Look at the serial number

[Fox Mike]

Has anyone ever seen a serial number so non-linear?
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=499345618

 

[Colonel Daddy]

Someone more knowledgeable than I would have to figure that one out, but none of my Old Models, including Single Six's show such misalignment of the serial #. Also, note the use of an ill fitting screwdriver.

 

[Jim Puke]

Over the years, I have seen quite a few serial numbers on various guns that resembled that one. Matter of fact, I recently saw a picture of a custom Ruger...Bowen, I think, that had a terrible factory number on it.

I have often wondered how it happens.

 

[Velvet]

Thats the first time I have ever seen numbers like that on a Ruger, but I have three guns in my collection from other manufacturers that have misaligned numbers.

 

[REB]

I have seen some that are misaligned but not like this one. Someone was having a bad day.

 

[rugerguy]

yes, we've seen MANY over the years like this, some even worse......being it was approaching the 'next' hundred number change ( at #199, next being #200) possibly the jig (fixture) was loosening up a bit allowing the stamps to move around a bit more than normal...nice looking gun really

 

[edlmann]

Over the years, I have seen quite a few serial numbers on various guns that resembled that one. Matter of fact, I recently saw a picture of a custom Ruger...Bowen, I think, that had a terrible factory number on it.
I have often wondered how it happens.

Hiccups.

 

[chet15]

I have also seen quite a few with mis-alignment. I also have a picture around here of a Single-Six completely missing the 20- prefix. How do I know it was a 20-prefix gun? Because it had large size serial numbers on it something like "09344" and it had black eagle medallions.
Then I also have record of an M77 serial number 70- 4478D that (in the number position right after the dash) has the very bottom line of a number 1 lined up along the tops of the rest of the digits. Ruger had to stamp it with a "D" because 70-04478 had already been made and this serial number wasn't recognizeable as 70-14478.

Oh yes...there are quite a few Bearcats in the D98xxx range and 99xxxx range that have much misalignment in their digits.
Chet15

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

SEEMS A DEAL FOR CONDITION AND BOX!

 

[rammerjammer]

I have an SP101 made in 1996 that isn't quite as misaligned as the one in the OP, but it does kind of a wave.

 

[gramps]

The number almost looks like it was stamped "freehand".
gramps

 

[chet15]

Its just a case of the serial number wheels not being dead center before it was stamped. The 10 digits of current US paper money will also show minor variations in North/South alignment of the digits, so works in the same way as Ruger's sn machine.
Chet15