22/45 Lite Bronze, Black, fluted

[mohavesam]

I ran into a guy selling a few... 8)
What say ye about the fluted barrel shrouds? Is there a color that is more sought after than others?

I have not been able to use 'search' for a few days now, so I am looking for info on a 3910 black fluted model (390- prefix) and a 3907 brown/bronze fluted 390- prefix model... But I know there is a general list somewhere here - just cannot randomly find it! :?

I am just looking for a couple lightweight autos to fit my holsters and hump up the trail on a daily basis. I have not indulged so far into the MkIII colors or the gill-cuts vs fluted shrouds. Change my mind.

 

[roylt]

Not sure I understand your question. Are you asking us to figure out what color you might like?
My fav color is green so I would get the OD green unit if it was me.

 

[mohavesam]

"I am looking for info on a 3910 black fluted model (390- prefix) and a 3907 brown/bronze fluted 390- prefix model..."

Weren't the "bronze" guns a dealer-incentive only offering?

 

[9x19]

I believe the bronze color was a dealer rewards special, but other than the paint color, they are the same.

No significant issues with any of the Lite's I've owned, including the black fluted.

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Go to Ruger Collectors Association website I did an article in one of the journals. I should write a part two article because there are other models and colors since.

 

[mohavesam]

There is a
Pretty good list here somewhere. Cannot find it.

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Most likely the list I did when I researched the lites. I have managed to get several variations. I know that bronze fluted barrel has 3 color variations.

 

[mohavesam]

:idea:
Still looking for any model info and opines on which ones are not-so-commonly seen...
Is the black fluted 390- prefix all that common?

 

[chet15]

The black fluted 390 was made for quite a while. That one was a Ruger regular production gun.
As mentioned earlier in the thread, the bronze Lite was a Dealer Special. There are also two colors of this, the scarce one looks pretty close to gold in color.
Chet15

 

[mohavesam]

Thanks! I know the 4R bronze/brown variations were one order, just random batch variations (same anodize supplier) and so far as I know were all dealer incentive guns (1 per 25 paid guns), but I did not know the 390- prefix black (not blems) with the second shroud style were regular production. This I can use!

- Q2 - Anyone know of the green-anodized 3rd-style shroud guns with the green panels? I know they were available to employees but I cannot get details... Same with the R22 pistols, although I have no interest in them personally.

 

[Highstandardguy]

I’ve read reports that some were released to at least one distributor. Not sure that the color was that popular at first. I know it had to grow on me. Mine came from possibly the last batch. I had to wait for it until the batch was run so I think the popularity may have increased later on.

 

[RPM Enterprises]

After the rewards program was over the remaining bronze guns were distributed via Davidson's.

 

[mohavesam]

Looks like the (MkIII) gold series were the original (and first re-issue) attempted - and the 'bronze' series were the last, started as a dealer incentive and later sold to Davidson's, if I comprehend all I've read...? :arrow: No interest in the MkIV guns here. Likewise I don't warm up to the KG99-style perforated receiver guns.

No mention of the green or purple third series (fluted and slotted) found yet. I have found a couple of variations, possibly employee-only guns? One is a deep-blue fluted/slotted and the other was a green fluted/slotted with bright-green molded-logo panels (said to be Davidson's-installed?). I am not looking to collect anything "completely" nor do I want to start a museum (of guns that don't get fired). Just want to know which to fire "last" - as I learned with my Colt Woodsman albatross years ago!

Here's a new question: Anyone know the highest MSRP for any of the MkIII Lite guns?

 

[chet15]

No mention of the green or purple third series (fluted and slotted) found yet. I have found a couple of variations, possibly employee-only guns? One is a deep-blue fluted/slotted and the other was a green fluted/slotted with bright-green molded-logo panels (said to be Davidson's-installed?). I am not looking to collect anything "completely" nor do I want to start a museum (of guns that don't get fired). Just want to know which to fire "last" - as I learned with my Colt Woodsman albatross years ago!

Post some pictures here or on a PM to me along with the box model information and maybe we can figure those out.
We know that Lipsey's received some oddball LITE's in some different color, namey the raspberry and a cobalt, but never heard much beyond those although there were reportedly other colors.
Hadn't heard Davidson's received different colors as well.
Spread the knowledge and the collector market turns an ear toward that stuff, otherwise stuff like this is lost to obscurity.
Chet15

 

[mohavesam]

I don't own the ones I'm looking for (nor the boxes), the green and the purple showed up locally (one anodize supplier is a mile or two down the road), although I've only seen the purple slotted model once, the green slotted model more frequently. All MkIII guns.

(stolen pic) The purple MkIII I mentioned was identical to the green, just deep bright purple.

The shark-gill red and blue guns are not rare, apparently, as there are more than a few about town. Lots of talk about them lately around Rugerville? too bad I hadn't paid attention earlier!

 

[RPM Enterprises]

To my knowledge I have every lite produced and then some. That green pictured is common. The blue shark Gill is also made during the prefix change from 390 prefix to 391 prefix. That purple gun you referring to is a dark brownish color with a redish cast to it if my memory serves me right and that was a normal production gun also.

 

[mohavesam]

Thanks. But the one MkIII I missed was bright purple, not a hint of any brown/red etc. I have worked with anodize- and chem process houses for years so I'm always on the lookout for correctly-done color anodized items anyway. Now I have a new quest to find that gun, and the shop that had it may help - the buyer was a 'regular' and knows his stuff, so it may surface or may not?

-Davidson's also did a MkIII in Muddy Girl (dipped gripframe), doesn't float my canoe but it was a general offering. Any others we missed?

-- Posted in the ruger-smithing section - What if any tips to swapping a MkIII 22/45 frame to a MkII receiver? - any hiccups?

 

[RPM Enterprises]

The gun you speak of is it a gen. One or gen two.

 

[mohavesam]

Identical to the green slotted, fluted one pictured.
I called an engineer pal at the Prescott site, and was told sternly that Ruger does not use "generations". OK, But he could not tell me why they didn't change the prefix when they changed the drawings on the receiver specs (machining cuts).

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Don't really care about what Ruger defines or not defines. When I wrote the first article about the lites I referred generations by the difference in appearance for sake of identification. As far as prefix the change was due to running out of numbers in the 390 prefix rolling to the 391 until model was discontinued. When Mark 4's came out it started with a WBR prefix for a short time then went to a 4101. After recall the newly manufactured guns went to a 5000.

 

[mohavesam]

Just telling what I was told. To an engineer, it makes sense. I'll use whatever they use I guess, as they're their designs.

 

[9x19]

Oops, sorry that was a Mk IV