Ruger nomenclature: reasons?

Pond, James Pond · December 11, 2012, 06:26 PM

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?

jmr40 · December 11, 2012, 06:36 PM

The Super Redhawk has a beefed up frame designed for even more abuse than the older Redhawk.

http://ruger.com/products/superRedhawk/index.html

http://ruger.com/products/redhawk/models.html

The same is true, but to a slightly less degree with the Super Blackhawk. Both are designed specifically for hunting, not general use

http://ruger.com/products/newModelSu...er/models.html

http://ruger.com/products/newModelSu...rd/models.html

SIGSHR · December 11, 2012, 07:01 PM

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.

johnbt · December 11, 2012, 07:56 PM

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.

feets · December 11, 2012, 08:14 PM

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.

rclark · December 11, 2012, 08:29 PM

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 ...

**James K** · December 11, 2012, 09:11 PM

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

Bob Wright · December 11, 2012, 09:18 PM

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

Pond, James Pond · December 12, 2012, 04:08 AM

Quote:

"Chartreuse Canary."

Now, THAT, I would buy!!

**44 AMP** · December 14, 2012, 03:44 PM

Quote:

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.

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 · December 16, 2012, 05:34 PM

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

Bob Wright · December 16, 2012, 06:10 PM

coyota1 said:

Quote:

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

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

Aguila Blanca · December 16, 2012, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnbt

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.

40 years ago? It was that way 12 years ago, when I bought my "Super Single Six Convertible."

PetahW · December 16, 2012, 08:49 PM

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.

**44 AMP** · December 19, 2012, 02:47 AM

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?"

warningshot · December 19, 2012, 02:54 AM

1974 huh....yah...but was the article in color?

PetahW · December 19, 2012, 12:15 PM

It was hand scribed by Christian Monks, right after they finished the first Bible.........................(not Shooter's Bible

)

.

**James K** · December 19, 2012, 12:49 PM

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

December 11, 2012, 06:26 PM	#1
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 1,617	Ruger nomenclature: reasons? 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? __________________ You cannot wake someone who is pretending to sleep. Stop pretending. Wake up. Doubt: ...it's the only thing I'm sure of... -Marsupials: Nature's idea of Concealed-Carry-

December 11, 2012, 08:29 PM	#6
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 1,255	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 ... __________________ A clinger. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes improperly referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. Ok.... the .44Spec is growing on me ... but the .45 Colt is still king.

December 11, 2012, 09:11 PM	#7
James K Staff Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 16,435	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 __________________ Jim K

December 19, 2012, 02:47 AM	#15
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 8,970	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?" __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

December 19, 2012, 12:49 PM	#18
James K Staff Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 16,435	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 __________________ Jim K

December 11, 2012, 06:36 PM	#2
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 4,496	The Super Redhawk has a beefed up frame designed for even more abuse than the older Redhawk. http://ruger.com/products/superRedhawk/index.html http://ruger.com/products/redhawk/models.html The same is true, but to a slightly less degree with the Super Blackhawk. Both are designed specifically for hunting, not general use http://ruger.com/products/newModelSu...er/models.html http://ruger.com/products/newModelSu...rd/models.html

December 11, 2012, 07:01 PM	#3
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 2,593	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.

December 11, 2012, 07:56 PM	#4
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,005	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.

December 11, 2012, 08:14 PM	#5
feets Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2008 Posts: 193	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.

December 11, 2012, 09:18 PM	#8
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 1,250	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

December 16, 2012, 05:34 PM	#11
coyota1 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Location: West Michigan Posts: 656	I thought the name "Black Hawk" had something to do with one if the partners death. ???

December 16, 2012, 08:49 PM	#14
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 3,290	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.

December 19, 2012, 02:54 AM	#16
warningshot Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2009 Posts: 980	1974 huh....yah...but was the article in color?

December 19, 2012, 12:15 PM	#17
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 3,290	It was hand scribed by Christian Monks, right after they finished the first Bible.........................(not Shooter's Bible ) .