RCA

HARRISBURG  RUGER  COLLECTORS

DISPLAY SHOW 2009

MARCH 21-22, 2009

Narrative by Bill Hamm

Photography by Matt Olivier

This Display Show was dedicated in the memory of our dear friend, fellow displayer and RCA member, Glen (Budd) Given, Jr., who recently passed away.  Budd will be sorely missed but always fondly remembered!

The third Annual RCA Harrisburg, PA display show was held the weekend of March 21 & 22, 2009.  This is a 1200 table venue and was a well attended show.  We want to thank our host, Nick Jubinski, Mid Atlantic Arms Collectors (MAAC), for inviting us to the show and awarding a most generous pot of prize money.  A lot of the public stopped by and looked at the displays and chatted with the displayers.  From what I hear, that resulted in some good guns purchased and numerous good leads on potential great finds!

We had eleven great displays that almost covered all areas of Ruger collecting.  This proved to be very interesting and educational to the public.  The displays were graded by a well qualified group of judges and the winners of the various classes named. The winner of each class was presented with a plaque, a one year membership to the RCA, and a one year membership to the Red Eagle News Exchange. A big thanks to both the RCA and the RENE for sponsoring these awards as they are greatly appreciated by all winners!

The awards banquet was held on Saturday night at a local restaurant, Gilligan's Bar & Grill. We had about 40 people in attendance; we enjoyed a great dinner, no one left hungry!

At the beginning of the banquet, RCA Display Show Coordinator, Matt Olivier, held a moment of silence for our recently lost friend, Budd Given. 

Matt announced the winner of the Red Eagle News Exchange Best Ruger of Show.  Congratulations to Richard Wilmot for his consecutive serial numbered brass frame .41 Magnum Blackhawks, what an incredibly rare pair of sixguns. Richard was presented a plaque along with a one year membership to RENE. Thanks to its editor, Chad Hiddleson, for sponsoring this award at each of our display shows.

On Saturday we had a very successful raffle for a Lispey's Special Edition New Model .44 Special Flattop.  This particular gun was completely restored by Doug Turnbull Restoration.  What fine work they do; this revolver is absolutely beautiful!!  We really want to say thanks to Dave Lortscher for donating the funding of this work and Keith VanOrman of Turnbull Restorations for getting the work accomplished in record breaking time!  Check Turnbull Restoration out; they can be located on the web at www.turnbullrestoration.com

All 50 raffle tickets for the .44 Special were sold by 1PM Saturday, so we drew the lucky winner during the banquet. Congratulations to our winner, fellow RCA member, collector, and displayer, Bob Nelson.

After the raffle drawing, and as a thank you for displaying, each displayer was returned their $50 table fee, along with a 1979 Ruger pocket calendar, donated by RCA Member Donnie Findley, and a Ruger sun visor sunglass clip.

The displayers were then surprised by an unannounced drawing for three guns, funded by the RCA Display Show funds. Each displayer was given one chance per display table to win one of an LCP, an SR9, or a Ruger MK I Target Auto. With 13 display tables, that came out to roughly a one in 4 chance of winning a gun!!  All guns will be transferred to the winner's FFL dealer over the next few weeks. The winners were Matt Olivier for the LCP, Jim Schafer for the SR9, and Mike Fabian for the Mark I T678.

Congratulations to all our winners!!

After the drawing, we started the fund-raising auction. We auctioned off 73 different items generously donated by 18 different people. The highlight of the auction was a New Model Vaquero, .357 Mag with a 4 5/8" barrel completely restored by Turnbull Restorations, the gun and work were generously donated by Dave Lortscher and Keith VanOrman. The beautiful moose stag grips were donated by Sack Peterson of  Lakeland, MN.  The auction was extremely successful resulting in ~$2400 raised for future display shows. 

We want to encourage everyone to come to one or all of our shows and participate.  You will have fun, meet some great folks, and may even win a free gun!!

A description and pictures of each display along with each displayer’s awards are given below:

DISPLAYS and AWARDS

(Click Pictures for a Larger Version)

MIKE FABIAN'S DISPLAY "SPECIAL GUNS FOR SPECIAL PEOPLE"

WINNER OF FIRST PLACE - INTERMEDIATE LONG GUNS

 Below is taken directly from Mike’s Display Explanation: 

Over the years, Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. (now just Ruger) has produced a wide selection of special, non-cataloged firearms for a limited number of dealers and distributors.  My display is a sampling of those firearms.  With the multitude of firearms now made for these special people, displaying or owning them all is not practical.  This is why I chose a sampling of long guns, revolvers, and automatics to show how diverse these items can be.

