give me your philosophy on revolver collecting

[slowpoke]

Here's my deal; I've had guns for quite a few years but recently aquired the "bug" for collecting Ruger revolvers, especially Single sixes. I do have a basic starting goal of attaining each barrel length in OM and NM single sixes, but I don't hesitate to snatch up something that catches my eye if I can get a good price. So I thought I'd like to hear from some of you seasoned collectors and see if I'm typical in my approach. I've read that you should have an idea or "story" if you will, to have a good display if that's what you intend to do. Give as much background and story of your collecting journey as you want. Including some of the more unusual sources that you've found your guns from. Feel free to post pics if you like. I do plan on posting pictures of what I have so far, but we lost our camera and I've been to busy spending my money on guns lately to get another one.

 

[El Numero Uno]

Your stated ideas is a good approach.
The Single Sixes, as a group, are quite interesting! You will never lack for something to look for, as there are more major variations of the OM and NM Single Sixes than you could even imagine.
If you do not have the books yet, that is were you need to start. No doubt, the RENE Reference of Ruger Firearms, can give you the most depth of the multitude of models you have to look for. At some point, I suggest you might want to narrow your focus.
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

 

[rugerguy]

yes, you may be on the right track , gotta keep a focus, or you can and will go "nuts & broke"...from what I recalll from my wife collecting Single Sixes, back then, there were like 202 variations of the"old model Single Six" alone....logisticaly impossible, let alone "cost" and bringing up four boys cost enough as it was................
then where does one put alll of this??? and keep it "safe".......

Good luck, you are on the right track........ :wink:

 

[contender]

My estemed friends are correct,, you are off to a good start.
I would suggest you get the RENE guide,, and also get John Dougan's latest book on Rugers. That along with Ruger & his guns, by R.L. Wilson. Reading material is a MUST in collecting.
That said,, there are a lot of variations of the old models,, as noted,, over 200 variations of the Single-Six alone.
You might focus your collection in a direction based upon your budget, or allowable space in your safe. Example; Old Model Lightweight Single-Six's. Not a whole lot of variation,, but getting the BOXES & papers can take a bit of work. A good complete "display" of them,, with say the early catalogs & other paperwork with boxes, shippers, (even harder to find,) would be an easier goal than to try & get all of the OM variations.
If you wanted to expand a bit more,, try a section such as "Flatgates." A lot more variations,, & a lot more boxes, shippers etc to look for and it'll keep you frothing at the mouth when you get on the hunt for that one that's been elusive to your collection.
What I'm getting at is you can pick a specific model,, then look for possible variations within that model to focus on.
And you CAN do a display of a "group" that isn't complete,, and still have an excellent display. Usually,, when an example or two is "missing" we do not discount the display as we all know how hard some guns are to find. I recall one excellent display where radical rod built his dosplay,, AND included an "empty" spot for a missing variation. He included the info about that one gun,, but left an empty spot to fill. It was still a great display,, with a slightly different approach. And if I recall correctly,, he won an award for it.
My approach to collecting is a bit different,, in that I'm both a gatherer & a collector. I gather any & all Rugers that strike my fancy,, knowing that going after a complete set of anything is harder,, and I'd have to finance it by selling other guns. Since I HATE seller remorse,, I don't sell any,, but I buy Rugers as they appear. I now have several to where I could focus on certain theme's but still not enough to satisify myself in that I could do a good display. I also collect a lot of the old paperwork,, and THAT can be a bit more frustrating as a lot of that stuff got thrown away.
All in all, collecting is a great way to further your enjoyment of Rugers,, as not only will you find collectable guns,, you can find some "shooters" of the same guns to enjoy!
You are on the right track,, so get the books & start reading!

 

[chet15]

In all honesty, Ruger collecting is a sickness!!
To me Ruger collecting is rather unique in that it is the one company who not only has a reputation for quality, but Ruger collecting is also quite different I.M.O. from collecting Colts, Winchesters or S&W's in that at least 80 to 90% of the rarest Rugers ever made are still out there waiting to be found! I'm sure much of this can be attributed to the fact that the company is only 61 years old now, and that the biggest share of collectors are still only looking for those guns that were made during the first 24 years of the company's existence. So there really is a lot of opportunity for the new Ruger collector. Don't like the high prices of what many of the nice condition flattops or Super Blackhawks are bring these days? There are a lot of areas without that much "attention" paid, which can give a collector a great "upstart" of a collection.
Don't get me wrong....as the years go by there are fewer and fewer of some of these rarities coming out of the woodwork it seems...but with a little patience they can be found.....and everybody deserves their fair share of them darn it!!!!
Chet15

 

[mattsbox99]

My philosophy is to buy what interests me. I may never be the true collector like many here, I may never be able to put together an entire display of every variation of the flatgate or bearcat, but I admire those that can. I like them all, so its pretty difficult to nail down even one model to collect.

