- When Was This Ruger Made? Singlesix | Ruger Forum
- Ruger Single Six Serial Numbers By Year
- Ruger Single Six Serial Numbers 567642
In 1953, the new firm of Sturm, Ruger & Company introduced the Single-Six, a.22 LR rimfire single-action revolver. The Single-Six proved to be a popular seller, leading Ruger to develop and market a centerfire revolver similar to the Single Action Army: the Ruger Blackhawk. Ruger introduced the Blackhawk in 1955.
When Was This Ruger Made? Singlesix | Ruger Forum
- There I found this old model Single Six convertible, with the box, instruction manual, red felt bag for the extra cylinder, and the original receipt! Even has the wax paper it shipped with. If you notice the receipt it says Sumner's Feed and Hardware.
- But consumer demand resulted in a Colt-style, fully contoured loading gate in 1957, around serial number 70,000. In 1973, Ruger discontinued what is now called the Old Model Single-Six.
RUGEROLDMODELSINGLE-SIX “LIGHTWEIGHT”
PRODUCED1956 - 1959
GENERALOVERVIEW
In 1956 Ruger introduced a “Lightweight” version of its Single-Six revolver.The first Lightweights had an alloy cylinder frame, alloy cylinder, alloy grip frame, and steel barrel.All Lightweights had astandard 4-5/8 inch barrel. The first guns weighed 23 ounces versus the 35 ounce weight of the standard 5-1/2 inch barrel Single-Six.The guns are roll-marked on the cylinder frame just like the standard Single-Six model, the word Lightweight does not appear in the roll-mark.The first production guns had a silver/gray anodized cylinder frame, black anodized grip frame, flat cartridge loading gate, blued barrel, and Black checkered hard rubber grips.They also had a coating on the alloy cylinder, the coating was known as “Martin Hard Coat”.It was a brown or dark golden color (sometimes appears greenish or another color).These first guns became known to collectors as the “Tri-color” Lightweight.
In early 1957 Ruger began to make Lightweights that were all blue in color.These guns were first made with a blue anodized alloy cylinder and then later concurrently with a blued steel cylinder.Also in early 1957 the flat loading gate was changed to the contour or round Colt-style loading gate to coincide with the same change to the standard Single-Sixes.
There was also a group of Tri-color and a few all blue guns that had been set aside during production.These guns were assembled later in 1964/65 and marked with an “S” to indicate used or seconds.These particular “S” guns can have a combination of any of the above discussed parts but most have a steel cylinder. Many will have the later XR3-RED redesigned grip frame and oiled Walnut grip panels since these were standard parts when these guns were assembled and shipped.
All Lightweight Single-Sixes will be found in the 200XXX to 212XXX serial number range.
The Lightweights came in silver and red colored boxes with black or less common green wreaths around the Eagle on top of the box.However, some were shipped in the standard black and red colored box of the Single-Six, usually with the appropriate mark up or sticker on the end of the box to indicate that it contained a Lightweight.
The Lightweight guns did not prove to be very popular and were dropped from production in 1959.There were only about 12,000 of these produced which makes them very scarce and hard to find.Pristine Lightweights in their original boxes are extremely hard to find thus extremely desirable - and normally fairly costly.
RUGEROLDMODELSINGLE-SIX “LIGHTWEIGHT” REVOLVER
SOMEOFTHEMAJORTYPESANDVARIATIONS
Single-Six, Lightweight:
Tri-color, Flatgate, Black checkered hard rubber grips, alloy cylinder, 4-5/8” barrel.
All blue, Roundgate, Black checkered hard rubber grips, alloy cylinder, 4-5/8” barrel.
All blue, Roundgate,Black checkered hard rubber grips, steel cylinder, 4-5/8” barrel.
“S” marked Tri-color or All Blue, steel cylinder, XR3 or XR3-RED grip frames, Black checkered hard rubber grips or Walnut grips, steel or alloy ejector rod housing, 4-5/8” barrel.
My next article in the series will review the “Magnum Only” chambered Single-Six.
Ruger Single Six Serial Numbers By Year
Bill Hamm
Ruger Single Six Serial Numbers 567642
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