Let's play "Is This a RSSM"

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GasGuzzler

GasGuzzler

Hawkeye
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Cooke County, Texas
Found a Single Six locally for sale I kinda like and wonder if it's a later version of the Magnum only guns. I don't think it is but I need to ask the experts. Pretty sure it's a convertible with a missing LR cylinder and the incorrect box but it's not very expensive so...

It has a non-prefix 459XXX serial number and a 6.5" barrel. Pics show the rear sight and the box that's included. Obviously needs a right grip panel and there is a SSN etched in more than one place. The magnum cylinder is marked with three digits of the serial number as well as an SSN.

Is it a magnum only and what's the value of the gun and box?

I might get it and sell the box if it's incorrect, clean it up, and put a correct grip on it. If I have to spend $150 on it for parts but the box is worth something it might be a good deal. But if it's not worth more than a normal shooter OMSS and the box is nothing special, it's priced too high for what it needs.

I already have a 1965 convertible with the proper and original box, wax paper, instructions, both cylinders, and the felt bag in nearly new condition with a letter.

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Funny thing is that I just bought one like it yesterday and will be picking it up tomorrow. Based on your pics I would offer the following comments:

The box is not correct. You have an Old Model Single Six (3 screw), not a Super Single Six.

The magnum only models were marked "Magnum". Yours says Single Six. Thus I would guess it's a .22LR model. If it was a convertible, the Mag cylinder would have 3 serial number digits on it, while the LR would not.
 
I have seen online references to magnum only guns being marked like this one ... no mention of Magnum or WMR after a certain date or serial number. They are marked Ruger .22 CAL Single Six like this one and known examples are near this SN. I see 34XXXX is where they might have changed the roll mark. Maybe the internet is wrong?

Is the box worth anything? I don't think this package is for me unless I can sell the box for a good amount.

My '65 is technically a Single Six Magnum Convertible and has a different end label than this one. I agree with hittman, it's probably a regular 6.5" convertible non-Super with a Super box.
 
as pictured above by hittman, his is the original "magnum "marked RSSM, and yours is a later issue RSSM, now if its an "X" or not only the shipping info would tell you that, also a check in the RENE for some data as to serial numbers of guns shipped "only" as a LR only, or the "X", a convertible and obviously that box is for a Super,not certain why the "extra" electric pencil marking by Mr. Speer on his cylinder ( matches the name in the frame, as there are other serial number digits on that cylinder, so do they match the guns actual serial number??? never know how and why which cylinders may or may NOT be marked, whether ONE cylinder ( the spare) or BOTH as often seen ,so thats a crap shoot, tells us nothing,,better to have NO serial digit marks, than the wrong ones. Good gun, just needs a bunch of TLC, and buff ( file) out the name, new grips,etc.... ;)
 
This would really help you

weaselmeatgravy

Thread 'Subscribe to the Red Eagle News Exchange'

By popular demand, here is a sticky with info for subscribing to RENE.

What is RENE? The Red Eagle News Exchange (RENE) is a quarterly Ruger collector & enthusiast's newletter with the latest information on Ruger firearms, member articles, new Ruger variations & discoveries, selected recent auction results, classified ads & announcements, etc. New members also get a complimentary copy of the Reference of Ruger Firearms, which has a HUGE amount of detail on models, variations, production numbers, timelines, etc. Updates to the Reference are made every few years and...
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I can make out the serial number from the gun on the cylinder along with his SSN. I have seen in other sources what rugerguy posted, that the presence or lack of etched numbers doesn't prove anything unless they don't match.
 
rugerguy has given you good info.
The gun's serial number, as well as the drift adjustable only rear sight, put it in the RSS model range.
They were made between 1961 & 1973.
That one is a 1966 model.
The models during that run are; (in general,)
RSS4X
RSS5X
RSSMX
RSS9X

The fact it has a magnum cylinder only,, I'd hazard a good guess it's just missing the LR cylinder.

