Customized Ruger Mark I T-512

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BarkeyVA

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Messages
126
Location
Williamsburg, Va
Well, I have to show everyone my latest acquisition, a customized Mark I, model T-512 with serial no. S 10-94167. The seller said it was part of an estate, and I bought it just because I think it is such a neat looking gun. According to the letter from Ruger, it was shipped in October 1971 and the "S" indicates it was shipped as a factory second.

I asked Chad why a gun might be sold as a factory "second." He indicated that it could have been used as a factory salesman sample, or it may have been on one of Ruger's tradeshow displays. It might also have been used as some sort of government contract or foreign contract, and the guns sent back to Ruger. Or, it could have actually had some kind of factory blemish. Regardless, he did say that there aren't that many "second" autos around.
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Tallbald

Buckeye
Joined
Jan 29, 2009
Messages
1,750
Location
Southern KY
That's just beautiful! Wow what a deep bluing. And the rib sets it all off. Thanks for sharing the photo. Don
 

BarkeyVA

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Messages
126
Location
Williamsburg, Va
Tallbald said:
That's just beautiful! Wow what a deep bluing. And the rib sets it all off. Thanks for sharing the photo. Don
Thanks. I agree. However, a serious collectors on another forum commented that the person who added the rib "ruined" a highly collectable firearm. Another collector said that he hated to see a collectable like that "bastardized" and that I should consider having the rib removed to try to get it back to its original condition.

I say, to each his own. I think I can rightfully say that I now own a "one of a kind" Mark I. I suspect the chances of finding another factory "S" Mark I, model T-512 with a ventilated rib would probably be the same as winning the lottery.
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
Yes, that is really "cool" and it is what it is, and there is NO "going back", leave it "as is", yes, the "S" makes it on the scarce side, and would have to be about "new in the box" to be of more value.As a shooter, and being different ? yes, it is most likely a "one of a kind" ,though who knows how many the person or the shop who did the work, have put together over the years, though this one has the "S", oh well, it can still be a centerpiece of an 22 auto collection, in the "customized" catagory...we like it, and yes we too had put "ribs" on various 22 autos over the years in our shops, it was what one had to do for the "target" shooters out there...Barsto,Bomar, Pachmayr,Clark, Wilson,Chow, Ray Shockey and on and on 8) :wink:
 

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