The list of special dealers and distributors seems to grow larger every year.  You have Davidson’s, Talo, Lipsey’s and even Gander Mountain just to name a few of the current ones.  I’m sure there have been many in the past that no longer exist.  One of these is “Buckeye Sports”, of Ohio.  In the late ‘80s, Buckeye Sports had a pair of revolvers produced with the Ohio Buckeye plant leaf engraved on the top strap.  These two firearms are part of my display.  All of these are part of my display to demonstrate the diversity.

The main purpose of this display is to show the public that there are special guns out there for everyone…All you have to do is look for them!

Well, I hope that this display helps bring Mike in a whole lot of other special guns!

BOB NELSON’S DISPLAY “PATCHES OF RUGER AND THE RCA”

WINNER OF FIRST PLACE – ADVANCED MEMORABILIA

Bob’s colorful display showed the all of the Ruger patches from the first to the present with the exception of one.  He is missing the “Fire Brigade” patch which was made for the Newport, NH plant’s fire brigade. The first Ruger company patch was made about 1954 and the last in 2008.

The RCA’s first patch displayed was made available in late 1975 and the last one in 2005 for a total of eight patches.

Looking at all of these different patches was very interesting and informative.  I sure hope someone out there can help Bob obtain the missing “Fire Brigade” patch.

BOB THOMPSON’S DISPLAY “RUGER KNIVES BY CASE CUTLERY”

WINNER OF FIRST PLACE - INTERMEDIATE MEMORABILIA

WINNER OF MAAC PROMOTER’S CHOICE AWARD ($50 CASH PRIZE)

Bob’s great Ruger Knife display was made up of nine display cases filled with knives made by Case for Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. 

The display covers the various styles of blades, knives, and types of handle material.  Some of them are special issue and some are sets.  The sets were only made for four years.

It is really good to see other areas of Ruger collecting being brought before the public. 

If you have a Ruger knife question get with Bob; I’ll just bet he can answer it!

ROD KIRIAN’S DISPLAY “INTRODUCING THE NEW RUGER 10/22”

WINNER OF FIRST PLACE - ADVANCED LONG GUNS

Rod’s well laid out 10/22 display included serial number 133 rifle with its original box, instruction manual, warranty card, and original sales receipt.  It sold for $58.65 including tax!!

His display also included a 10/22 “Cut-away” gun and “exploded” trigger group from the William Workman original display.  This very well done and colorful “cut-away” was very detailed with different colors used on the internal parts and was a very educational item.  Also included were four very rare factory clear “salesman sample” magazines!

Rod says two of his “coolest” items are the original “rice paper” draft of the first 10/22 owner’s manual sent to the printer and an original sign made for the 1964 NRA show where the 10/22 was first introduced. 

Rod’s display banner is an enlarged version of the original style banner that was shipped with the early 10/22s. 

Simply put, this was just a great display!!

TYRONE PHILLIPS’ DISPLAY “RUGER HANDGUN TERMS 101”

WINNER OF MAAC BEST EDUCATIONAL DISPLAY AWARD ($300 CASH PRIZE)

Tyrone’s display focuses on the common terms used in Ruger single-action collecting by collectors.  He displays twelve examples of handguns showing the firearms used in the description of the collector terms.  These include Red Eagles, Black & Silver Eagles, Flatgates, Lightweights, Tri-Colors, Protected Ears, Old Models, New Models, Bearcats, Brass Frames, and the Old Army.

Also included in his display is the “Safety Conversion” information from Ruger.  Tyrone included examples of old model original parts and the safety conversion parts. 

A complete set of books of collecting Ruger Single Actions were also on display. 

This display is a hit with the public and seasoned collector as well.

RICHARD WILMOT’S DISPLAY

“OLD MODEL BLACKHAWK .41 MAG VARIATIONS”

WINNER FIRST PLACE – INTERMEDIATE SINGLE ACTIONS

WINNER OF RENE “BEST OF THE SHOW” AWARD

A detailed explanatory write-up of Richard’s display provided by him is set out below:

This display shows an example of each off the five variations of the old model Blackhawk in .41 Magnum.  It  includes 1 of only 50 .41 Mags manufactured and shipped with a 4-5/8” barrel and brass grip frame and 1 of only 160 .41 Mags manufactured and shipped with a 6-1/2” barrel and brass grip frame.  These two guns are A consecutively serial numbered pair.  (These two guns won the RENE ‘Best of the Show” award.)

