"Factory" chrome plated Mark I

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fredrx

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"Factory" chrome plated Mark I pistol on GunBroker (not mine):

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/895093216



Moderator edit: This was originally posted in the "Auctions" subforum, but has been moved here because of the interesting backstory of its origin. :mrgreen:
 

street

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Notice that Ruger got the letter wrong!!!!! They said it was a Standard Auto when it should be listed as a Mark I Target pistol. This was used from 1950 to 1952. After that it was listed as a Mark I Target 6 7/8, from 1952 to 1957. After that it was listed as T678. All information comes from RENE.
 
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RPM Enterprises said:
Fred, I looked into that gun. It does not letter and is not the gun in Wilson's book, serial number close but no cigar.
I disagree, the lister explains the confusion and it came from the WBR estate along with the desk that was recently sold again thru Amoskeag auctions...the Ruger book appears to have the serial number wrong, 15886 instead of 15866...the 15886 guns shows being shipped from Ruger while the 15866 pistol was never shipped.

I think the gun is right.
 

hittman

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As a potential buyer .... since Ruger letter does not say factory chrome .... it's NOT.

Just another common $350 MK to me.
 

street

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Yes! Got to get another letter from Ruger with the correct model number and stating it was chrome plated from the factory to be worth the big bucks. IMO
 

fredrx

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Did Ruger plate any guns at the factory or were they sent out for this work? If sent out, would there be a record of this?
 

street

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fredrx said:
Did Ruger plate any guns at the factory or were they sent out for this work? If sent out, would there be a record of this?

My understanding is that Ruger sent the guns out to be plated. As they had no way to plate them at the factory. They then received them back at the factory, boxed them up and then shipped them from the factory as plated guns. Some of the Super-Single-Sixes were not shipped but sold to the employees at a discounted price.

Not sure if Ruger listed where they sent the guns to be plated with the information they keep for the guns. So there is probably no way to get it added to a factory letter.
 

06dilly

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You guys crack me up. Talk it down here and bid it up there. Pretty fun to watch. I happen to think it's a cool piece. Forget trying to tie it to the book. Just think about it. A gun from Bill Rugers personal auction and collection and one that was essentially a prototype type gun. The buyer will be just fine on this one IMHO. It's like Jay Leno says, I never paid too much, just bought too early. Love it.

TomD
 

NitroAcres

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Many have said "Never say Never, with Ruger" and also "Buy The Gun, Not The Story"...
I always leave wiggle room with transposition of digits and clerical errors..and think "IT Could Be, just what it appears to BE"..Roll the damn Dice, it's only money. (I can make more).
 

hittman

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Some of y'all are plenty loose on the definition of provenance. Technically every Ruger ever produced (until he died) was property of Mr. Ruger.

One letter says gun went to New York and mentions nothing about plating.

The other letter says no record of shipping - not that it was retained by Mr. Ruger personally or was used in the book or was factory chrome plated, etc. etc.

Oh, and the scribbled note from the auctioneer. Really? No factory documents, no letter from an immediate family member of Mr. Rugers, and on and on.

Saying the sellers story is a stretch is about as polite as a person can be.
 
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Ale-8(1) said:
golferboy426 said:
well years ago Dad said he saw a gun like it in Bill's office


Quite possible, of course. Question is, was it THIS gun? :wink:

Whatever, it appears to have sold for $1226. :shock:

who knows? it is a fine mystery.... Being that it came from the same consignor as the desk. pretty unlikely that it is not "real" IMO, especially with the very close number and the other in question showing not shipped.
 
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It was and is the real deal....that gun was in the family until early last year. The factory not knowing what it is doesn't surprise me at all, you think Bill asked permission to keep a particular pistol in his office and then to take it home when he moved his office?? The Ruger factory of today has NO idea of the history of some of these one offs and who is left to tell the new folks what the gun actually is, they didn't even get the model number correct, I am sure IF I had won the auction that I could have tracked down what was necessary to prove the provenance....unfortunately, I had a dinner to attend and didn't get the last bid in....

Any one on the forum win the pistol I wonder???
 
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hittman said:
Some of y'all are plenty loose on the definition of provenance. Technically every Ruger ever produced (until he died) was property of Mr. Ruger.

One letter says gun went to New York and mentions nothing about plating.

The other letter says no record of shipping - not that it was retained by Mr. Ruger personally or was used in the book or was factory chrome plated, etc. etc.

Oh, and the scribbled note from the auctioneer. Really? No factory documents, no letter from an immediate family member of Mr. Rugers, and on and on.

Saying the sellers story is a stretch is about as polite as a person can be.

Suggesting that every gun was the property of Mr. Ruger is a pretty loose comment on your part, every gun was the property of the company, which was a corporation and then the property of the distributor, dealer and then retail buyer. THIS GUN WAS THE PROPERTY OF MR. RUGER UNTIL HE DIED...why would the factory have a record of the gun being retained by Mr. Ruger...he TREATED any gun that he wanted, as his own...and i doubt any of the Ruger firearms that were in his possession where EVER transferred to him personally, they were retained by the factory and migrated to wherever...I know of guns that letter as never leaving the factory but they have....they have....
 
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