OM 357 question

[stevem]

I picked up two old model 357's last summer. Both have 6 1/2" barrels. Old older one has a serial # that'll puts it in/around 1967 and has a orange insert on the front sight. Would that have been original? The newer of the two, 1960/70 s/n doesn't have an insert?
One I plan on keeping as a 357, the other will be a custom 44 special with a Colt New Frontier barrel at some point.

 

[Johnnu2]

Nope.... orange insert is not original.
I'm POSITIVE...

J.

 

[stevem]

That made my decision alot easier!.......thanks!

 

[Armybrat]

Nope.... orange insert is not original.
I'm POSITIVE...

J.

My 1968 BH I bought new that year never had a bright color insert in the sight.

 

[contender]

Orange inserts on the Blackhawks have not been done on any of the old models

 

[vlavalle]

I have exactly the same Ruger .357 Mag, with a 6 1/2 barrel. I bought it in 1966 and it does not have the orange insert. It has been a terrific gun, and I had it upgraded in 2014 so I can load all 6 chambers safely now. Ruger upgraded it for free, and sent me all the parts that ever changed, in case I ever wanted to put it back. Also, after they updated it, I asked them if they could make a 9mm cylinder for it, and they said NO! I guess their thinking is that it would force me to buy a new one that comes with a 9mm cylinder, which I will never do. What did you pay?

 

[contender]

"I asked them if they could make a 9mm cylinder for it, and they said NO!"

Ruger used to make spare cylinders ONLY if they had offered that model as a normal factory offering. Since your gun was made PRIOR to them offering the .9mm/.357 convertible,, may be why they refused to do it.

Besides,, they no longer offer OM parts of any kind. That may also be a valid reason.

 

[vlavalle]

Contender, I am sorry to say but I do not think that your info is incorrect. Ruger use to make spare 9mm cylinders for people who own .357 Mag revolvers already, but I got into the program too late. I might have been successful if I thought about it and asked when I sent in mine for the upgrade. I think I was that close in the timing. I am pretty sure that they did indeed do Cylinder production for older .359 Mag revolvers like mine. But clearly, they do not now.

 

[contender]

You may well be correct. I was putting out speculation based upon stuff I've seen over the years.

yes,, they USED to make spare cylinder,, but only if they offered a model as a convertible already. For example,, they would not make a 32-20 cylinder for a .30 Carbine. But they did make .45 acp & .9mm cylinders for the Blackhawks, after they introduced their own convertibles.

And I was told many years ago directly by folks at Ruger that they no longer did any parts for Old Models. I was told; "Liability" reasons.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

FWIW Your 1967 has the hard to find Neck Feather grips on it.

 

[contender]

"FWIW Your 1967 has the hard to find Neck Feather grips on it."

As it should have. Nice gun!