Each of the four types of the Eagle logo that Ruger used on .41 Mags is displayed on a gun manufactured during the time of that eagle’s use.  Also each of the two types of ejector rods, the semi-round and triangular, is included on the guns.  Additionally a .41 Mag with German proof marks is displayed.

The 5 variations of the old model Blackhawk .41 mag are:

1: Non-prefix serial number marked Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. (Known as INC guns).

2: Non-prefix serial number marked Strum, Ruger & Co. (Known as non-INC guns).

3: Non-prefix duplicate serial numbered – may or may not be “D” marked.  No “D” marked guns have been discovered so far.

4: Prefix serial numbered guns.

5: Prefix serial numbered guns with Brass grip frames.

Additional information about the old model Blackhawk .41 Mag, its variations and a couple of oddities that have been discovered were included in the informational book on a stand at his display.  I am sure if you contact Richard he will be more than happy to share that information with you.

A fine showing of some very rare .41 Magnums!

JACK COOGAN’S DISPLAY “TAKE IT TO THE MAX, RUGER .357 MAXIMUM”

WINNER FIRST PLACE – ADVANCED SINGLE ACTIONS

Jack’s encompassing display covered the history of the Ruger .357 Maximum and its demise during its short life of 1982 – 1984.  The following rare pieces were displayed:

1982 & 1983 employee Christmas gifts, various factory literature, catalogs, magazine articles, and advertisements complemented the display.

This was a great display of these very scarce revolvers, Jack Took It To The Max for sure!

JIM SCHAFER’S DISPLAY “FLATTOPS SWEET FLATTOPS”

UN-JUDGED VOLUNTARY MASTERS CLASS

WINNER MAAC “BEST OF SHOW AWARD” (CASH PRIZE $150)

Jim displayed 24 of the highest condition Flattops that I have ever seen displayed in one group!  He displayed twelve .357 Flattops and twelve .44 Flattops along with seven representative boxes.

The .357s included a low 3-digit number up through a 10” barrel six groove gun.  The .44s included two 3-digit numbers through two 10” barrel guns.  Most of them were different variations that had a different feature.  Several were adorned with fine looking factory stags.  The boxes displayed were a BKH3, BKH34, BKH36, BKH4, BKH47, BKH30, and BKH40.

This old Flattop display was indeed Sweet!!

LEE SUNDERMEIER, RICHARD WILMOT AND DON WILKS JOINT DISPLAY

“THREE TRIPLETS”

UN-JUDGED VOLUNTARY MASTERS CLASS

This was a display of an unusual collection of three different calibers of Old Model Rugers, all with the same consecutive three serial numbers but each caliber owned by a separate individual.

These guns are all new in their original boxes and some have their outer cardboard shipping cartons.

All of the serial number 9 guns were shipped to John Amber, past Editor of the Gun Digest.

The serial number 10 guns were shipped to Leonard Brownell or Jack O’Connor.

All of the serial number 11 guns were shipped to Michael Horelik, Ruger Company employee.

All of these guns, once owned by well known people in the gun and outdoor industry, are rare and highly collectible.

I really enjoyed seeing these three collectors hook up to display these fine Rugers, a great showing!

MATT OLIVIER’S DISPLAY “A SAMPLING OF .22 RUGER AUTOMATICS”

WINNER FIRST PLACE – ADVANCED SEMI-AUTOMATICS

Matt displayed a sampling of minty .22 Semi-Auto pistols from his collection.  The sampling included a "Salt Cod" box gun complete with paperwork; a very early Target MKI 6-7/8” barrel Red Eagle with its original hinged box; a US marked Target Auto with 6-7/8” barrel complete with its release papers and shipping box; a MKI 5-1/4” barrel target with box; one of only two known walnut stocked Duplicate S/N 5-1/2” MKI Targets; a Duplicate numbered 4-3/4” Standard Auto (featured in Donnie Findley’s Book); and a scarce US Navy contract overrun MKII 5-1/2” barrel blackened stainless steel pistol.

If this is Matt’s Sampling, I sure would like to see the whole collection!!  Very nice display!

BILL HAMM’S DISPLAY “RUGER SUPER BLACKHAWK, 50^TH ANNIVERSARY”

UN-JUDGED VOLUNTARY MASTERS CLASS

This display included four Super Blackhawk .44 Magnums that represented the “Evolution of the Super Blackhawk” over its 50 years of life, 1959 – 2009.  The guns are all new in their boxes and all number 10.

Examples of all the boxes used throughout production except the Whitebox were also displayed.

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, visit www.rugercollectorsassociation.com.

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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