Hashknife Hartley
Single-Sixer
I was browsing Proxibid for Ruger's in early December and saw this Flattop 357 listed by Cady's Auction Gallery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They were selling a collection from a Phillip Thyer who was a trapshooter, hunter and target shooter, from Illinois if I remember correctly. Only had 3 other Ruger handguns in the auction, a Bearcat, a New Model Super Single Six and a 10 Prefix Mark 1, so he didn't appear to be a collector, at least of Ruger's. The gun looks like it was never shot outside of the factory test firing.
It caught my eye first because of the serial number, 42629, which is only a little over 300 away from my Type 1 Transitional Eared 357, which is 42980, with both being BKH34's. The Type 1 was shipped in December, 1962, while the Flattop was shipped July, 1963, a full 6 months later. Next thing that caught my eye was the XR3-RED grip frame, and checking the book, found only 3 other's of this type have been found so far. No definite way to prove it, but the late date surely makes it a viable candidate.
Here's some pictures of it:
Got it and found out the box it was in was an uncatalogued box and I'm pretty sure it's the original box. Latest uncatalogued box listed in the Reference is for gun #42093, so this is kind of neat. Again, pictures:
Box is in pretty bad shape and the bottom is really bad, will try and find a bottom for it, not repairable at all.
Here's pictures of the serial number on the box, and I'm sure the 1st and 5th numbers are a 4 and 9; fairly sure the 2nd and 4th numbers are 2's, and in just the right light I think I can make out the 6 as the 3rd number, maybe just hopeful dreaming.
One last thing, the ejector rod housing is aluminum, and after taking it off and finding a lot of dried, caked lubricant, I think it's original as it's been on there a long time. Again the late shipping date does make this a viable possibility.
Anyway, whether it's accepted as a XR3-RED 357 Flattop or not, I'll enjoy it due to it's close numbering to the Type 1 Transitional I have. Hope you like it as well, enjoy the pictures and would welcome comments on it.
HH
It caught my eye first because of the serial number, 42629, which is only a little over 300 away from my Type 1 Transitional Eared 357, which is 42980, with both being BKH34's. The Type 1 was shipped in December, 1962, while the Flattop was shipped July, 1963, a full 6 months later. Next thing that caught my eye was the XR3-RED grip frame, and checking the book, found only 3 other's of this type have been found so far. No definite way to prove it, but the late date surely makes it a viable candidate.
Here's some pictures of it:
Got it and found out the box it was in was an uncatalogued box and I'm pretty sure it's the original box. Latest uncatalogued box listed in the Reference is for gun #42093, so this is kind of neat. Again, pictures:
Box is in pretty bad shape and the bottom is really bad, will try and find a bottom for it, not repairable at all.
Here's pictures of the serial number on the box, and I'm sure the 1st and 5th numbers are a 4 and 9; fairly sure the 2nd and 4th numbers are 2's, and in just the right light I think I can make out the 6 as the 3rd number, maybe just hopeful dreaming.
One last thing, the ejector rod housing is aluminum, and after taking it off and finding a lot of dried, caked lubricant, I think it's original as it's been on there a long time. Again the late shipping date does make this a viable possibility.
Anyway, whether it's accepted as a XR3-RED 357 Flattop or not, I'll enjoy it due to it's close numbering to the Type 1 Transitional I have. Hope you like it as well, enjoy the pictures and would welcome comments on it.
HH
