Rifleman Q & A: A Collector or a Shooter?

by
posted on March 27, 2018
shooterqa.jpg

Q: I recently started hunting and ATV riding in Colorado and want to carry a large-caliber and capable gun with me for defense. I have one gun that fits the bill easily, it is a like-new, commemorative New Model Super Blackhawk chambered for .44 Mag. Stamped on the gun’s barrel is “Made in the 200th Year of American Liberty.” I am concerned with the potential for spoiling any additional value this commemorative edition has by firing it.

A: Given the nature of your question and the queries I have made, the pistol does not appear to gain significant additional value due to its markings. One source says Ruger marked virtually all of its 1976 production this way. If it were my gun, I would not hesitate to use it. But to obtain more information on its collector value, if it has any, I would suggest you contact the Ruger Collectors’ Ass’n at its website: rugercollectorsassociation.com.

--Charles W. Pate

Latest

Leupold’s 2-10X Mark 5HD
Leupold’s 2-10X Mark 5HD

All-Around Excellence: Leupold’s 2-10X Mark 5HD

Leupold & Stevens can claim credit for a number of the optics industry’s most transformative innovations, and, as a result, the Oregon-based company has had an outsized influence on the state of the contemporary riflescope landscape.

100 Years Of The American Rifleman

In July 2023, American Rifleman celebrates 100 years of continuous publication under its current name. In that time, we’ve borne witness to the American Century, comprised of historic conflicts, economic upheaval, political turmoil and technological development not seen before in the entirety of the human experience.

The Armed Citizen® June 5, 2023

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

The Glock 17 Pistol: American Rifleman's Original Review

In the May 1986 issue of American Rifleman, Technical Editor Pete Dickey took an early look at the then-new Glock 17 and dispelled many of the common myths surrounding the revolutionary pistol at the time.

The Kuhnhausen Legacy

In 2022, Jerry Kuhnhausen passed away in Idaho at age 85, having just updated the Mauser shop manual. From 1984 to 2021, Kuhnhausen wrote 12 gunsmithing shop manuals and produced three DVDs, regularly updating content and improving each title to ensure the best information for his readers.

Preview: Fisher Cerakote Bullet Pen

Fisher Space Pen, manufacturer of the original zero-G astronaut pen, is now offering its 400-series Bullet Pen in a number of Cerakote exterior finishes.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.