Rare finds while accumulating story #4

[fishhuntnut]

Not sure where to post as this has generic applicability..
When I was first getting into the Ruger addiction, I would go to any and all gun shops in the area I was staying and see what they had to accumulate. When I was on a project in Columbus, I ran across a gun smith shop and befriended the gunsmith. He was in his later years and his shop consisted of 2 garages packed full of filing cabinets, racks, bins, etc. So, one day he let me spend hours rummaging through all his stuff and was happy to have someone ‘clean up stuff’.

I came out of his shop with as much as I could afford to buy (didn’t have much mad money at that point).

Here is, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story. I was fortunate to have a couple Ruger mentors in my early days that coached me on what stuff to look for, etc. One of them was Don Wilkes. So, when I told him I found a treasure trove of Ruger stuff, he said come over and we can sort it out…. Little did I know when I got there, several other of the OH gang were there…. Got to get to know all of those guys well (you know who you are). It is amazing how trading Ruger stuff befriends the strangest of people (yes, I am a MI Wolverine fan).. Anyhow, they took advantage of this newbie and I came away with significant $ for parts that ended up being quite desireable. Maybe the gang can chime in on what was all there, but stuff I remember finding at the gunsmith were:
Half a hanging sleeve of Premier Loading gates still in the plastic packaging
Red Eagle grips
Black XR3 grips
All sorts of single action parts including hammers, ejector rods and housing, grip frames, cylinders, etc.
Some 22 auto parts including an early bolt, etc.
Some rifle parts too.
I still have some of those parts..the ones that I would not let them have...

If memory serves me right, there were bidding wars and drooling… ha ha.. but fun was had by all..

[Brass Frame]

Tom, was the gun shop in Columbus called Busy B gun shop? I visited this shop on occasion when I needed some part for early Rugers. If I am not mistaken, he had 4 drawer file cabinets full of Bearcats, Standard Autos including early Red Eagles, and some early Flattops. Like you, I was raising a family and too little money and too much desire!
I do remember looking at your inventory at Don's house in the lower level where we hovered over his "desk". At the time, I believe you had some stag grips and maybe ivories too? Not sure who else was there, maybe Rod?
Good memories of early Ruger treasures! Brass Frame/Lee

[fishhuntnut]

Tom, was the gun shop in Columbus called Busy B gun shop? I visited this shop on occasion when I needed some part for early Rugers. If I am not mistaken, he had 4 drawer file cabinets full of Bearcats, Standard Autos including early Red Eagles, and some early Flattops. Like you, I was raising a family and too little money and too much desire!
I do remember looking at your inventory at Don's house in the lower level where we hovered over his "desk". At the time, I believe you had some stag grips and maybe ivories too? Not sure who else was there, maybe Rod?
Good memories of early Ruger treasures! Brass Frame/Lee

The shop, as I remember it, was in Delaware OH, think the guys last name was Morgan. He also had a 194x military jeep in great shape piled over with gun boxes and gun cases… go figure…

[contender]

Ahh,, the good old days.

Sadly, places with really good OM parts have just about disappeared.

Great story though!

[Hawkeye28]

Yes it is true, old model parts are quite uncommon..........keep in mind that they went away for good, factory-wise, at the end of 1972.(JUST LIKE THE OM FIREARMS) AND that is some 53 years ago. Where does the time go? So, it seems that if one comes across old model parts, even if you do not "Need" them, Buy 'em!