Right now I guess I'm collecting Red Labels, but even in that there are just some models that are not possible to find, like the 300 early hand engraved models.

At heart I'm a shooter, which makes many collectors cringe!

 

[slowpoke]

Thanks for the replies everyone, and keep them coming! I bought my first Ruger 16 years ago (a stainless SS), it and a 22/45 aquired a few years later were my only Rugers for quite some time. All of a sudden a few months back I realized I was infatuated with Ruger single actions and had bought a couple more. That's what led me to this forum, and I also picked up Dougan's latest book on ebay. I'm now up to 7 single sixes (2 OM's and 5 NM's), and 2 old style Vaqueros, and yeah Chet, I think I'm infected! I keep telling my wife that they'll pay off better than the stock market for our retirement, but I'm thinkin my grandkids will probably inherit all my guns! I really will have to slow down and build my savings account back up.

I've been having this crazy idea too. You know how women get together and have "tupperware parties" etc? I was thinking I would invite all the friends I know over for a BBQ and tell them to bring any guns they have that are interesting, collectable, rare etc. and have a "gun party". Just look at em talk about em maybe do a little trading etc. WAIT, I guess you call that a gun show! I am gonna do it though.

 

[Kanook]

Next thing you know, you'll be buying stock in the company. (the paper kind) I'm still trying to figure out which is going to make me more in the long run

The paper hangs on the wall and is a conservation piece. The other investment goes BOOM and everybody wants.

 

[radicalrod]

Hey Slopoke, always remember that it is a HOBBY.....FOR FUN.....any PROFIT is purely ACCIDENTAL......if ya read all the books you will see the monumental task collecting all the Single Six variation could become.....me I do the numbers thing.....which means I need 2 or more of everything......now that is a SICKNESS......for me the BEST PART of RUGER COLLECTING is some of the PEOPLE......the WORST PART is some of the PEOPLE :shock: :shock: :shock: ENJOY and a BIG WELCOME TO THE RUGER FAMILY.....see ya RR.

 

[SteveRuger]

slowpoke, Welcome to the forum!
You are going in the right direction! As stated above there is alot of Ruger's to find once you focus in one type or another but, don't be afraid of changing your focus. My motto has been from the day I decided to be a collector "I am going to have fun or I am out of here"! So have fun. And Best of Luck!

 

[gregs45auto]

+1 on the Collectors above. I wanted to collect garands. Prices dictated I concentrated on a specific period, IE WWII, or post war. Next which manufacture. I decided on International Harvester, as they made "only" 336 thousand. Found out there are 7 variations!! :shock: 2 gap lettered (4M & 5M), arrowhead logo, postage stamp, some made by SA and some by Harrington Richards. The rare ones go for big money. IHC Parts prices cut my Ruger money down to the bone! Pick an area that trips yer trigger and have at it. best, greg

 

[flatgate]

Yup, been there, done that! Long, long ago some very insightful friends schooled me with the premise of being focused. Single-Sixes are an AWESOME faction of Ruger Collecting. One could spend a long time just rounding up the 4-5/8" varieties! Or, there's the Flatgates, where I found my niche, or the Magnum Marked or the RSSE's or the Lightweights or the RSS9's........

We wish you the best of luck,

flatgate

 

[Heliman]

Well, here is my story......

Sometime back, I decided I wanted a Single Six like my Dad had back in the 50's. First gun I ever shot. I have always liked Rugers, but never had the means or inclination to get started.

Anyway, I was cruising Gunbroker one day and wound up buying a Single Six from the late 50's.

Than I decided I wanted a "representative" sample of all the different calibers of 3 screws. :roll: I don't have all of them, particularly a Hawkeye, but I do have everything from a pre-alpha Bearcat to a Fattop 44Mag.

While all this was going on, I developed a fondness for #1's, closely followed by #3's. I have all the #3 calibers and some very nice #1's.

Lately, I have been pursuing Speed Sixes......... 8)

Do you see where this is going? :lol: It's like an addiction or eating just one potato chip out of a bag. You can't do it. You may make a feeble attempt to scale back, but it's just temporary.

The best way for you NOT to get hooked, is not to get that first one.

Good luck with your collecting........but I betcha can't stop once you start.

