Seeking info:----Nickle Single Sixes---Real Deal or Not

Ok you guys in the know, could these be the real deal??? I loaned out my latest's copy of Rene after I read the article on these. Of course then I stumbled onto this pair. Can anyone give me the scoop on these or send me a copy of the article so I can check them out myself. Serial numbers are 55561 and 75643. They have been fired but I was told they have been sitting for 20+ years. No box or papers with them and not converted. I didn't pull the grips but I am pretty sure they are Franzite---definitely plastic.

You will need a letter from the factory to confirm if they where done by the factory. Superior plating was just down the road from the Ruger plant and some guns were plated by them for Ruger. Your two sixes shown I really doubt are factory plated. I have seen several posted sixes, some the grip frame was plated and some have the black anodized. One I have that's plated has black grip frame and will not letter. Several years ago Jeff Munnell was keeping track of plated guns and had 20 to 30 guns listed all early round loading gate sixes.

Here's a pic I stole from one of our members here a few years back.

Per Dougans book:
Single-Sixes, 9 guns in the 15000 range. One RSS9 serial number 156989.

All of the Super Single-Sixes the serial numbers started with 50XXXX.

I would send for a letter from Ruger because Dougan had omission in almost all his tables.

I have been hoping for years for someone to find the long lost list of all the factory plated guns.

I have single six:

1158 Chrome
17985 Chrome
33836 Chrome
78961 Nickel

None letter, so far.

Bob

goodrich289 said:

I have been hoping for years for someone to find the long lost list of all the factory plated guns.

I have single six:

1158 Chrome
17985 Chrome
33836 Chrome
78961 Nickel

None letter, so far.

Bob

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Aaahh ! The Chrome Wheel of Guns!
Old flatgate & I chased everything we could to find a serial # list from the picture of them from the NRA Display back in the 50's. even took pictures of it and tried to enlarge it. Dougan had the most info. on them.

hittman said:

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The guns in this wheel are all in the 15xxx range. These were plated in 1955 with the intention of putting them on the wheel display you see, at trade shows along with a similar wheel with eight chrome plated RST6's. Apparently Ruger replaced the gates on all but one with the round version.
One other 15xxx range gun was presented to Fess Parker at an NRA show, so it is #9.
Nobody has ever been able to verify another early chrome plated gun. Note the grip frames are all black anodized, but I will remind everybody... these guns were meant for display, and few for presentation.
The early chrome guns were not plated by Super Plating, they were done by another company in Bridgeport Connecticut.
The next time Ruger plated anything was for the 1959 NRA show where they had nearly one of each Single-Six and Blackhawk barrel offered at the time. Again, these were for the Ruger display.
Then Ruger had a problem with their Single-Six cylinder frames turning purple in 1964/1965 when they came out of the bluing tanks. Approximately 120 of the Super Single-Six model SC6 were nickel plated and sold to employees and the public.
Chet15

Carl & I always laughed about the guns on display in the photo had no neck feathers on the grips per the correct period but the center medallion had neck feathers simular to the 1965-66 period grips. J/S

RPM Enterprises said:

You will need a letter from the factory to confirm if they where done by the factory. Superior plating was just down the road from the Ruger plant and some guns were plated by them for Ruger. Your two sixes shown I really doubt are factory plated. I have seen several posted sixes, some the grip frame was plated and some have the black anodized. One I have that's plated has black grip frame and will not letter. Several years ago Jeff Munnell was keeping track of plated guns and had 20 to 30 guns listed all early round loading gate sixes.

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Rick, Superior Plating's front door is about 100 feet from Rugers front door....

Lacey Place would be considered an alley by todays standards...…

Mrs Radical took me there on vacation several years ago and I was amazed how close the two are...RR