Cap-and-ball standard resurrected

How Ruger brought the Old West into the 20th Century

A pair of Ruger Colt Old Army revolvers, each a 1970s model, at J Gray’s Estate Firearm Services. Photo by Kelly Bostian/KJBOutdoors

By Kelly Bostian

Some will argue that Sturm, Ruger & Co. hit the pinnacle of its desire to recapture the romance of Old West-style revolvers with (bet you didn’t guess it) The Ruger Old Army.

More might advocate for the Blackhawk, which is still in production, and, honestly, that’s a tough argument to beat, but lovers of blackpowder shooting likely won’t be persuaded.

Bill Ruger made firearms history with his Old Army BP (black powder) revolver in 1972. Nearly 100 years had passed since the mass production of a cap-and-ball revolver, and Ruger’s Old Army launched as an instant hit.

Not surprisingly, it was designed off the three-screw Blackhawk revolver frame.

The Old Army harkened back to the last version of the Remington New Model Army, produced from 1863 to 1875. That run marked the end of mass-produced percussion revolvers. Many remained in use and were refurbished for decades, and replicas were made, but cartridges took over the handgun market.

And now came the rebirth. This was not a replica of a time gone by, but an entirely American-made firearm. With new technology and design, Ruger created a new firearm to satisfy the modern, growing demand for a long-lost tool for handgunners.

An Old Army made around 1976 shows the adjustable rear sight and notched cylinder. These revolvers were known for being tough as nails and mechanically trouble-free. Photo by Kelly Bostian/KJBOutdoors

Designed off the three-screw Blackhawk frame, it featured a solid, heavy-cast “top-strap” frame (similar to the 1858 Remington) with a 7.5-inch barrel, spring-locked loading lever, adjustable rear sight, and another 20th-century development, a Baughman-type ramp front sight.

The mechanics of the revolver are unlike older revolvers, using design advances and stronger metallurgy to prevent jams, as well as increasing durability and smooth action with modern coil springs instead of leaf springs.

A practically indestructible ramrod with removal for cleaning, along with the cylinder, by means of a single large screw that could be turned with a penny, made cleanup easier.

Importantly, safety notches between chambers on the cylinder allowed it to be carried safely with all six chambers loaded by placing the hammer on one of those notches.

They were tough as nails, famously tested even with smokeless powder, accompanied by “do not try this at home” warnings.

A heavy load could fire a .457 caliber round ball or conical bullet at around 1,000 feet per second, round after round after round, without fouling or mechanical issues.

Desirable for collectors, this 1973-74 Old Army has a brass, squareback trigger guard, offered as an option for gunners with large hands. Old Army revolvers took advantage of the wide Super Blackhawk-style knurled hammer spur, especially handy for one-handed shooting. Photo by Kelly Bostian/KJBOutdoors

The biggest market centered around Cowboy Action competitions of the Single Action Shooters Society, but recreational shooters and even hunters appreciated them as well.

As folks in the SASS chat rooms put it, if nostalgia is your main desire, use one of the many replicas. If you want to win, get a Ruger Old Army.

Unfortunately, production of the Old Army ended in 2008, about six years after Bill Ruger’s death.

Chat-room banter draws a connection–and leans on an unconfirmed claim– that the Old Army was more of a sentimental and less of a profitable venture for Bill Ruger, who was a blackpowder enthusiast and collector, and that’s why it faded away.

Even if that’s true, well, Bill, it was worth it.