It is a RSSM variation due to the 6-1/2" barrel length.

As for the box,, yes,, the box has value. And yes,, possibly $75 if the corners aren't broken or busted out.

The info above was taken from the RENE Guide.
 
So the gist is it could be a RSSM but it would need a letter because it's newer than the 400K-ish break. Without a box to "sort of ID it", it's a crap shoot and it's probably too much $$$ considering all the etching. I don't buy to resell but I also don't grossly overpay usually in the event I want to sell later. If the box matched and/or it wasn't etched so much I might go for it. If it were magnum marked I would buy it.
 
Re-read my post.

It's a RSSMX model. RENE lists them by serial number & the year.

Ruger confused things a bit. Initially,, when the .22 magnum caliber was introduced,, Bill made AND marked guns with the magnum rollmark as shown in post # 3 by hittman. But when he discovered that many people wanted a convertible,, he built them,, AND the model info he used was the same. RSSM. The magnum only marked ones have a different serial number range. It's shown in post # 2.

This gun was made after the magnum only marked ones.

The box,, as noted,, is incorrect. So it could be sold. This would allow a buyer of the package to recover some of their investment. A proper grip panel and if desired,, a .22 LR cylinder would restore it to an "as shipped" condition.
Considering the general condition,, it's a good shooter grade gun.
 
I’d be a guy on that at $250 and he can keep the box.

And with its condition issues, who cares if the grips you buy even have the “proper” medallion. Whatever’s cheapest that fit be good for me,
 
Logos can be swapped but the serial suggests 1966. There is a pair of Old Model grips on eBay cheap that has damage to the OTHER side panel. I would have it despite the issues if it weren't for the etched SSNs.
 
GasGuzzler said:
Logos can be swapped but the serial suggests 1966. There is a pair of Old Model grips on eBay cheap that has damage to the OTHER side panel. I would have it despite the issues if it weren't for the etched SSNs.
Click to expand...
My 357 Blackhawk which I bought new in 1967 had the neck feather grips. I sold them along with other old sets when I got a set of Eagle gunfighter grips.
 
Without a letter on it saying what model it was shipped as, I would still definitely say it left as a convertible. Single-Sixes shipped with only one cylinder had no reason to have the last three digits scribed on the front because once the cylinder was fitted, that cylinder never had to come out of the gun again. The gun was function tested then sent to the shipping department. So if a Mag. cylinder has the 3 digits scribed on the front, 99.9% it left as an RSSMX.
Aside from that, yes... guns shipped originally as Mag. only were marked on the side of the frame as such. But then people started sending their guns back to get the other cylinder fitted, whether they started life as an LR only or a Mag. only., so in 1961 Ruger came out with the Convertible Single-Six in 4-5/8", 5-1/2" and 9-1/2" as well as the Magnum Convertible Single-Six with 6-1/2" only. Of course, Single-Sixes with the 6-1/2" barrel continued to have the Mag marking on the side of the frame, the Mag cylinder was installed in the 6-1/2" as the primary cylinder and the LR was the "extra" cylinder.
For the other barrel lengths, the LR cylinder was considered primary and was installed in the gun while the mag. cylinder was the extra.
Then Ruger decided the obvious... That there really was no difference between all four models, so the Mag. marking was dropped at about 340xxx and all four barrel lengths were sold as Convertibles, with the LR cylinder being the primary in all four barrel lengths.
But... Ruger did continue to sell guns as Mag. only after the rollmark change... these are rare and can only be verified as RSSMW through factory letter. The Mag. cylinder also will not have the last three digits scribed on the front, again... because once fitted the cylinder never had to be removed again.
The highest known RSSMW is in the 398xxx range. There are only 15 RSSMW known between 340xxx and 398xxx that letter as RSSMW.
The next thing is, at least one distributor also ordered a few Mag. only Super Single-Sixes. These letter as SC6-M and can only be verified I believe with a special note on the actual invoice. They are in the 553xxx to 555xxx range.
Chet15
 
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