1965 Stainless No. 1 ?

[Kevin]

Would Ruger have made a stainless No. 1 in 1965? I was told it has a 4 digit serial number, not sure if it's exactly 1965 or not. I haven't seen the rifle, but a friend of my father has one in 220 swift.

I told him I'd buy it, but he says he has two sons that ask about the rifle every time he gets a cold. Ha!

Thanks,

 

[BlkHawk73]

Not a stainless #1 if it was produced in 1965. Many folks will ignore the prefix and only look at the number after the prefix. In such cases, a gun with serial number 510-0010 is considered a 2 digit.

 

[El Numero Uno]

The first Prototype No.1's were made in 1965 and first shown at the NRA Convention in 1966. No production rifles were shipped until 1967. I don't recall Ruger making any stainless firearms until the '80's.
Must be something else.

 

[picketpin]

No stainless #1s till well after the non prefix rifles had come and gone, 1967 -1969 though some shipped as late as 1975.

The 220 Swift was not chambered until 1979 in the "V" or Varmint configuration and 1988 in the "B" or Standard rifle.

The first "K" or stainless #1s are cataloged in 2003!!! That being said the 220 Swift has NEVER been cataloged in either the "KB" or the "KV"

As stated above they have to be missing the prefix for the serial number but there are also several other issues or questions one would want answered before buying. Get the serial number and call the factory records dept. They can give you the ship date, caliber and configuration it shipped in.

NONE of the information seems correct so far.

Ross

 

[Kevin]

Wow, what a great forum. Every time I have a question the wealth of knowledge amazes me. Thanks everyone. I thought the rifle in question was suspect. Like I said I didn't see the rifle, just the heard the description from the owner.

 

[El Numero Uno]

Ross,
My recollection is that the 1B Swift was available at the same time as the 1V; in late '78-'79. I had a 1B then and have since had 3 or 4 that would date to this time frame.

 

[picketpin]

Uno: I was going off the info on the #1 Site by caliber. It is incorrect.

Went back through the catalogs and you are correct. The Swift Was first cataloged in the #1 in 1979, in the "B" and "V" configuration.

I stand corrected. ;-) My current "V" Swift shipped early 1980. Don't have one in "B".

Ross

 

[Heavy Barrel]

Ross,my Swift 1V,131-42306 according to RUGER's web site is 1978 if I read it correctly.

 

[picketpin]

Heavy: It could well be made before being cataloged but the only way to tell is call records and find out. It's also unlikely.

More likely is that the web site serial numbers are a broad range at best and are not to be taken as correct or specific. (I think there is actually a disclaimer on the site) Ruger does not assemble or ship rifles in order by serial number. As many guys with RSIs have found out after thinking they had early pre-production rifles, the first bunch of RSIs were assembled on much earlier recievers than the catalog and first shipments would seem to indicate.

Usually it's only a year or two as the guy assembling rifles grabs a reciever and randomly assembles one. On the other hand if the reciever is sitting in parts, repair or warranty it may not be used for a lot of years.

Sort of like the 222 on GB right now. Non prefix "V" it's been sitting at the factory for 40 years but the ship date will be recorded as 2010 when the auction ends and the rifle ships.

I have a non prefix #1 in 6mm "B" that if you look at the reciever and serial number should have been assembled and shipped in 1969. When I lettered it, it letters to having shipped in Nov 1975!!! A note from Ruger on a sticky with the latter says the info is entered in the log book in pencil and there is no information why they assembled and shipped a non prefix rifle 6 years after the end of the non prefix rifles!!! Best guess it was laying around somewhere either parts and finally assembled OR in warranty and used on a warrantly claim for a non prefix rifle and sent out.

Just a guess but I'd be willing to bet a dollar or so that if you called records with the serial number it would "letter" to at least 1979 if not later.

the best

Ross

 

[Heavy Barrel]

Ross,that's on my list of things to do on Monday,will let you know.

 

[Heavy Barrel]

Ross,shipped April 1979.

Bill

 

[picketpin]

Bill: The makes a lot of sense. There are certianly #1s that were made and serial numbered before the cataloged rifles hit the wholesalers but by for the easist/usual way to account of earlier serial numbers on cataloged rifles is simply the way Ruger assembles and ships rifles.

They just don't worry about making them in sequence so within a fairly broard range they can vary as to time.

The best and thanks for posting the date.

Ross