Newcomer, but old fan ....

[LewR]

Hi Folks, new to this forum, but I have been around the firearms world for quite a bit.

Question for the experts: I have a Mark I with adj rear sight - Ser#15711

I know it was made in the first year of production (1951) and it has the Red Eagle in the grip.

Can anyone tell me what part of the year it was made - knowing the "standard" was also made at the same time in the same serial number range.

What was the first Ser# of the first Mark I ? Are all the #'s entwined for that (1951) year?

Thanks for any info - I thought to contact Ruger, but would like to know if anyone has this info available.

Thanks,

Lew

 

[rugerguy]

Lew, greetings and welcome to the Forum.......my wife collects the early red eagles, mainly the RST variaties, and has them all , and yes, even one of the 'first red eagle Mk Is........the target models started in Jan 1951 ,she recalls the middle of the month, and that was at the srial number #15000....made them for one year, like the end of the following January...and being that Alex Sturm died November 1951, the red eagle medallions ceased and in early Feb1952 they became black eagles on the guns.......
so your gun was the 711nth one made...you would need to call records department to get the actual month yours was made....
therefore the serial numbers of the RST's and the MKI's were NOT "entwined".
Oh Laura added there was only a few over the 2,000 made in total, I'd bet Chet 15 can give us a more 'precise' number.......( or I could get off my butt and go find his book or even the RENE, but they are both upstairs...)
hope this helps...best to you in the New year...........

 

[LewR]

Dan,

What great information you and your wife have given me. I intend at this point to contact Ruger and I assure you that I will be following up to let you know what I find out.

Wishing nothing but the best to you and yours!!

Thanks again,

Lew

 

[rugerguy]

Lew, you are MORE than welcome, and I checked in Chads book, "Encyclopedia of Ruger Semi-automatic Rimfire Pistols.1948-1992" and on Pg 129 your 'red eagle MK I target is among the approx. 2,300 made in the first year of production...the call to records will give you a more precise ( though only the actual month) of production......
this time frame according to Chad is Jan 15.1951 till Jan 28.1952, your guns 'adjustable rear sight, should be a 'Micro' by yhe way......

I also note there was TWO groups of serial numbers in this period....one ran 15,000 to 16,999 and the other 25,000 to 25300.............

Hope this helps.

This is Lauras MK I #15164..........

Here is a picture of the last one we had recently, that we picked up for our 'dealer' (appleman) for his collection.........

 

[chet15]

Yes, for some reason either Ruger wasn't up to par with production of the Mark I when it came out or it just wasn't very popular right off (had to compete with all those nice High Standards and Colts at the time!). Took Ruger about 14 months to sell to sell only 2,300 guns....this at a time when they'd sold about 17000 or so of the Standard model during the same period.
I've found that even Mark I Red Eagles from the entire 15000 to 16999 serial number range can have a well-mixed range of ship dates from January '51 to early '52, with a lot of earlier guns leaving during the latter part of this time period (Last in, first out??).
Chet15

 

[LewR]

Are therre any original clips out there that do NOT have the insignia on the floorplate? I am talking the Mk I 9-shot old style.

Thanks!!

Lew

 

[rugerguy]

yes, you will find them on e-bayand from time to time here on the classifieds, sorry but I am all out at this time, we get them from time to time, single slot, original style for the early A-54 frames.....they run in the $15 to $25 range at the shows...boxed , a bit more.....