MAGNUM MAGNUM - Jeffersonian

grips will probably be white micarta
from Paul Persinger with ivory or fancy
wood as optional upgrades.”
What’s So Special?
There are many unique features
about the No. 5, not the least of which
is the locking base pin. This requires the
removal of the standard Ruger base pin
latching system, welding of the frame,
and then installing a pivoting lever
locking the pin in place. By releasing a
spring loaded plunger it can be swiveled
90 degrees to the left to allow removal
of the base pin. Bowen Classic Arms
does a masterful job recreating it.
The two Bowen Rugers I have for
this article are the very first to be built,
with Bob Alford’s being the first as
well as the first on a New Model Flat-
Top frame. Robb Barnes’ No. 5 is the
first on an Old Model, and of course
the first with two cylinders. The basic
conversion consists of a Ron Power
Custom Keith No. 5 grip frame, Bisleyspur
hammer and wide trigger, action
and trigger tune, Flat-Top Target-style
front sight with pinned blade to match
the factory Ruger Flat-Top rear sight,
proper Keith No. 5 base pin and lever
latch, and standard reblue.
Bob Alford’s No. 5 being built on
the New Model Flat-Top frame is safe
to carry fully loaded with six rounds of
.44 Special. It has all the standard features
mentioned, with the barrel being a
proper pre-warning Ruger address barrel
off a .44 Magnum. Cylinder throats
measure .429" and the trigger pull is 31/4
pounds. Bob went for the extra option of
ivory grips. Paul Persinger used beautifully
creamy mellow looking ivory with
the Mexican eagle clutching a rattlesnake
in talons and beak just as on the
original Keith sixgun.
Robb Barnes added several options
to his tribute to Elmer Keith. He also
went with ivory grips from Persinger
exhibiting the same beautiful creamy
texture with a Scottish Highland bull
head carved into the right grip panel.
Instead of the standard blue for the
finish Robb went with the old Colt-style
rust blue finish accentuated with nitre
blue screws, base pin latch, and trigger
and set off with a case-colored hammer.
The barrel work on this one is absolutely
stunning as it is an octagonal
barrel with a special machined-in surface
to accept the ejector rod housing.
Instead of the traditional .44 Special
chambering Robb went with the other
Special, the .41 with a second cylinder
chambered in .41 Magnum. Cylinder
throats Mic-out at .410" and the trigger
pull on this No. 5 is set at 23/4 pounds.
I have several custom Rugers and also
two Colt Single Actions from Bowen
done back in the early 1990s and they
are beautiful sixguns, however these
two No. 5 Bowen Rugers are as nice as
a sixgun can be without mortgaging the
homestead to pay for one.
Happy Guys
Bob and Robb are going to be two
very excited and happy sixgunners
once I deliver their No. 5s to them.
Normally when testing any new factory
firearm I want a minimum of 90
days with 180 days being better. For
these two special friends I will cut
that time to the bare minimum so they
won’t have to wait any longer than
absolutely necessary. As expected,
both sixguns shot extremely well for
me and I expect they will do even
better for two younger fellows. With
both the .44 Special and .41 special
No. 5s groups averaged just over 1"
for five shots at 20 yards in my hands.
After they have been shot awhile and
each man settles on his favorite load
I expect groups will be well under 1".
As I said earlier Hamilton Bowen is
at the top of the list of custom sixgunsmiths
and his No. 5 Rugers
are simply superb sixguns.
*
For more info: Bowen Classic Arms
(865) 984-3583, www.americanhandgunner.com/bowenclassicarms
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