RSSE Number qustion

Hi Does anyone know if any of the RSSE guns went to or were offered to subscription number holders first because of the serial numbers I have been sitting here looking at numbers and do not see any thing that would suggest it

GRAMPS

From my perspective, There is little discussion on formal transfer of RSSE revolvers to Ruger subscription Pgm assignees.....Remember, these guns were developed and sold in the very early days of the Sturm Ruger Company, and the Subscription Pgm was in it's infancy, at best...........SN 7 and 8 were presented to John Amber. SN 24 was presented to "A Friend of Bill Ruger". Of course, the "Amber Gun", shown on the cover of the Gun Digest and also on the cover of John Dougan's work, "Compliments of Col. Ruger" was also presented to John Amber. Others may comment......... 8) MIKE

I agree with Mike. Besides the RSSE's used the standard Single-Six s/n's, that is, there wasn't a "special serial" number series just for the Engraved Single-Sixes.

Shucks, that Amber gun didn't even have a serial number.....



flatgate

As I recall, it did not have a complete set or innards, either........I displayed RSSE SN 74414 at the same RCA display, Phoenix NRA Annuals, 1983, when this Amber gun won it's NRA AWARD MEDAL. SEEMS LIKE y'DAY, BUT.........SOME 29(!) YEARS AGO......... 8)

Mike,
Yes, I do believe you are correct. I see a Ruger design hammer but a Colt two piece grip frame.

I had it in my hands for a few minutes one day........

flatgate

Hi Thanks for the replys is there any info anywhere how high the subscription numbers went for any given year I cant remember where I got it before I was told that when my #92 guns shipped in Dec 1953 they had only issued up to #20 which I was somewhat amazed at I have been trying to figure out what might be in a collection of a somewhat low subscription collection but the son of the number holder who has passed away will not let out what is in the whole collection he brings out a few at a time I know when im broke he will bring out the good stuff like an RSSE

GRAMPS

Actually, it's called the Low Number program.

I've never heard of any of the RSSE's being included in the Low Number program. That's not to say that a few of the Low Number holders did indeed receive a RSSE but I would very strongly doubt that very many did.

About the only "Low Number" holder whom received an engraved Ruger would have to have been Jack Behn and the s/n 100 .357 Flattop....



That's one I've wanted for a long, long time. Maybe some day.....

flatgate

John Amber got 7 and 8 Spanish engraved....I once had them in my hands but started shaking a little and had to set them down :shock: :shock: :shock: I wiped almost all my drool off.....I thought if I leave a little DNA if they ever get lost they might use it to locate me as the owner :lol: :lol: :lol: RR.

HEY RR did your friend in Wisconson tell you who dove in to buy those RSSES

GRAMPS

Gee let me guess..... :lol: :lol: :lol: .....good for you...welcome to the RRCRSSE club ....RR.

Hey RR all I was looking for was one but two is better than one :lol: only thing is I will have to walk to work for the next year I wont be able to afford to put gas in the truck hope too see you in Harrisburg

GRAMPS

My recollection is that Larry Koller had an RSSE. It was pictured on the cover of the small Handguns book(1957, I believe) he published and also pictured in other places in his articles. I have been under the impression his # was 22, but have never verified it. Other than Pete Brown getting the #22 Hawkeye and Deerstalker(Pete's number was 23), none of the other early #22 single actions have turned up, to my knowledge. I have the #22 No.1, but it appears to be a latter shipped rifle. I believe it was destined to be a 21 Club rifle for Koller, but he passed away in August, 1967. The A. A. White engraved 21 Club rifles were not done until 1968, with Keith's in 1969.

