1949 automatic

[martyj]

What is a good price for Ruger automatic 22lr?
How do you know if its still has the original frame and grips. It does have the red eagles but it appears they made quite a few of them.
Sorry about the ignorance

 

[rugerguy]

lots to know and learn abot the early automatic 22 rinfires...best bet is try and find Chjad Hiddlesons book "Encyclopdeia of Ruger Semi-autmatic Rimfire Pistols 1949-1992" covers it all , along with GOOD pictures tohelp...yes, any of the other .22 rimfire books will cover "inprint" but you gotta go back and forth and jump around...(need a LIBRARY of Ruger books....) Hey,most of us have them.....
anyway, the early gun has the red eagle grips and aroud the grip screws are small aluminum escutcheons, this tells you it is indeed an "early' gun,,,, there are LOT of later, hard rubber ( butaprene) grips on many early guns and the eagles were "repainted" red, over the black..so gotta be careful,,,the Red eagles will run up to aropund serial number #35,000 give or take a few numbers, ( its in the book...)also there are about 10-11 variations of the 'red eagle' 22 guns ,even into the first Mark I targets ,in 1951......so gotta do your homework..also "condition" they gotta be nice nd even better ,boxed to get the "big buck'....the early ones were also shipped direct to the buyer, and shipped out in a "wooden, salt cod" box and had a REA Railway express label on them....yes, these boxes have even been"replicated" so again, be wary and careful...
as for prices, we se them run the gamut of $300 to $2500 plus, if "packaged" ...guns alone usually around here will run in the $350-450 range, in fact I have had one to about 5 shows now inthe $450 range and its still sitting here..................

last Maumee Valley gun show we got one, NICER and in the box for $500, so one never knows....................
Good luck

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Nice Snag on that package Dan!!!
Terry

 

[chet15]

Let us know a serial number and condition and we can let you know if it is a good one or not. Boxed?
Chet15

 

[martyj]

I looked it up in my book and it is series 1 with the serial number 2xxx.
Just odd that part of the bluing is gone but the eagles are bright red and cant get a hold of the guy for pictures or more info.

 

[street]

[quote....the early ones were also shipped direct to the buyer, and shipped out in a "wooden, salt cod" box and had a REA Railway express label on them....yes, these boxes have even been"replicated" so again, be wary and careful...
[/quote]



I know this is nit-picking but as you said these boxes have been replicated and the crooks that are doing this may not know which label to use. The label should read "RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY". Not "REA EXPRESS". Some time in the early 1960s the Express co. was starting to ship most of their express shipments by Tractor Trailer because the Railroads were cutting off most of their Passenger Trains. As you know this was how the Railway Express Agency shipped their packages. So as they were getting away from the trains they changed their name to just "REA EXPRESS". I think this was in 1962, but I'm not sure of the year. Since the Red Eagles were shipped in 1949, and 1950 in the Salt Cod shipping boxes the label should read "Railway Express Agency". Again not nit-picking but just trying to help some one who might be buying a Red Eagle with a fake Salt Cod Box.

 

[flatgate]

From my archives. Not my gun.

flatgate

 

[street]

I looked it up in my book and it is series 1 with the serial number 2xxx.
Just odd that part of the bluing is gone but the eagles are bright red and cant get a hold of the guy for pictures or more info.

Check the barrel. If it has 5 grooved rifling, it's a "type 1A", about 1000 made. If it has a 6 grooved rifling, it a "type 1", about 950 made. It's all about the grooves in the barrel. I have serial number 2072 that's a type 1A.

 

[martyj]

The grips have like a fiber insert according to him rather than just going into the wood. The bluing is missing off of the frame where the hand rests and he would only give 29xx on the serial number. Which makes it a 1950 model.

 

[rugerguy]

yeah, I didn't want to state "exactly' the wording, I did that on purpose, no good reason, besides that was close enough being "abreviated"....and no inference was made to anyone trying to
rip off
or screw anyone else, as to when ,where and why they may have been "replicated", only to do ones homework and make sure you are getting what you pay for..thus the need for the books ( or at least "ask the question...) BUT< I would still like to "see" or look at the gun in question, before I tell ANYONE to buy it at ANY price....caveat emptor ,baby...............my wife was offered some over the years, looked nice and were in the 'proper' boxes, BUT ,they were obviously "reblued" and of NO value to her, at any price....other have come across from time to time also, that are "hopnest, legit,,,,in fact really "nice" examples,,,,BUT< the "pucker factor was NOT in effect....." just more than she wanted, ME , to spend......... :lol:

 

[chet15]

The grips have like a fiber insert according to him rather than just going into the wood. The bluing is missing off of the frame where the hand rests and he would only give 29xx on the serial number. Which makes it a 1950 model.

Not sure what the owner is talking about there. Original Red eagle grips (for as long as they were made to about March 1952) are black checkered hard rubber. Not sure about the "insert" or the "wood" because none were ever shipped originally with wood grips.
If the grips are original, the reason you probably saw a very nicely painted medallion (while there was much wear on the rest of the gun) is because the early medallions were made of two-pieces and the flat disc itself had its eagle filled in with a permanent type "fired?" enamal. All later medallions were one piece and had the eagles painted in.
A 29xx range gun will also have silver colored escutcheons around the grip screw holes in each panel.
The other thing to check for would be to make sure the bolt is the early type without recoil spring support. Quite a few of the early guns had their firing pins break which made WBR redesign his bolt to include a support. Perhaps somebody here on RF can post pictures of what to look for on the bolt.
Chet15

 

[rugerguy]

He may mean ,instead if the aluminum escutcheon surrounding the smaller head screws on those early guns. maybe someone put a "fiber" material around the screw instead, ike white nylon, or Delrin, or such, and that would be like a "spacer" .........
yes, the early firing pins were "flat" and laid horizontally, in stead of up and down like they do now......seen them broke quite often, and the factory will only "replace/ update the bolt, not repair those pins......


here is one ,compliments of another Forum Members gun, has a broken pin, and can see the "nose" of the pin is indeed ,broken off...........

 

[contender]

That bolt looks familiar,,,,!

 

[rugerguy]

we try and NOT talk "out of school...." 8)

 

[contender]

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Those type one bolts are pretty hard to find :shock:

Here is a mark 2 bolt one of 3 produced

 

[contender]

Nice selection of bolts,,,, Got an extra firing pin?????

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Tyrone, I would have to look but I don't think I do or I would have made these complete already..

 

[SteveRuger]

RPM nice Photos! nice to see a few old bolts.

 

[martyj]

From my archives. Not my gun.

flatgate

What year did the boxes change to the red and black rst4.