Crusader Revolver

[Bob Riebe]

Does anyone know of anyone who might have springs for the High Standard Crusader or does work on them?

When I was in school I "adjusted" a bad spring, it came that way, well enough it works, but I would like to get it better than simply working.

I contacted a former factory person some years back and he said there is not much out there.

[Blackhawk44]

Most good gunsmiths (as opposed to parts changers) keep spring stock on hand and should be able to help you.  Take good care of that Crusader.  There are not that many left out there. 

[Broom Rider]

I would guess you've already tried Brownell's andasked the tech support guys if anythign is there and called Wolff spring company. Also check with Numrich at egunparts.
It may have to be made by a gunsmith.
Good luck.

[Bob Riebe]

I guess I should have said cylinder spring as there as other springs in revolvers.

I have checked all there is is and the actual info on the Crusader, on the net, seems to be less than five years ago.

[Ken ONeill]

Not to hijack the thread , 'cause it's kinda related, but does anyone know how many Crusaders were made? I'm guessing it's like the Mikkenger Grizzly: very, very, darned few.

[Blackhawk44]

Handled one Crusader each, .44 and .45, but short on change then.  Try this http://www.histandard.info/datapublic/serial/.  Don't even start on the Mikkengers.  They were the neatest thing, without any visible pins or screws.

[Ken ONeill]

There's a stainless Mikkenger on display at the small museum at the NRA Whittington Center outside of Raton. N.M. It's the only one I've ever seen in the flesh.

[coyotejoe]

Weren't they made by Dan Wesson? Or am I confused?

[Bob Riebe]

Handled one Crusader each, .44 and .45, but short on change then.  Try this http://www.histandard.info/datapublic/serial/.  Don't even start on the Mikkengers.  They were the neatest thing, without any visible pins or screws.

There was one in a online gun auction sight last, Mikk., year for less than a thousand dollars and I did not have the money to bid, nor did anyone else but one fellow.
John LInebaugh told me if I wanted someting truly different that  woud be the one to buy.

[Ken ONeill]

Weren't they made by Dan Wesson? Or am I confused?

No, you're confused.

[44 Man]

They were made by Hi-Standard, but didn't stay on the market very long before Hi-Standard went out of business.  I have never seen one in the flesh.  44 Man

[Ken ONeill]

44man is of course speaking of the Crusader. Sorry for inserting the Mikkenger Grizzly into the discussion. It was made in Texas.

[Bob Riebe]

Annoying side note:
Took the Crusader out shooting  a week ago, ran a box of thirty to forty year old Winchesters through it, and it loosened the stock hold down screw. I was going to finish the string and before I did it broke a chunk out of the stock behind the trigger guard.

It can be fixed and look, depending how careful I am, near impossible to see unless on knows it is there, but it was still annoying.

I was on a fifty yard range shooting with old glasses that replaced by broken old replacement glasses that replaced my broken good glasses shooting at a .22 target for scopes but still, if one drew a sixteen inch circle on the target it looked like it had be shot with very, very large buckshot.

I did not attempt to sight in the revolver as without being able to see well,  it would have been the equivalent of a chinese fire-drill.
I did get one dead center bullseye and two others in the ten ring.

[Ken ONeill]

What a bummer on the broken stock! I'm not really a "collector" in the truest sense ( have just owned a lot of guns over the years), but even I would be hard pressed to talk myself into shooting a Crusader much, because of their rarity.

[The Hooter]

I just noted the interest in the Mikkenger Grizzly.  I'm surprised anyone remembers it.  On a thread a couple of years ago someone thought that maybe 6000 were made.  The actual number is several hundred in different configurations.  The serial numbers started at 5000.  I have one of the first manufactured.  It has never been fired since the front sight is too broard for the rear sight opening and I never got around to getting it worked on.  Cylinder gap is so tight I think it may give trouble.  Maybe rarer than the revolver is the book devoted to them: a limited delux edition.  I believe they started the .45 serial numbers at 6000.  If anyone has any questions I will try to find my copy of the book, but it may take a while (I've moved recently).

[Ken ONeill]

I do have a lot of interest. When you do locate the book, could you please post the title, the author, and the ISBN number? Thanks a lot.

[The Hooter]

Artistry in Single Action by Halton Henderson.  If it has an ISBN number I can't find it.  Published in Dallas in 1989 in a run of 450 copies.  Has a nice slipcover but was ungodly expensive at well over $100.00 for 110 pages.  Henderson had a large collection of the revolvers.  At one time the collection was listed for sale on the internet and was well described; it may still be.

[Ken ONeill]

Thanks Hooter.

[AkRay]

A guy at one of our local shows had a Crusader 44 magnum for sale for years.  His was in a wooden display case, that I assume the gun came from the factory in.  I don't think I saw it on his table at the last show.  He was asking $1400.00 or $1500.00 for it.   

[S.B.]

I would guess you've already tried Brownell's andasked the tech support guys if anythign is there and called Wolff spring company. Also check with Numrich at egunparts.
It may have to be made by a gunsmith.
Good luck.

Seems strange that after all these years the first is still the best. Brownells has gunsmith on staff ready to talk to you about any issue concerning guns. Very good advice, Joni.
Steve