Maybe not a “trophy” in the Tulsa sense, but there’s plenty worth chasing in that one. The real prize is nailing down who shortened it and when.
The 5.5" cut, blued steel grip frame and ejector housing, plus the old-model Taffin tie-in all point to a custom job with some care taken to keep it looking right.
If you have the serial, any old paperwork, or even a small detail like whether the front sight base looks Ruger-original or re-fit, that’s usually where the trail starts to open up. If you want, I can help you sort likely smiths from the workmanship clues without spinning the wheel too hard.
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Several that are close enough that would warrant further inspection, but the front sight didn’t match. So would have to have been shortened and front sight replaced with older model. You could try Hamilton Bowen with the serial number, he has done a lot over the years and would probably be happy to check. Here is a link to a lot of Mr Taffin’s photos:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I suspect the pistol is older than 1969. I bought my first Blackhawk in about 1966-67. It was a 4-5/8” (or at least the “gunfighter” length of SAA’s). found at s later date a long barreled one and was going to have it redone to a .44 Spl but it shot too well, so I kept it. Then a number of years ago a friend of mine swapped me a pretty much unfired long barreled Blackhawk for a S&W Model 10 snubby. I then shot both long barreled guns, thought the newer one shot better, so sent the older one to Horvath to convert to .44 Spl. Got a beautiful revolver back.
My old man point about this whole rambling story is that Blackhawks of that time period were winged rear sights, not flat-top. The true flat-tops were an older variant I believe. I never saw an unwinged flat-top until years later and I was purchasing Rugers in the 60’s. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.
Horvath .44 Spl conversion. Included replacing grip frames and ejector tube with steel replacements, reblueing weapon, custom grips. Barrel is from a Ruger Super Blackhawk I believe.
Long barreled Blackhawk.
TOP one is original real flat top; remainder are winged flat tops.