I am of the opinion that the low serial number program did not begin until 1957. Yes, the "who's who" of writers during the era received low serial numbered examples of the Single-Six in 1953 and early 1954, and also the .22 pistol in 1949, but these were sent to such individuals for promotional purposes.
It wasn't until about August of 1957 that Ruger decided to rid their warehouse of quite a few two digit revolvers and many matching numbered pairs of .357 and .44 flattops were sent to the individuals who had earlier received a low numbered Single-Six. In some cases the Single-Six was also sent out at the same time as the .357 and .44 in 1957, and some also received the Tri-Color Lightweight at this very same time.
The #7 and 8 Spanish Engraved Single-Sixes were sent to Amber not because of their numbers, but because it was John Amber. Amber also received several other consecutive pairs of two digit guns although they weren't engraved.
The #24 Jerred Engraved Single-Six was sent to Bill Lett (of Lett Grip fame) who was a childhood buddy of WBR as well as an entrepeneur with many of the same interests as WBR. Bill Lett got that gun because he knew the maker very well!!
Some years ago I matched up the serial number of Pete Kuhlhoff's gun (1957 Popular Handguns cover) as serial number 44911. Its pictured on page 144 and 145 of JD's Engraved Single-Six book. The "fingerprint" of what you can see for a grain pattern in one grip panel is a dead giveaway.
As far as how high the "subscription" numbers went, when Jack Behn started putting guns away he was lucky that Ruger still had quite a few #95's still sitting in stock, so he was able to get the #95. Several other "subscribers" were also able to "retro" their collections with guns made earlier and still sitting in inventory. The biggest percentage of "subscriber" guns however did not go past #500. The highest numbers I know were a part of the program were #1000 (Bob Wallack, writer-custom gun maker), 1120 (unknown) and #1130 (Russell Sims, another childhood buddy of WBR).
The #100 Jerred Engraved .357 was also probably not intended as a "subscriber" gun as I don't recall Behn ever having another sn 100. Going along with this thought, it was shipped to Jerred on July 24, 1957 and returned to Ruger August 7, 1957. It is noted as being shipped to Behn on August 27, 1957. I can't tell you when the other #100's started getting picked up by an individual through Ruger, but if Behn (through Ruger?) wouldn't have requested the .357 to be engraved it probably would have left the factory with #100 .44 flattop which did go to a distributor in Florida and was probably originally intended as a "subscriber number since some of the #59's and a #65 were also part of the same Florida distributor's hoard (ALL NIB WITH SHIPPING SLEEVES!!).

With a subscriber number in the 90's, about the earliest guns in these collections may have been the .44 Carbine and 10/22.
I do have a little info however on the #92's. Just send me a PM and I can fill you in with what I have noted.
Chet15

El Numero Uno said:

My recollection is that Larry Koller had an RSSE. It was pictured on the cover of the small Handguns book(1957, I believe) he published and also pictured in other places in his articles. I have been under the impression his # was 22, but have never verified it. Other than Pete Brown getting the #22 Hawkeye and Deerstalker(Pete's number was 23), none of the other early #22 single actions have turned up, to my knowledge. I have the #22 No.1, but it appears to be a latter shipped rifle. I believe it was destined to be a 21 Club rifle for Koller, but he passed away in August, 1967. The A. A. White engraved 21 Club rifles were not done until 1968, with Keith's in 1969.

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Lee,
I have the RSSM # 300022 & # 300023 I got them a few years back. Other than the #22 Hawkeye I have not seen any others.

Chet15,
It was Larry Koller who published the 57 Popular Handguns, not Pete Kuhlhoff. Kuhlhoff only wrote for Argosy and only had one book. Koller had Guns and Hunting magazine and a host of the small books for several years in the late '50's and early 60's. Some of my first books were these. Koller was also noted for his "Shots at Whitetails".
I still have my original copy of the Popular Handguns with the RSSE on the cover that I bought in 1957!

+1 on that 1957 softcover, as I also own mine for the same timeframe noted. Looked it over earlier this evening...... 8)

El Numero Uno said:

Chet15,
It was Larry Koller who published the 57 Popular Handguns, not Pete Kuhlhoff. Kuhlhoff only wrote for Argosy and only had one book. Koller had Guns and Hunting magazine and a host of the small books for several years in the late '50's and early 60's. Some of my first books were these. Koller was also noted for his "Shots at Whitetails".
I still have my original copy of the Popular Handguns with the RSSE on the cover that I bought in 1957!

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That's right. Thanks for the correction Lee. My fingers were typing faster than my thoughts.
Chad

HAWKEYE#28 said:

+1 on that 1957 softcover, as I also own mine for the same timeframe noted. Looked it over earlier this evening...... 8)

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Note how the grain pattern in the grip runs to the medallion on that 44911 gun.
Chet15

There's a very interesting Single-Six on the cover appearing below....



IIRC, it's a "two digit" s/n......

flatgate

Koller's ivory gripped RSS is oft pictured in his early articles. The best photo I've ever seen of it showed it was a 2 digit. Not really readable, but it looked like 22 to me. It wherabouts today is unknown??