Ruger Old Army $$

[Crow Choker]

As long as ROA's are subject of talk on The Darkside Den, (ie 4Fingers capper inquiry for ROA's), I'm wondering what ROA's in good shape, well taken care of, no excessive wear/pitting, etc., are going for in some of your respective areas. I see on Gunbroker, some that are described as 'like new', 'little wear', 'no rust/pitting', etc. are priced around $400-500. Just curious, should have bought one back when I had the 'hots' for one back in the 70's---$125.00 price tag. I live in the North Iowa area of the USA.  

[Pettifogger]

There's ROAs and then there are ROAs.  In order of desirabilibility (least desirable to most desirable) they rank as follows:

Blued adjustable sight
Stainless adjustable sight
blued 7 1/2" fixed sight
stainless 7 1/2" fixed sight
blued 5 1/2" fixed sight
stainless 5 1/2" fixed sight

For cowboy shooting the adjustable sight models have little value and they can sometimes be picked up for $400 - $500.  If you find any fixed sight models for that amount snap them up.  If you have done any research on Gunbroker and other sites you would have seen much higher prices on the fixed sight models.  The 5 1/2" stainless models have been bringing north of $1,000.00 for one that is like new in box.

Prices in the 1970's are totally irrelevant for anything.

[hellgate]

Crow Choker,
Keep in mind what cost $125 back in the 70s now cost $4-500 now. Remember the Big Hunk or Look (my favorite candy bars) were a nickel each  when I was a kid in the 50s and 60s now they're 75 cents. I got $1.05/hour in 1969 cleaning dog cages in a vet clinic now they get 7 or 8 bucks.  I think VW Beetles went for $2000 back then too (~$25,000 now). So, inflation wise, maybe the ROA isn't such a great inflation hedge if it only goes up 3 or 4 times it's original price.

[Crow Choker]

Agree with ya Pettfoger of the more desirability of the fixed site models to some. Ifin I were to go after one, the adjust rear site model would be fine as I don't plan to use it for any SASS/NCOWS shooting. I have regular cap an ball shooters for that purpose. I think of all the Gunbroker offerings of almost 2 pages of ROA's, all but maybe three were all adjust rear sites, most were blued, also more desirable to me. Guns of America had all adjust rear sites if I recall right.
Anyway the ROA isn't a copy of anything but itself except for the nipples, rammer, and means of loading, I'm amused at some shooters who I've seen post comments of other shooters who don't conform to the so-called 'period' conformity of dress and firearms, who detest anything but the use of blackpowder, but shoot Ruger Old Armies, which didn't have a DOB until what, the early 70's. Not aiming any thing at ya, just making a personal point of view. Like all yer posts and info ya share with us all.
I do have fun though looking back at prices of yesteryear (those that I can recall in my life, 67 yrs) and compare to today. If I HAD bought a ROA back when they were $125.00, I wouldn't have the DTA (Desire To Acquire) and not the need to spend 4-5 times what I would have had to back then. Seems a reasonable thought to me. Can recall a new Colt Python selling for $185.00. A 64' Chev SS with 327 selling for $2500 give or take. Ford Pinto $1500. And yes sir Hellgate thee Ol' nickel candybar and the big ones for 10 cents if ya had the extra nickel to spend. Recall the 'Big Hunks' too. My first job away from the farm was $1.25 an hour. If anyone travels I-35 in Iowa and southern Minnesota, I helped make those big prestressed concrete beams ya see at interchanges back in '69-70' for the whole sum of $2.00 an hour. I recall my base ball hero MIckey Mantle making the ungodly sum of $36,000 a year. If I had pursued my intended career of a Federal Fish and Wildlife Biologist, I would have started out at a whooping $6000 a year, but I quit college and went into law enforcement. Lordy, I high-jacked my own post, shame on me. You guys out there in cyber land have a good day. Crow Choker 

[Lefty Dude]

I sold my Blued adjustable sight 7 1/2" ROA for $250.00 about five years ago. it was a hard sell at a gun show IIRC.

The piece was just a Beast compared to my Super BH 44 mag three screw.

[Flint]

I recall when a colt Python was new on the shelf for $125.00   I bought my first AR-15 new in 1964 for $165.00...  Yes inflation works.

[fourfingersofdeath]

Crow Choker,
Keep in mind what cost $125 back in the 70s now cost $4-500 now. Remember the Big Hunk or Look (my favorite candy bars) were a nickel each  when I was a kid in the 50s and 60s now they're 75 cents. I got $1.05/hour in 1969 cleaning dog cages in a vet clinic now they get 7 or 8 bucks.  I think VW Beetles went for $2000 back then too (~$25,000 now). So, inflation wise, maybe the ROA isn't such a great inflation hedge if it only goes up 3 or 4 times it's original price.

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but I can't believe how poor the pay rates are in the US. A kid under 16 years old in the fast food industry (I couldn't find the vet industry) here gets $9.49 an hour minimum. My son was 18 and working at MacDonalds as a burger flipper about 13 years ago and his rate of pay then was $14 an hour. Everyone here gets free medical as well, 5% (I think) comes out of everybody's pay and we are good to go.

