Finally scored a Single Six .32 H&R

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Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
2,271
Location
Orange County, CA
Had one some years ago, a 5 1/2" and let it go in a trade because I really wanted a 6 1/2". (Dumb, I know).

Just recently I found a 6 1/2" at a Yuma gunshop via GunsInternational ad. I'm usually wary of GA ads, but phoned the shop and talked to their guys (GOOD talk--they knew their Rugers!!!) and sent them a PMO. Got the gun outa CA gun jail a few days ago.

It's absolutely as advertised, and not at a GunBroker price (I detest the recent national auctions). Carried and fired enough so that I will feel very comfortable carrying, shooting, and working on it. Cherry enough to show off, too. I'm retiring my S&W 16-4; my son can have it--he shoots better than I do anyway, thanks to the USMC.

Some questions:

It has the grip frame marked XRN-3RED. An I reading Hittman's sticky right--can it take replacement grips for all grip frames with the XRN-RED marking? Or does that "3" need to be present in order for them to fit?

SN is 650-10074. Anybody know aprox. DOM?

I have an arthritic 80-year old right thumb that prefers the hammer on my .22 Bisley to the standard hammer on this SS. Are SS Bisley RF hammers a drop-in part on a standard SS NM centerfire like this or do they have to be fitted by a custom gunsmith? Are such hammers available any more? Or can the existing hammer be fairly easily converted to the lower spur of a Bisley by a custom gunsmith?

I like the standard "plowhandle" grips fine (I'm savin' for elk stags) but I will need a hammer with a shorter reach.....32 Bisleys seem to be very hard to find, very pricey, and I like the plowhandle grips better anyway.

Any input gratefully received!

Mike Armstrong
 

JStacy

Blackhawk
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
503
Location
south Texas
I have the same gun you have and the grips should fit from any new model , Not Bisley or new single seven and single 10. The grips need the small bevel inside at the top. I have used my gun for small game up to the size of Javelina and it worked well with correct bullet placement.
If you find an article by Skeeter Skelton in an old shooting times , beware those are HOT. I have shot some out of my SSM and they shot good but they are higher pressure than the gun is rated for. 10.5/296/85XTP is load from loading manuals but it sound pretty robust but very accurate and loud. 4.5/unique/95CSW is a good all around load and pressure friendly. I also shoot 32 longs in mine with 2.6/231/90 grain Hornady swaged bullet, very accurate good rabbit load. I do noy use the 100XTP in my SSM , I save those for my 327 GP100.
Good luck on yours , they are nice little guns
 

Hondo44

Hawkeye
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
8,040
Location
People's Republik of California
Congrats, one of my all time favorite small frame Rugers.

All new model grips and old model XR3-RED grips will fit except the New Vaquero and New Model flat top Blackhawks, and Bisley grips of course. Some of the newer ones will need the notch filed in at the top, backside but that's easy.

The single six size (works for center fire or rimfire) Bisley hammers are not a drop in! You have to lengthen the slot in the grip frame or (preferred method) remove the hump in the bottom by tracing rear shape of your standard hammer.

Ruger didn't have them in inventory soon after .32 Bisley single sixes were discontinued but they've made another production run not too long ago. Start with them. If they don't have them try Midway and Brownells.. Check ebay and gunbroker auctions. You can find one.

You can buy this one:
http://powercustom.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=1232

for $180 but still have to remove the hump and extra notch if you don't want the half cock notch. Fine quality but awfully pricey and you don't need a trigger anyway. Although on my .22 single six and .32 SSM where I've used the Ruger Bisley hammer I also use the Bisley trigger (just have to lengthen the trigger slot a bit on the plow handle grip frame). The same company makes a Blackhawk size Bisley hammer to fit the plow handle grip frame. Maybe they now offer a single six size too; you could check with them.
 
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contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,138
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
But,, but,, but,, a prominent gun writer recently wrote an article on (6) calibers that were going to be obsolete soon, and the .32 Mag was one of them. Why would you buy one of THOSE calibered guns? I mean, he also said the .40S&W, the .41 Mag & a few others were no longer popular! Don't you follow the latest & greatest minds out there? Gee,, !

