Ruger Old Army?

[Festus]

My question is: Are they worth it? I have several Ruger unmentionables and love them. I have a 1858 Rem clone and hate it. The Ruger reminds me of the Remington and I am starting to wonder if I would use one if I bought it. I have wanted one since I was a kid, but never bought one for some reason. Can I get an opinion from the guys who like the Colts, if you like the Ruger?

 

[sheriff john]

Bought mine when they first came out, still enjoy it. The price, even at that time was high. Today's prices (like $900 up) are, to me, far more than I would spend. All in all, my ROA's been a very accurate pistol, reliable, and easy to maintain. It would be my first choice if I wished to start shooting BP revolver matches as a beginner because there's just not much "improvement" that I, personally, would do to it. Has always shot better'n I could.

When I bought mine, it cost about the same as a truck payment.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Excellent revolver.

 

[CyrusP]

I love my ROA 7.5” fixed sight blued. Bought 22 years ago from Dixon’s. She’s not for sale although she sits in the safe. Since my Colt open tops came into my life, I have everything I need to make me happy. If you buy it and don’t want it you’ll get your money back if that helps.

 

[morehops52]

Solid and accurate. Once I added some paint to the sights I could hit a pie plate at 50 yds 6 for 6.

 

[M. De Land]

I have a Centenial model in blue finish I really like but my Pietta 58 target will out shoot it . Like most Rugers they are accurate right out of the box but can stand some trigger work. About all that ever goes wrong with them is the loading Rod Link gets bent/broke when barrel loading from folks forgetting to lock them in place via a partial turn of the keep screw when removed for cleaning or cylinder press loading.

 

[user 33697]

Bought mine from a gun shop that went out of business when the owner retired. The ROA is not the Cadillac of BP revolvers, it's the Royals Royce of BP revolvers.

Watch Mike Beliveau's great six part performance tests on YouTube below.

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6. Ruger Old Army Powder Projectile Test Part 6

 

[bisleyjohn]

Got two. Love em.

 

[Kodaman]

Shot mine a few days ago. Have the small press to load the cylinder out of the revolver. I shoot mine at steel at 100 yds most of the time. I think they are terrific guns especially during these times when regular cartridges, powder etc. can be hard to find so I'm shooting my ROA a lot these days. Exceptional durability.

 

[Whughett]

Can’t speak to the value/current inflated price, that’s a collector thing, in my opinion.
But I have in the last 20 years acquired 4 of them. Three stainless one blued. I’ve also acquired three conversion cylinders two 45C and a 45ACP. They are all boiler plate top shooters.
A shooter could own one ROA with both center fire and percussion cylinders and have one revolver that would do it all from precision target shooting to hunting deer size animals where permitted to do so.

 

[user 30283]

Bought my ROA stainless MANY years ago new at about 15% of what they're worth now. As close to perfect as any BP revolver can get. I love it and I'll keep it forever and pass it to my kids.

 

[Ninering62]

Bought mine from a gun shop that went out of business when the owner retired. The ROA is not the Cadillac of BP revolvers, it's the Royals Royce of BP revolvers.

Watch Mike Beliveau's great six part performance tests on YouTube below.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. Ruger Old Army Powder Projectile Test Part 6

Thanks for the video series. Great info. I was gifted a 7.5" barrel ROA last yr. Its my first BP pistol. I started out with 220gr Kaido conicals & a charge of 35gr T7fff. I've done no load adjusting thus far nor have I shot any other projectiles out of it. I've been shooting muzzleloaders for 35yrs or so & have never been a round ball shooter even in my cpl traditional percussion sidelocks, no desire to start messin with them now in this ROA. Conicals all the way for me. I still need a good bit of shooting time with this gun, but overall, I really love the thing.

 

[bubba.50]

Sure wish I hadn't sold mine.

 

[45D]

Seems a pretty consistent sentiment! I have 4 and they're all tack drivers. All mine have conversion cyls of course but they are amazing shooters! One rides with me in my car at all times!
My Dragoons will group better but I've had much more practice with them!

Mike

 

[Festus]

Will the Ted Cash snail capper work on the Ruger?

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have had two. Loved them. Sorry I sold. Both were unique collectors series and I got talked into selling. Prices are through the roof and climbing.

 

[Campbell]

I have a blue and a stainless, both with adjustable sights. I use them for target, plinking and hunting. Mechanical “perfection” for an outdated platform; anachronistic and very interesting to me.

 

[Tenring]

Just for ha’s over the winter I polished every part of my Stainless ROA with Never Dull , it did not give it Crome like finish but she Gleams. I think it’s a model year 2000 with the gray hard case and a six cavity Lee round ball mold over sized for the old army. She is a shooter that’s for sure.

 

[springfield art]

My question is: Are they worth it? I have several Ruger unmentionables and love them. I have a 1858 Rem clone and hate it. The Ruger reminds me of the Remington and I am starting to wonder if I would use one if I bought it. I have wanted one since I was a kid, but never bought one for some reason. Can I get an opinion from the guys who like the Colts, if you like the Ruger?

The Ruger Old Armies are a great pistol, but during the last three years or so, the prices for them have skyrocketed. When I thing of the ones I could have gotten for 3-4 hundred, what an investment that would have been! No one cared much for them until the "gun-n-ammo" panic driven by political events. Remember the 'panic' when everyone thought Hillary was a shoo-in? Then, the covid disaster, with shortages of everything. Ruger Old Armies are very high quality, if you want one bad enough to pay thru the nose for one.

 

[Erwan]

I've bought mine in 1976 (1776-1976) and I love this revolver, I will never sell it : this handgun is the best BP caps and balls I ever had...
This one is far better than a Remington 58 or 61.
Take care of this gun and it'll give back to you...