Mark I red eagle ??.......

[rugerguy]

....came to us, from the same people who brought the pair of flatops this past weekend....
early 2nd year production ( 1952) red eagle ?? MK I target in the #27,5xx batch ( second numbering after the 2000 initial #15,000 range guns)...........so in the first 2500 plus, second run........
so bottom line it is the first of the Black eagles ( satin silver background)

 

[rugnelli]

Very nice!

 

[street]

Dan, Shouldn't that serial number be in the 25,xxx range instead of 27,5xx?

 

[rugerguy]

no it is #27,54x, and would really be at 2500 plus....as they had started at 25,000 in 1951, then again beginning of 1952.............misquoted Laura when she was telling me........ 8) :wink:
gotta remember, she collects them, not me...I USED to collect the shotguns :roll:

Merry Christmas !!

 

[street]

Dan. I have never seen a Red Eagle MK-I with that high of a serial number. I would really be interested to see a factory shipping date on that gun. As you know the grips are the only thing that makes it a Red Eagle, as the first model Black Eagles are the same in every way except for the grips. With that serial number it is possible that someone just added the Red Eagle grips to a first model Black Eagle.

 

[rugerguy]

Good, point, Laura went up and checked hers and agrees, that is why she got rid of her US marked, tapered ear bolt as well as all the others, newer that her #15,xxx red eagle........she did not keep any Mark Is after the first issued one from 1951.....so now she has another pair of red eagle grips...Ta daa

and here is how it should be ,with the proper "satin" silver/black eagle medallion............
still going to leave it in the 'wrong' box..... off to the next show........... 8)

Thank you 'street' and Merry Christmas...... :wink:

 

[WendyZXZ]

That is a fine looking Ruger semi pistol!

 

[jussbad]

So, Dan - school me on the correct box for this gun. Should it be a paper hinged yellow/red box?

 

[rugerguy]

If I remember correctly the first one (T 678) in Jan.1951 was indeed a longer yellow, red end label and the hinged top, marked with a 'MARK I" on the top of the red end label, used then with a shorter version for the T512, then the T514, all hinged tops, rare boxes to find...the two piece boxes ,same colors were in the middle of 1954 Laura told me this and I recall seeing something as to the boxes in Chads "Encyclopedia of Ruger 1949-1991" that is about the BEST book for anyone who has any interest in the Ruger semi auto 22 rimfires,( easier than calling Donnie F. and waiting for an answer... 8) :roll: :wink:

Merry Christmas

 

[street]

The MK-I, 6 7/8 in. "T678" Autos only had 2 types of boxes. The first MK-Is had boxes that were hinged at the back. after about serial number 72420 the boxes became the two piece telescoped style that was used all the way to the end of the 6 7/8 in. MK-Is.. The 6 7/8 in. guns never had the barrel length on the box.

See picture below. That is a picture of the hinged 6 7/8 in. bl. guns. The telescoped style box looks the same except for not having the hinge. Sorry for the black and white picture but I copied it from Dougans book. Look at the box that Rugerguy has in his "LAST" picture for the correct color.

 

[rugerguy]

street, the one in the picture above IS "hinged", showed it closed to show the colors of the top as well as the marking on the top in the red.......the first LONGER box , HINGED was 11 3/4 inch long, the later shorter HINGED box for the T514 was actually 10 1/4 inch long, the UNHINGED boxes were the same length, just NO tape hinge on the back..........

cannot show an "unhinged box as I had said earlier Laura sold ALL of her later (post 1952) NON red eagle guns , and two piece boxes...........if I remember correctly the radical one and Big Bore got the rest of them, the US marked, the muzzle break guns, etc...its been a LONG while back....... 8)

 

[gunman42782]

Super nice!

 

[mohavesam]

Sorry guys. I just see pistols crying out for a good holster and a walk in the woods! Oh the shame of being born a gun that nobody ever fires!

 

[rugerguy]

these have all been fired, just well taken care of........... 8) :roll: :wink:

 

[ruger66]

I have a T514 I think 1954. I need to find a box. What would be the correct one and how hard would it be to find one.
Thanks
Vaughn

 

[rugerguy]

The first T514s were shipped in a shorter ( about 1- 1/4 inch shorter) and had the T514 markings on the end and they were hinged, not sure when the hinged part stopped, maybe Chad can put a firmer date on that one by the time they got to your 1954 gun, may have been the two piece box by then...........
there were exceptions to the box being marked as a T514, but that was early on in1952, if I remember correctly Don F had a near prototype and it was in the unmarked ,longer box?????

 

[street]

Per RENE: The earliest T678 and T514s were shipped in boxes that were hinged at the back and said "TARGET PISTOL" on the end. By at least serial number 27605, the T514 had it's own hinged 5 1/4 marked box. By at least s/n 29163 (T514) and 72420 (T678) were shipped in 2 piece boxes. Some of the last T514s were shipped in Single-Six boxes. T514 s/n 74867 was only one found as of yet. S/N 75307 was shipped in a 2 piece T514 box. So I guess Ruger used what ever he had.

One thing to note that the T514 had two runs before being dropped from production. That started around S/N 26,xxx to 29000 and from 73294 to 75781. about halve of the first run had tapered ears.

 

[ruger66]

My T514 is in the 27000 range.

 

[rugerguy]

Vaughn, your gun would be in the 10-1/4 x 6 x 1-5/8" hinged box ( the shorter one than the T-678)
looked around here, and Laura does not have one......good luck,,,check with Don F. Or Rick V.

 

[mohavesam]

Per RENE: ... So I guess Ruger used what ever he had.
.

NOW we've hit on the simplest truth.

I have a 75xxx T514 that shipped with the brake, and it came with the original sales receipt and the yellow 6"' two piece box. Letter verified it shipped with the brake (but they would not confirm it was assembled prior to shipping... I have no doubt all is original, as I spoke with the first owner/buyer and I am the second.

"whatever they had that fit the gun" is the most-correct way of thinking. I have found ZERO evidence of process control or specific box-to-model docs within Ruger (aside from the very very early "salt-cod box" as-advertised, and the S47 presentation box guns).

I would be interested in scans of such documentation if any of the more knowledgeable folks here have some?