Dave :wink:

 

[jmfc606]

Slowpoke,

You got some great advice from some of the most respected people on this forum. These are the guys we ask questions when we need answers! After you're here for awhile you'll know who to ask about what gun, and then there is the catch all if you don't know who to turn to and just ask Chad (chet15). I wish I was a collector I'm just not diciplined enough. I'm an accumulator of Rugers. If I like it I get it. I have quite a few Rugers, as a matter of fact without me physically counting them I really have no idea. lol. Anyway good luck to you and if you accomplish your goal, bravo! If not and you just buy lots of Rugers that strike your fancy that's ok too. I'm right here with you with tons of other people on this site. Welcome aboard,and no, there is no cure or vaccine for this and the "treatments" cost money! You've got a life sentence of Rugeritis.

 

[Colonel Daddy]

Slowpoke, welcome to the Forum and always remember, "There is no substitute for education."
Buy what trips yer trigger.........and buy the books! 8)

 

[any ruger]

Pretty simple if it's a Ruger and I like it I try to buy it , even if I can't afford it .

 

[Bkat]

You'll know your Rugeritis condition is terminal when you start offering more than the seller is asking!

Bkat

 

[Marshal Buckshot]

For me it was the different calibers. I like the single action revolvers so I decided to get at least one example of each caliber. Each time I got a new caliber, I could learn something new. As each caliber found it's way to my house I bought reloading dies, brass, bullets, etc. Then I played around with different components untill I had a load I liked. I learned a whole lot about bullets and ballistics. When I got satisfied with each new caliber, I went out and bought a different one.
I'm getting close to catching up now. I don't have a 17M2 or a hawkeye. I justify the hawkeye by telling myself that it's a single shot, not a revolver. I'm looking hard for the 17M2 but that one is tough. The rest of them I have. All of the "normal" calibers and the odd ones as well. I was absolutely thrilled when ruger came out with the 327 in the Blackhawk. I've put 386 rounds through mine so far! I only have one old model and I shoot all of my guns. I'm not able to buy a gun and not shoot and play with it.
I have nothing against people who buy guns just as an investment, I just have never been able to do it myself. Over the years I've had more enjoyment and gained more general shooting knowledge playing with all the different calibers than I ever thought possible. That is how I have fun. I don't know if that qualifies me as a collector or not, but I'm sure having a great time!

 

[JohnW]

I'm pretty new at this myself, but my approach so far goes kind of like this...

I have a serious thing for the Old Model single actions - Single Sixes, Blackhawks and Super Blackhawks. I would love to have some of the early flatgate and round gate Single Sixes, and several pristine flat top Blackhawks. Shoot, I drool all over my keyboard every time Doc44 posts a picture. Problem is, my budget is just not big enough to play in that league.

However, I have found that I can find and afford nice, later, "protected sight" Old Models. So, that is what I am working on now. My initial goal is to get one each in all the Old Model calibers, then branch out on different barrel lengths. Right now, I only need a .41 mag and a .45 LC to have all the calibers, but as of this past weekend I have both 4-5/8" and 6-1/2" .357's. The 6-1/2" is even a convertible.

To me, it is important to have the proper focus - narrow enough to be achievable, but not so narrow as to pass up good deals that may lead to better acquisitions. For example, I'm considering selling a very nice "Liberty" BN36 with box, shipper, manual, etc. to help finance the next nice OM that may come my way (and praying for a nice BKH42 to cross my path 8) ).

It seems that now is a good time to buy if it is doable for you. With the current economy/job situation, there are good deals to be had. Within the last year, I have yet to spend over $475, and 2 have been under $400 (all 97 - 99% guns.)

 

[Shamrock]

All good stuff as above. Whatever piques your interest--often stemming from what you read here or in RENE, Wilson, etc. Knowledge is key and makes the hunt (and the find) more enjoyable. Collectors suffer from the "complete collection" syndrome so agree that narrow focus helps--especially,but not necessarily, money wise. As Chet15 said there are still rarities out there and finding one for a good price is always a thrill--including the stories of others who find them!
I have thought of collecting (have not heard of anyone doing this intentionally) a represntative sample of all Ruger productions--eg:
Semi-auto-pistol,rifle in center and rimfire
Revolvers-center/rimfire with major types, one engraved sample(?)
Rifles-bolt, singleshot
Shotguns
Memoribilia, knives, boxes, even drills!
There are odd calibers you could collect.
There are some modern rarities that are not in great demand and, of course, some that are. All of which ususally limited by "disposable" funds.
Plus you get to meet a lot of interesting and friendly fellow collectors that grow on you.
Be sure and tell us what you decide to do so we can enjoy sharing your experience!