.

“THE  PLATING  SHOP”

Dan Meigs, Aka “The Sultan of Shine”, awarded RCA First Place Novice

  Dan’s unique “chrome plated” display included all .357 Magnum & .44 Blackhawk “Flattop” barrel lengths, the Single-Six RSS4, RSS5, & RSS9, a Standard Auto, a Super Bearcat, Blackhawks BKH34, BKH41, BKH45 and a Super Blackhawk S47.  His display backdrop and stand was highly polished stainless steel!!  Congratulations to Dan on a 1st place in his very first outing!

“OLD MODEL 3 SCREW RUGER BLACKHAWK CONVERTIBLES”

Bob Nelson, awarded Third Place both RCA Advanced Class (tied) & Tulsa Show

  This complete eleven-gun display had examples of all the old model Blackhawk Convertible variations.  It included all barrel lengths and even the grip panel medallion changes. Advertisements and pictures accompanied this fine display.  Examples of the various boxes and different cylinder boxes were also displayed.  Congratulations go to Bob on winning some of the show promoter's $$$.

“RUGER NO. 1”

Lee Newton, awarded RCA Third Place Intermediate Class

  Lee displayed ten of the rarest and finest No. 1 rifles known!!  Including:

S/n 10, Len Brownell’s rifle with a 24” “A” weight barrel, the only one known.

S/n 13, Warren Page’s rifle, engraved with gold inlayed initials by A. A. White.

S/n 18, Ruger Barlow’s rifle, engraved with gold inlayed initials by A. A. White.

S/n 20, Jack O’Connor’s rifle, engraved with gold inlayed initials by A. A. White.

S/n 21, Robert Chatfield Taylor’s rifle, engraved with gold initials by A. A. White.

S/n 110, John Amber’s rifle with hooded front sight.

S/n 1674, Ken Waters' rifle.

S/n 3370, Larry Wilson’s rifle, gold monogram by A. A. White.

S/n 3437, Engraved by A. A. White.

S/n 5250, Chester Hope’s rifle, friend of Leonard Brownell with a 25” “A” weight barrel, the only one made.

  All of these rifles but one had scopes.  Their famous original owners installed them.  The wood on these guns was of the finest XXXX grade!!!  J. D. Clayton’s No. 1 book and various interesting photographs were also included.

“50 YEARS OF FLATTOPS”

Matt Olivier, awarded RCA Third Place (tied) Advanced Class

 

Matt’s fine display covered all barrel lengths of the .357 Magnum and .44 Blackhawk “Flattops”.  The three variations of the New Model 50th Anniversary .357 & .44 Flattops were also displayed.  Sets or original factory ivory and stag grips along with memorabilia, American Rifleman original advertisements for the Flattops, a 1957 catalog, and Shooting Times advertisements for the 50th Anniversary guns.  All guns with boxes except the 10” .357 Flattop.

“UNMATCHED PAIR/CONSECUTIVE NUMBERED / JERRED ENGRAVED SINGLE  SIXES”

Lee Sundermeier

 Lee displayed a beautiful consecutive numbered pair of the rare factory engraved Charles H. Jerred Single-Sixes in their factory presentation cases.  The two guns, # 30849 & 30850,  were not shipped as a consecutive set but purchased and put together later by the current owner.  The two guns demonstrate a change in the engraving patterns of the Jerred guns.  For example, one has a polished hammer and the other has a blued hammer, one has a flat loading gate while the other has a round loading gate.

“RUGER  FACTORY  SUPER  BLACKHAWK”

Dave Whitman, awarded First Place Intermediate Class

 Dave only needed one gun to win his class, an extremely rare one of only three factory Super Blackhawks ever made with a 10” barrel.  Serial number 1505 is well documented as a factory gun that was sent to Ralph Shipley.  Dave’s display included lots of documentation as to the provenance of the gun.

The next RCA Display show will be held March 16 – 18, 2007 at the Bob Pope Gun Show in Smyrna, TN.  Be sure to make plans to attend.  Build those displays and bring out your favorite Rugers!!!

Bill Hamm

The Ruger Collectors' Association is the oldest organization for the Ruger collector and/or enthusiast. Membership includes the Association's sporadically-produced newsletter and invitation to members-only events. For more information (or to apply for an annual membership), write to: Ruger Collectors' Association, Inc., P.O. Box 240, Greens Farms, CT  06436

The Red Eagle News Exchange is a quarterly publication filled with new information, updates, and articles about collecting Ruger firearms and memorabilia. This is an excellent resource for the Ruger collector and/or enthusiast, and the wealth of information sent to new subscribers as a free gift with a paid annual subscription is alone well worth the money. Highly recommended. For more information or to subscribe, write Red Eagle News Exchange (Chad Hiddleson - Editor), 1945 Clover Avenue, Perry, IA  50220, or call (515) 465-2057.

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