The 5 1/2" ROAs seem to be few and far between in Australia, I have a pair, they were parts guns ordered by a big gunshop interstate. The only others that I have seen are three guys shooting cowboy action and one of those guys has a mixed pair, one SS and one blued (It looks like it might have been at Custer's Last Stand it is so well worn, haha). That is the only blued ROA I have ever seen in Australia. There seem to be plenty of 7 1/2" SS adjustable sighted ones, the Precision Black Powder Match was popular some years back in the clubs that shoot Bullseye and Olympic disciplines.

I have never seen a 7 1/2" open sighted ROA either.

They used to sell for about $AU900 when they were available and I think I paid $AU940 each for a sequentially number set (of parts guns, haha). I can't see me parting with mine anytime soon.

When I was in my late 20s, Two packs of twenty cigarettes and two boxes of matches for my wife and I was a dollar. Sounds good, but I only earnt about $80 a week, haha.

[Major 2]

No dog in the fight  

Hellgate said  " I got $1.05/hour in 1969 cleaning dog cages in a vet clinic now they get 7 or 8 bucks "

they get  $ 15,   even " ...do you want fries wit dat " McDonald's - Burger King - Whatever Burger mindless twerps are up to
$15 now...

just say'n'  

Gun buying is real bargain 

[Cliff Fendley]

Stainless old army's with adjustable sights were about 400 several years ago when I bought mine. That was right after they quit making them and I wanted to get one while I could for hunting.

On the side note the 5% out of pay comes out about right for what I was paying for good health insurance until Obama messed it all up. Now rates are at least double and no end in sight for lesser coverage.

When you compare other inflation most guns are as good of deal as they every were except for a few collector things that have jumped like crazy.

[fourfingersofdeath]

I forgot to add, when they were selling for $AU900 odd new here in Australia, they were bringing $AU600 second hand as there were never many about and were generally snapped up. I paid $AU600 for a 7 1/2" SS one with adjustable sights a few years ago and ended up changing clubs and the new club didn't shoot that match and I had just got the two new 5 1/2" open sighted ones, so I rang the Club Armourer and told him  was going to sell it. He banged on my door an hour later with $600 in his hand, said the first guy he rang bought it. I wish they all sold that quick.

[Dick Dastardly]

My brace of old black 7½" ROAs with brass square back trigger guards and backstraps, "adjustable" sights and Kirst Konverter 45 Colt cylinders is a great SASS gun.  Especially fun to shoot Gunfighter with full house bp loads.  I wouldn't trade 'em even up for modern SS ROAs.  When I cut loose with one of those hand cannons in each hand the wimmen and kids run for the hills, newbies cough and gag and the RO backs way off.  No one seems to notice the "adjustable" sights. . .

DD-MDA

[45 Dragoon]

Ok, since some of you guys have some " not so expensive" ROAs, what would the level of interest be for a gated conversion for the ROA that would allow you to shoot .45 C and .  .  .  . Ruger only loads?!  (quite possibly a 5 shot version of .454 Casull?)

(keep in mind you blk.hawk owners, you can't put a C&B cyl in a blk.hawk)

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

[Dick Dastardly]

I have learned (from undisclosed sources) that .454 Casull level loads have been shot from ROAs with Kirst Konverter 45 Colt cylinders.  This is NOT a recommended practice, but my sources are very good.  The ROAs will take it and so will the Kirst Konverter cylinders.  BUT neither is made for anything but black powder loads.

So, if you do this, be advised that neither Ruger or Kirst will pick up your hospital bills.

These are black powder hardware items and their labels say so in plain English.

DD-MDA

[Coffinmaker]

.45 BRIMSTONE anybody??

Coffinmaker

[45 Dragoon]

DD,
These would be new from the ground up. (And yes, I know they'll take it  shhhh!).  

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

[Crow Choker]

Gee, I just wondered what ROA's were selling for around the country, but there is some interesting read here. I let about three blued adjust rear sight versions get sold on GB that sold for between $465-495 that were described as new looking, very good shape, and pictures attested so. Oh well, just have to keep watching.
Dick, do you ever shoot loose powder and ball in your ROA's or just shoot 45 Colt cartridges with black? I've read where ya shoot them often. Just curious.

[Blackpowder Burn]

Dragoon,

Are you talking about a gated conversion that can be installed and removed at will?  I'd find that interesting for my 7-1/2" fixed sight SS ROA's.

[45 Dragoon]

B.P.Burn,
Yes. It would be a lot easier than dropping a cyl and dealing with the loading leaver.

Thank you for your interest.  Stay tuned .  .  .  .  .  . 


Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

[Blackpowder Burn]

Will do! 

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Crow Choker,

Yup, I do shoot my brace of ROAs with loose powder now and then.  Still shoot 'em GF.  I've had many comments on being brave/foolish enough to shoot C&B pistols GF, but they never have failed me yet.

DD-MDA