Seriously, I did read an article last night declaring the .32 Mag as a caliber on it's way out. But of course,, many of us KNOW otherwise. Sales of ammo & demands for guns etc ALL prove otherwise. Sadly, this writer & such is kinda prominant,, so I figured he was just writing that to boost sales & create controversy.
It makes me think LESS of someone like that who claims to be an expert.

KUDOS on finding your gun!
 

David Lee Valdina

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
106
Location
Snow Bird, Florida & Massachusetts
I found this on my computer:

Subject: .32 H&R Mag. reloading
> Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2005 18:00:35 -0500
>
> Just a quick report. I have a 6" Ruger Single Six and a 2" S&W in .32 H&R
> Mag. The factory loads offer an 85 gr. Jacketed H.P. or a 90 gr. lead
> solid.
>
> I found I could get 115 gr. lead flat point .32-20 bullets from Oregon
> Bullet Company (Laser Cast) and they had a loading book too. Most of the
> commercial loading books give data for the 85 or 90 gr. bullets only. I
> loaded up these 115 gr. bullets with 4.3 gr. Unique and used some very old
> Remington 1 & 1/2 Primers and Federal brass.
>
> Chronographed the 6" at an average of 1,117 fps and the 2" at an average of
> 953 fps. This was set up about 18 feet from the muzzle and it was 24º f
> out. Went to the indoor range with the Ruger and got some very tight
> groups. FYI, the book gave the maximum load at 4.5 gr. Unique.
> The bullet looks like it has very good sectional density and I am as happy
> as can be with this load.

The old Ruger Single Six was sold to a friend years ago but since then I got a Ruger Bisley in .32 H&R Mag. I may be wrong, but it seems to be more robust than the Single Six I had. I have lots of brass and bullets so I am not too worried about it being discontinued. The little S&W is an alloy gun and can't take as much pressure. I had tried some Buffalo Bore loads and they locked up the gun. Buffalo Bore said the loads were factory specs, so I guess this revolver needs to be fed light loads. But it is a pretty gun now, had it engraved.

1650722251239.png
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
726
Location
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Your gun is early enough to have the SSM stamp
on the left side frame, right after " Single Six".
So you have a 2 digit desirable gun.
That stamp was only used on the 6 1/2 and the 5 1/2" guns
up to about 600 or so ,don't recall exactally, and the notes are elsewhere, on none of the 9 1/2" and on only 3 of the 4 5/8 guns.
In LNIB or near so, it's a collector item.
I have several with the SSM marking and I can guarantee those three little letters will make no difference on how that gun shoots. :D
So shoot he heck out of it, their lots of fun.
The .32 Single Six's are my favorite Rugers.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
2,271
Location
Orange County, CA
Thanks--I didn't know any of that! Given that this gun is somewhat scarce, I think I'll buy a stock SS hammer, have a custom shop move the spur into a lower and more accessible position by cutting and TIG welding into the new spot, and keep the original hammer for the next guy (hopefully my son) to mount if he wants the gun original.

Anybody know a 'smith or shop who does this kind of work?

I probably will mostly shoot mild lead bullet handloads in .32 Longs in this gun. Found that 98 gr wadcutters with a little more zip than factory target loads kill most small game just fine at the ranges I can hit them well.

Fiocchi and Norma wadcutters loaded for Olympic rapid fire competition in big European auto loaders are loaded a little hot to make sure they have 100% function in those pricey bottom feeders. I have found that they are very accurate in my S&W M16-4 DA and kill small edible game and even big boar groundhogs dead-dead. SS w/equivalent handloads should do at least as well.
 
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Snake Pleskin

Banned
Joined
Mar 26, 2022
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2,179
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Aiken, South Carolina
For decades the most popular round in Europe then the USA was the .32 acp, then .380 acp. In carry firearms. Apparently they did not need anything more to get the job done! Both rounds are still made today and still used.
 
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