Ruger nomenclature: reasons?

P

Pond James Pond

New member
I have spent far too much time admiring the fine lines and unbelievable bulk of my "little" 4" Ruger Redhawk, for the second evening in a row.

It is hard to believe there are beefier firearms.

So, naturally, I started thinking about the Super Redhawks and Super Blackhawks.

What is it about them that makes them Super but not my standard Redhawk?
 
Not so much nomenclature per se as marketing. Give something a distinctive and catchy name. I recall an article by Skeeter Skelton noting that when Ruger switched to the New Model they discontinued the older slightly smaller Blackhawk frame and built all their New Models on the Super Blackhawk frame but kept the Blackhawk designation.
 
To add to the confusion, 40 years ago Ruger had the Single-Six and Single-Six Convertible, and the Super Single-Six was the model with adjustible sights.
 
A lot of people out there are all eat up with the Super Blackhawk and it's massive strength. They simply don't understand that it's the exact same frame as the non-Super gun. It has a bigger grip and that's it.
 
Back in '55 Ruger came out with the .357 BH. This is on what we call the medium cylinder frame today. In '56 Ruger came out with the .44Mag BH on the 'large' frame. In '59, Ruger introduced the .44Mag on the large frame but with 'ears' around the sights (as we have today) and the Dragoon style grip. This was called the SBH (why? who knows! Marketing I suppose) ! So up until '73 we had the medium and large frame revolvers. Now, in '73 the 'New Model' was introduced and the .357, .45 Colt, and .44Mag were all put on the same 'large' frame. Yep, BH is same as SBH except for grip frame. Pre-73 three screw revolvers become known as the 'Old Model'. Then along comes the medium frame back from the dead in 2005 with the .357 Anniversary flattop BH. Then the .44Spec flattop BH, and now the .45 Colt flattop BHs from Lipseys. All on the medium frame! Gets a bit confusing again! Not even talking about the Vaquero and New Vaquero .... but that is a different subject. Also there was an 50th Anniversary 44mag flattop on the large frame in 2006. There was a SBH 50th anniversary in 2009 (same as any other SBH except finish was a really nice). Anyway ... that should give you some idea of Ruger nomenclature.... or not...

Then there is grip styles .... other story ...
 
All product nomenclature is part of sales hype. Ruger figured that "Blackhawk" was more likely to appeal to gun buyers than, say, "Chartreuse Canary."

Jim
 
Bill Ruger was an antique car enthusiast. The Bearcat and Blackhawk were 1920~1930 vintage autos from Stutz, each of which Ruger had in his collection.

The "Super" Blackhawk .44 Magnum differed, originally from the Blackhawk .44 Magnum by having a lowered hammer spur, non-fluted cylinder, 7 1/2" barrel, and protective ribs for the rear sight. Also had an extended grip, wide, grooved trigger, and a deluxe high polish blue. Hence the term "Super" to differentiate it from the .44 Magnum Blackhawk.

Bob Wright
 
The "Super" Blackhawk .44 Magnum differed, originally from the Blackhawk .44 Magnum by having a lowered hammer spur, non-fluted cylinder, 7 1/2" barrel, and protective ribs for the rear sight. Also had an extended grip, wide, grooved trigger, and a deluxe high polish blue. Hence the term "Super" to differentiate it from the .44 Magnum Blackhawk.
Click to expand...

I don't know if they still make it the same way today, but the early Super Blackhawks also had a steel ejector rod housing.

Blackhawks have aluminium ejector rod housings.
 
coyota1 said:

I thought the name "Black Hawk" had something to do with one if the partners death. ???
Click to expand...

The bird depicted on the grip medallion, which I call a phoenix but everyone else calls an eagle, was originally silver, but upon Alexander Strum's death was changed to black.

The Blackhawk and Bearcat were Bill Ruger's cars. Among others.


Bob Wright
 
johnbt said:
To add to the confusion, 40 years ago Ruger had the Single-Six and Single-Six Convertible, and the Super Single-Six was the model with adjustible sights.
Click to expand...
40 years ago? It was that way 12 years ago, when I bought my "Super Single Six Convertible."
 
Before the Super Single Six was introduced 40 years ago, there were no adjustable-sight Single-Six's, no Super Redhawk's (No Redhawk's for that matter) - the only Super's were Super Blackhawks.
 
1974 Gun Digest cover featured the new gun from Ruger, the Super Blackhawk. Nice article, too...

40 years? huh...I guess so....doesn't seem like it somehow...some days, anyway.

other days, feels like "has it only been 40 years?":(
 
It was hand scribed by Christian Monks, right after they finished the first Bible.........................(not Shooter's Bible ;) )



.
 
The eagle was originally red; it was changed to black on the death of Ruger's partner, Alex Sturm. The earliest automatic pistols are sometimes seen on auction or in collections described as "red eagle" guns.

I note that now Bill Ruger is gone, the company has chosen to eliminate the "S" from the intertwined "SR" in the logo. Even though the company remains Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., Sturm's name is gone from most of the company's literature.

Incidentally, the first pistols had no special name. They were simply called "The Ruger Automatic Pistol". When the target version came out it was called the Mark I, and the original pistol then became the "Standard Model".

Jim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top