Neat Single-Six

Here's a neat one....the gun has honest wear on it but it is surprising it even made it out of the factory! It is model RSSMX.







With the black eagle medallions this gun has as well as the lack of a circle R trademark symbol on the left side of the cylinder frame, it should have left the factory as a 20- prefix gun.
Also, with GCA '68 having just occurred by the time this gun was made, it is a wonder it ever left like this as #9539 would have shown up as being originally shipped in 1955. 20-09539 however is listed in Ruger's records as being shipped April 1969. Sounds like an employee just stuffed it in the box and got it out of there.
Chet15

Yet another reason to look at every serial number. Cool gun.

Kinda makes ya wonder how the "automatic" serial number device omitted the 20- prefix, doesn't it?

People building things , for other people..............manufacturing at its "norm"................... :roll:


(how does any gun get out that is mischambered, lack of chambers or they are chambered "backwards", and they DO.. I rest MY case.............) 8)


That is a very GOOD example, wish we had a camera back in "the day"...

Bill couldn't watch everything going on in the old work area----Thats why I believe a few micro-sighted guns got out the door to many storys out there :lol: THAT is one neat RSS--forget the condition :!: its 8) THANKS for posting --most interesting

I'd sure like to see the "letter" on that one!

A real Lunch Box Special!

I've seen a digit prefix OM .22 that "doesn't letter".

flatgate

"A real Lunch Box Special!"

You know, I never thought of that.

Could explain many things. Has anyone ever given any real consideration to how common this might have been?

My opinion is the prefixes were added in a separate operation from the sequence numbers.

Very interesting. It's stuff like this that keeps us looking and on our toes to see what else we can uncover!

WMG,
Look at the info on page 114 in Pistols and Revolvers. Perhaps the early "prefix" guns were s/n'd by two operations?

Of course, anything is possible....

flatgate

PS You gonna stop by the Denver show this coming weekend?

weaselmeatgravy said:

My opinion is the prefixes were added in a separate operation from the sequence numbers.

Click to expand...

I'd thought about that, but page 114 of JD's book says "5. NUMBERALL tool ser. no. A1006J63 modified in the Ruger tool room in December 1968, to accept two additional character wheels, eight are required to mark digit prefix."

John is wrong on one part of that statement because it does take 9 character wheels to mark a 100- or 110- prefix serial number for example. But there must be something there in the records that says they had the ability to mark an entire digit prefix sn in one shot. Maybe it was there, there were just issues with the employee remembering to turn the 20- down. And if it didn't stamp the first time, send a batch back through to have the prefix added on the same equipment (could explain why the 20- is off-kilter on weaselmeat's example).

Also on page 116 of JD's book it does say that two additional NOBLEWEST Rocker Style Model 151 heads (nine marking wheels each) were shipped to Ruger May 15, 1970, so looks like their earlier "modified" sn'ing head wasn't all it was meant to be.
Chet15

Chad and WmG, have it about "right on" those numbers were done (added) later, OBVIOUSLY..................and my guess , "missed" the step, (lunch time, end of the shift, Friday afternoon, whatever......
and sorry but >miscues,errors, FUBARS, do not "letter".............they get overlooked and shipped anyway........OR "lunch boxed"......humans..

again, NEAT picture, and with that "0" as the 'lead' digit, makes us feel that it did ,indeed "miss" step two of the numbering ( renumbering)

Yeah...you gotta think that only four months after the digit prefixes began that the procedure of setting up the sn'ing head never had a prefix a whole 20 years prior. Heck, I still wrote 2010 a few months after 2011 began
Chet15

If you'll notice on my pic, not only is the prefix mis-aligned and the dash is encroaching on the suffix, but the prefix is an entirely different font. Compare the two numeral 2's, for instance. And that big fat zero. Definitely different dies used for the prefix and suffix. I have no doubt that at some point they got the kinks worked out but it seems to have taken a while.

flatgate said:

PS You gonna stop by the Denver show this coming weekend?

Click to expand...

You betcha, be right over..... :lol:



Looks like it can be done in 1.8 days non-stop (each way) and only $952.75 worth of diesel (round trip at local prices; might get it cheaper in the midwest).

Hey, it's only 7.25 inches and ya don't have to worry about getting lost since the road is blue all the way with no turns.

Gosh they must raise them a little tougher/ crazier in North Dakota.....seems 1500 miles to go to an OHIO GUN COLLECTOR ASSOCIATION Show is NOT a problem.....Jerry and Mike made the trip with 3 hours sleep in a Wal Mart parking lot :shock: :shock: :shock: RR.

Prolly cheaper to fly......

Cheers!

flatgate

$3.99 a gal of diesel as of this writing, but thats about 170 miles south of Toledo.

1500 miles is child's play, especially with two drivers... VT to CO is 2000

I've done Oneonta, NY to Denver in 30 hours non-stop solo. But that is another story. Started out with two of us leaving VT for Denver but $#!+ happens in upstate NY.

Diesel is $4.29 here.