Last Friday I received a new-to-me 45/8-inch blued SBH in 44Mag with unfluted cylinder and Pachmyr rubber grips that cover the rear of the trigger guard on the Dragoon grip frame.
I fired it last night for the first time and it is superb. The gun dates from 1979.

Now, here is the conumdrum ... I thought, from my readings, that Ruger never made this gun in 45/8-inch format. When I bought the gun I was so elated because I'd wanted one and figured I was getting it on the cheap buying it used after someone else paid top dollar for the custom shortening or new barrel. But last night I got curious enough to dig through some of my older Gun Digest books. I started with the 1979 volume and kept working my way up through time. I found the gun listed only in 7.5 and 6.5 and 10.5 barrel lengths. At about 1992 I skipped forward a few years, to 1997. what do you know! The gun is listed in 4/58 in the 1997 Gun Digest. So, my questions are:
does anyone else have one of these in 45/8 that is factory.
does anyone have one that dates from 1979 or earlier that is 45/8 and factory
and does anyone know when Ruger first began marking the barrels with warnings because my 1979 gun has ZERO barrel markings. Whew. I think I've said plenty!

You can do some research here:

http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/SE-H-Revolver.html

When I was in Alaska I ran a small part time gunsmith business. One of my best money makers was shortening the Super Black Hawks to 4 5/8 inches. Thay made excellent pack guns where humans were not at the top of the food chain. I know that in the 5 years I was there I did at least a hundred and I was not the only smith in AK doing that.