Early Supers with the mahogany case. Mine is SN 8831

Ruger records finally got back to me. This gun shipped March 1962. The invoice for this gun does not have a price on it . Chad mentioned if it was shipped with a box you could tell from the price, makes sense. Unfortunately not all invoices have a price and this one didn't. Additionally I'm told that even guns with the boxes were shipped as a package with no notation on the invoice that a box was included. Odd but true I guess. Based on this, no mahogany cased gun should letter unless it happen to have the higher price on the invoice. Does anybody have one with a factory letter and if so how did the factory verify it?. Chad's Reference mentions a SN close to mine as the highest known ( SN 8650) and is stated as such because the original owner verified it. Taking nothing away from Chad's data, technically that is just hearsay or could be. I don't know the details of who the original owner was nor do I doubt its truth but without a letter it's still hearsay. Also, the original owner of my gun is no longer with us.

I agree with what you say. If you can't get a factory letter, and there is no price on the invoice, then who's to know for sure. As for Chad's reference on SN 8650. The original owner may be the most truthful person alive or he may be the biggest liar. After this gun changes hands a few times then the only thing you can go on is a factory letter. All else is hearsay!!!

We know, historically, that not all guns were sold(the first time) with their factory mahogany boxes. The buyer did not want the box and the price of the gun/box was usually adjusted downwards as a result. The empty box was "shelved" and awaited, w/o a schedule, a buyer who wanted the box. Usually, this occurred after the fire at the box maker and the end of the supply of original mahogany boxes..........Thus, high number guns have boxes not originally shipped with them........This adds information to the issue of non-priced invoices..........As I have noted earlier, lots of things occur over a 51 year period.......... 8)

s/n 5684, Sept. '60. Nickled Hinges and Latches.

I dunno if it's "original or not".

flatgate

Ah, did someone mention silver hardware?



SN 4434, acquired about 2 months after selling SN 4433.... DOH!!!!

Those silver hindges are nice but probably fake. I like my gold ones better, they are gold right?? :wink: :wink:

My box is a little worse for wear as Cabela's had the gun shipped to 3 different stores before I got and and it suffered a couple of cracks along the grain on the cutout portion. Easily fixable though. I suspect they shipped it with the gun in the case.

golferboy426 said:

Those silver hindges are nice but probably fake. I like my gold ones better, they are gold right?? :wink: :wink:

My box is a little worse for wear as Cabela's had the gun shipped to 3 different stores before I got and and it suffered a couple of cracks along the grain on the cutout portion. Easily fixable though. I suspect they shipped it with the gun in the case.

Click to expand...

oh, those nickel hinges are NOT fake.. just a lot more scarce than the gold ones...

maybe they are platinum---- :lol:

Boy that sure is a nice one you got there WMG - maybe it's brother will come back someday.

Gosh where did you guys get all those SHORT BARRELED MODELS :lol: :lol: :lol: see ya RR.

Ouch! What a bummer, WMG! I can't say I've EVER had that happen!

:shock:

flatgate

OK, did someone from the RugerForum buy the mahogany case I put the link to in the Links and Reoccurring Items Section. Congratulations. This post made me look. I had already spent my money on a Brass Frame which I would rather have. Cases don't carry well. The cool factor is in the displaying of them. Which I don't do.
John