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The Ruger New/ Old Army

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The ROA is closer to the Rogers & Spencer.

I have heard/read that, as well as that the ROA provenance may be traced to the Whitney...?

here are 2 (of my 3) Rogers & Spencer revolvers beside 2 (of my 6) stainless Ruger Old Army revolvers
R&S and ROAs.jpg
 
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The ROA was designed by the late Harry Sefried of Sturm, Ruger. He discusses the creation and design in R. L. Wilson's book "Ruger & His Guns." He mentions that he and Bill Ruger were interested in antique black powder guns. He also mentions that his favorite was the Rogers & Spencer. Ruger liked a Remington Pocket Model on which he styled the Ruger Bearcat. They wanted a percussion revolver that was a very good shooter, and as close to indestructible that could be made, with all the usual features. He started with a clean sheet of paper. He specifically mentions no duplicating of an antique design. It would basically be a black powder Super Blackhawk, utilizing as many Blackhawk components as possible - grips, grip straps, etc. Easily broken down and cleaned, and they used .45 caliber revolver barrels which explains the .457 chambering, even though it is called .44 caliber.

So, while it looks a little like a Rogers & Spencer or Remington Model 1858 - it is essentially a black powder percussion Blackhawk.
 
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The ROA is a fine percussion revolver. I had my mouth watering for one back in the mid 70's, should have bought one as the retail price was only at around $125, but seemed to always be this and that to buy. Didn't buy one until around 7 yrs or so ago paying the equivalent of what I could have bought three for back in the 70's plus alot of balls, powder, etc. It had been well taken care of, not shot much, and almost looked NIB. Already had a stable full of Colts and several Remingtons, but it is a nice full barrel, blued, adjust sight model. Good shooter, heavy and sturdy, nice looker. I will admit though that if I were to the point of only having one percussion revolver for shooting it would be my Uberti 2nd Model Dragoon. Just like that ol hogleg, its looks, history, and feel. Ifin I had to rely on a percussion revolver for defense, well the ROA would win in a landslide. I've been shooting percussion revolvers since 1972 and have pretty much the full agenda of types except the Thuer and smaller Colt 5 shot mini revolvers. The 44's are my favorite.

Something I haven't read on any of the six pages of this thread is about Rugers announcement not long ago that they were producing a run of ROA's. Read about the claim on several forums (CAS, SASS, Ruger.net, etc), but haven't seen any or read much about them. Was this a Ruger gonna-be that never happened or were they produced in such a limited quantity that only a few reaped one? Curious!!!. If I recall the retail price was going to 'be up there', but not anything earth shattering. Where are all of the so-called 2nd Generation ROA's if they exist?

In regards to the history of the ROA, William Lincoln in his #36 post penned that Bill Ruger patterned the ROA after the Remington Bisley/Beals revolver. I can recall reading and hearing this back in the early 70's when the ROA was introduced. In fact read this not to long ago in a 1970's produced gun magazine I was thumbing through. This article and others I recall mentioned some similarities also to the Blackhawk line. Tried to find the magazine, but its buried in a box of many boxes of old mags of months gone by. In 'OldMaineWoodsman's' #102 post just before this one , he mentions Wilsons book on Rugers that Ruger didn't really duplicate or want to duplicate any older design. Have heard this also through the years. Pulled my Wilson book on Rugers and read the info. Some have said in the past the Wilson has taken liberties in the past with some of his books. Some have been proven, some haven't. Not saying either way here, although I enjoy Wilsons books, very informative. One gripe on his Colt books is that he shows to many pictures of fancy engraved Colts, those for the high price collector instead of the common run of the mill Colts. Guess Wilson intended his books to be laying on some fancy exotic wood living room table. Whether it was copied from the Remington, was influenced by the Blackhawk, and/or was all original or a combination of all three, it's one mighty fine, tough shootin hogleg. Price's are high, can't buy as cheap as the Italian imports, but if can have one or two at least, ya have a excellent example of a modern percussion revolver.

