Strangely marked GA-36

This GA-36 is missing the normal 'Ruger Security Six" and trademark on the lower right side of the frame and has the fat lettered 'RUGER' on the right side of the barrel like the SP-101 and the GP-100. :shock:
According to Ruger Records, it was manufactured in Nov. 1984 and shipped in Jan. 1985.





Since the GP-100 did not begin shipping until 1986, this GA-36 may be a prototype for the markings on the GP-100.
Or
It might be a test to show uniform markings across the double action revover line.
Or
It might be special markings for a special contract for LE or over seas.

Ser. no is on the bottom of the grip in the usual place for the Six series double action revolvers.
The blank lower right frame is where the ser. no. is on both the SP-101 and GP-100 series double action revolvers.

What do I have? Prototype? Test stamping mule? Stamping mistake? ??? :shock:
Anyone seen anything like this before?
Terry T

Didn't the highest numbered Security's have the RUGER rollmark on the barrel just like yours?
Other than that, I think somebody at the factory let one get through without the Security Six rollmark.
Chad

Chad,
My GF-33, ser. no. 162-52550, does not. I've never seen another like this one.
This piece was manufactured in Nov. 1984 and shipped in Dec. 1985. Six series double actions finished up in late 1988, nearly 3 years and 110,000 guns after this one.

It isn't just the missing 'Ruger Security Six" but has the 'extra' fat lettered 'RUGER' on the barrel.
Terry T

I think I've seen the big RUGER barrel mark but have never seen one without the frame rollmarked with a model designation of one sort (normal named) or the other (military contract models).

Late 1984 should be a 160 prefix?

The highest number -Six that I have is 162-42614 but is a Speed Six so no room on the barrel for that. The highest 6" Security Six that I have is a 161-8xxxx but is blue and not marked like that. You would think that if it were an error, it would most likely be an error made on stainless guns since the earliest GP's they might have confused them with were stainless. But it is hard to believe that someone mistook a Security Six for a GP unless the barrels were rollmarked prior to assembly. Which might be the case since they would know which way is up due to the integral sight rib. But on the other hand, GP's were still in development in late 1984 and then the vast majority of the earliest guns were 4" full lug barrels. So I guess it seems more likely that it was an experiment of some sort.

The lack of rollmark on the frame is most interesting!

Neat piece!

Folks,
Ser. no. is in the 161-40xxx range. Ruger records confirmed the shipping date as Jan. 1985. I pushed the nice lady at Ruger Records for any additional information but she said she didn't have any extra notes on it.
I've never seen the fat 'RUGER' on a Six series double action before.

The combination of missing 'name' , missing trade mark, and extra name on the barrel all seems a bit too much to be just a mistake. Although, I suppose, anything is possiable.

Terry T

I could swear the last of the Security-Sixes, (Adj. sight and square butt) were marked "RUGER" on the barrel. Seems there's an era catalog that shows a pic of one of those.
But I gotta say...prototype to anything else it ain't. There's a lot of guns out there that missed their rollmark. I know of a Korean War era .22 pistol and an OM Super Single-Six that have no markings on them what-so-ever (lunch box specials) but there are also lots of guns that left the factory through normal distribution that missed their barrel rollmark or frame rollmark.

Here you go....found it in the reference:
GA-34HT with large "RUGER" rollmark on the right side of the barrel in front of the caliber. Known s/n range 161-25783 to 161-58842. This variety may exist in other Security-Six, Service-Six or Speed Six models as well (4" or 6" barrels only).
Chet15

Chad,
Wow! Thanks, I must have missed the note - went back to your book and found it. May have gone by it because of the beginning ID as a GA-34HT.
The box came with the gun and is numbered to the gun and is labeled GA-36. No 'H' or 'T'. The gun is right in the middle of your known ser. no. range.

Do we have any idea what this was all about?
Do we know the highest ser. no. Security Six? (We sort of have the feeling that the last Six Series were fixed sight as the adj. sight pieces were phased out in favor of the GP-100.)
Have examples been found within this ser. no. range without the fat lettered 'RUGER'?

You can up date your reference now from 'may exist' to 'known to exist' in a 6" GA-36!

Do we agree that it's 'Rare'? (missing "Ruger Security Six", aside).
Terry T

Oh yes, I think its rare without the Security Six rollmark. First I've ever heard of. Kind of an unusual "RUGER" marking there but from WMG I'm also finding the large RUGER marking on the barrel was only for a brief period, and probably did not finish out on the last of the adj sight/square butt Security's. Bob says his 161-53540 (RDA-36) and 161-80603 (RDA-36P) do not have the marking.
Chet15

Chad,
Is this the first confirmed GA-36 with the fat letter 'RUGER' on the barrel? (Ser. no. is 161-40974)

It seems to me that in the grand count of 1.25M Six series made, a brief span of only 20K ser. numbers does not allow for very many guns with the fat letter 'RUGER' on the barrel. Throw in the mix of models, fixed and adj. sight and that it's currently confirmed on only the 4" and 6" adj. sight stainless barrels......

Love to find a GF-34 or GF-84 with the large 'RUGER' on the barrel! :shock:

Do we know of higher number stainless adj. sight guns? Higher than 161-58842? Bob's are blued.

Sounds like the missing 'Ruger Security Six' and trade mark were simply a Quality Control oversight. Fun to find these kind of errors. Goes along with the GS-32 and 34s that are mis-marked 'Police Service Six'!

Thanks for all of your help pulling this information into one place!
Terry T

GA-34 ser. no. 161-39911 DOES NOT have the fat lettered 'RUGER' on it's barrel.
See Gunbroker #244697975

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=244697975

"GA-34HT with large "RUGER" rollmark on the right side of the barrel in front of the caliber. Known s/n range 161-25783 to 161-58842".

The plot thickens! :shock:
Terry T