I'll take a small liberty here, please bear with me 'Zonie', aware this thread is about ROA's, but in regards to France's helping America during the Revolution, that they did and America does owe France alot of thanks for that. My maternal Great-G-G-G Grandfather was a Captain in the Continental Army in that War and who knows, his life may have been saved due to France's help. France and the whole European continent do owe America also big time for WW1 and WW2, saving them from being overrun by Germany and its allies. Especially WW2. I get burned when I hear Europeans trashing America about this and that. So-called big music and movie stars, royals, politicians, and all. Hey Brits, Frenchie's, and all of you, my Dad's family sent five over in WW2, two came back (one being my Dad and his cousin). Two brothers and another cousin left their blood and lives on French and Belgium soil, all three shot down in heavy bombers. Enough said.
 
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The ROA was designed by the late Harry Sefried of Sturm, Ruger. He discusses the creation and design in R. L. Wilson's book "Ruger & His Guns." He mentions that he and Bill Ruger were interested in antique black powder guns. He also mentions that his favorite was the Rogers & Spencer. Ruger liked a Remington Pocket Model on which he styled the Ruger Bearcat. They wanted a percussion revolver that was a very good shooter, and as close to indestructible that could be made, with all the usual features. He started with a clean sheet of paper. He specifically mentions no duplicating of an antique design. It would basically be a black powder Super Blackhawk, utilizing as many Blackhawk components as possible - grips, grip straps, etc. Easily broken down and cleaned, and they used .45 caliber revolver barrels which explains the .457 chambering, even though it is called .44 caliber.

So, while it looks a little like a Rogers & Spencer or Remington Model 1858 - it is essentially a black powder percussion Blackhawk.
That sounds like the real skinny on the ROA to me . No doubt some design ideas are copied from other revolver models but the description of it being a basic Blackhawk platform of percussion persuasion rings true .
 
Still curious-Does anyone know how many of the new ROA Ruger produced. Most of what I've found on line and on a forum here and there dates back to around 2017/2018 when Ruger announced they were producing some ROA's again. For the most part Talo or Davidson's were supposed to get them I guess and sell them. Never see any for sale on places like GB or see anything about them anymore.

Just today on GB I see Ruger or some entity connected to Ruger has one of the newer produced '2nd Generation' ROA's for sale, NIB, unfired. Funds generated are going to some benefit. If I recall back in 2017/18 the MSRP was around $800-900 but after the initial announcement, I never read much about them, saw any info on any forums of any purchases, or as of yet hear of anyone talking about them or trying to sell one. Was this just going to be a very limited run? Were they even produced? Wonder who bought them, possibly collectors with deep pockets and connections?
 
The ROA was designed by the late Harry Sefried of Sturm, Ruger. He discusses the creation and design in R. L. Wilson's book "Ruger & His Guns." He mentions that he and Bill Ruger were interested in antique black powder guns. He also mentions that his favorite was the Rogers & Spencer. Ruger liked a Remington Pocket Model on which he styled the Ruger Bearcat. They wanted a percussion revolver that was a very good shooter, and as close to indestructible that could be made, with all the usual features. He started with a clean sheet of paper. He specifically mentions no duplicating of an antique design. It would basically be a black powder Super Blackhawk, utilizing as many Blackhawk components as possible - grips, grip straps, etc. Easily broken down and cleaned, and they used .45 caliber revolver barrels which explains the .457 chambering, even though it is called .44 caliber.

So, while it looks a little like a Rogers & Spencer or Remington Model 1858 - it is essentially a black powder percussion Blackhawk.
Good info! Thanks!
 
I get burned when I hear Europeans trashing America about this and that. So-called big music and movie stars, royals, politicians, and all. Hey Brits, Frenchie's, and all of you, my Dad's family sent five over in WW2, two came back (one being my Dad and his cousin). Two brothers and another cousin left their blood and lives on French and Belgium soil, all three shot down in heavy bombers. Enough said.

Sir, YOU made the accusation, and I'm taking you up on it. There are British and French among the international range of posters here, so please give details of a post on this forum where ANY 'Brit' or 'Frenchie' has 'trashed' the USA. I believe you'll be looking hard and long and fruitlessly.
 
Sir, YOU made the accusation, and I'm taking you up on it. There are British and French among the international range of posters here, so please give details of a post on this forum where ANY 'Brit' or 'Frenchie' has 'trashed' the USA. I believe you'll be looking hard and long and fruitlessly.
OK, apology needed, I tried to go back and edit part of my statement, didn't mean every Brit, French, and any other European resident, apologize for the way it was written to posters on the forum and every European that has appreciated what America has done and still does. Couldn't do so, evidently after a post has been posted so long ya can't edit. There are those in European countries that don't (probably the majority), but there are many of them that have loud mouths and a peach crate to stand on that trash America. Many of the big music stars, screen stars, royals, and politicians trash America with their mouths all of the time, telling Americans how we should run America, some of the biggest names in those area's. Online news services, both conservative and liberal have their quotes and/or video's all the time. So again, apology to those who don't trash the USA, no time for those that do. You'll have to do research for those that do, it's out there. All I'm saying about it and not going to respond further.
 
Still curious-Does anyone know how many of the new ROA Ruger produced. Most of what I've found on line and on a forum here and there dates back to around 2017/2018 when Ruger announced they were producing some ROA's again. For the most part Talo or Davidson's were supposed to get them I guess and sell them. Never see any for sale on places like GB or see anything about them anymore.

Just today on GB I see Ruger or some entity connected to Ruger has one of the newer produced '2nd Generation' ROA's for sale, NIB, unfired. Funds generated are going to some benefit. If I recall back in 2017/18 the MSRP was around $800-900 but after the initial announcement, I never read much about them, saw any info on any forums of any purchases, or as of yet hear of anyone talking about them or trying to sell one. Was this just going to be a very limited run? Were they even produced? Wonder who bought them, possibly collectors with deep pockets and connections?
Never heard of them; but my interest is/was more recent. I recall a guy coming into a gunshow back in the 1980's sold a ROA for $150, which even with inflation was a good deal then!
 
I have heard/read that, as well as that the ROA provenance may be traced to the Whitney...?

here are 2 (of my 3) Rogers & Spencer revolvers beside 2 (of my 6) stainless Ruger Old Army revolvers
View attachment 82673
That is a really great collection of shooters. What kind of grip is that, on the ROA on the far right? Not traditional, of course, but it looks very practical. Those are all nice-looking revolvers. I don't know much about the Whitneys.

There was a movie made twenty-some years ago, I believe, with Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, and Russell Crowe, entitled The Quick and the Dead. I think it was intended to be a western spoof. Anyway, there was a contest consisting of a series of shootouts, or duels held as elimination trials in the street of a western town. The movie's armorer or prop department actually pulled out some interesting revolvers. They showed a Swedish gunfighter painstakingly loading a Le Mat, and there was an American Indian gunfighter (named Yellow Horse ?) who was clearly shown using a Rogers & Spencer. I'm not a big-time movie watcher, but I don't remember seeing another R&S on screen before or since.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
 
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That is a really great collection of shooters. What kind of grip is that, on the ROA on the far right? Not traditional, of course, but it looks very practical. Those are all nice-looking revolvers. I don't know much about the Whitneys, except that a series of Whitney reproductions were made for just a few years in the late sixties or early seventies. Last time I checked, October Country had three or four of the Whitney reproductions for sale. These were considered very nice revolvers in their day.

There was a movie made twenty-some years ago, I believe, with Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, and Russell Crowe, entitled The Quick and the Dead. I think it was intended to be a western spoof. Anyway, there was a contest consisting of a series of shootouts, or duels held as elimination trials in the street of a western town. The movie's armorer or prop department actually pulled out some interesting revolvers. They showed a Swedish gunfighter painstakingly loading a Le Mat, and there was an American Indian gunfighter (named Yellow Horse ?) who was clearly shown using a Rogers & Spencer. I'm not a big-time movie watcher, but I don't remember seeing another R&S on screen before or since.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
I like that movie , lots of different guns
 
I recall reading here that they were around $1200 - 1400 and sold out on the day. I might be wrong though.


Nope, not wrong, I remember reading that here from some time in the past.

At Phoenix Shoot when it existed and Friendship, the ROA is the revolver of choice in the revolver match.
 
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