Nickel single six Is this Factory? What do I have here?

[knuck39]

I’ve had this single-six revolver in my possession for about 20 years. It appears to be a factory nickel finish with plastic stag grips. Serial number is 604xx which puts it at 1958.
I’m not a knowledgeable Ruger collector so any info you guys could give me would be much appreciated, the good, the bad or the ugly.
Thank you in advance.
Jon

 

[C3Ranger]

Welcome to the forum.

I can't help with your inquiry but I'm certain one of the resident experts will take care of that very soon.

 

[contender]

Welcome to the Forum!

There were a limited number of the OM .22's that were nickle plated by the factory. You would have to get a factory letter to verify it was done by them. AND even Ruger may not be able to fully verify it,, due to many records being damaged by a flood long ago.

Then there is the FACT that many people had a gun nickle plated AFTER it left Ruger. We used to have a member here who had a bunch of them done. We nicknamed him "The Sultan of Shine." And he was from California.

The factory has a "Wheel" of decorative chrome plated Single-Six .22's that they displayed in 1959-1961 era. BUT,, the serial numbers of those 8 guns all start with 155xx or 156xx. They were built in 1955. Your gun, dates to 1957 according to the RENE Guide. (The Guide is more accurate than the factory website.) WIth that info,, I'd say your gun most likely was done after it left Ruger. Only the letter would prove it as a factory chrome plating.

 

[hittman]

https://ruger.com/pdf/letterOfAuthenticity.pdf
Click on this. Send in the request.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

A Nickel Plated 357 Flattop I had that seems to have more shine than yours. Not a dig just a comment. This is not factory.

 

[DGW1949]

I have an old 3-screw .357 that I had nickle-plated many years ago. It is my understanding that the factory plated guns were all .22's, and that they were chromed, not nickled. If that is true, then it would be one way to help identify a genuine factory gun.

DGW

 

[rugerguy]

Joe, the gun in your picture appears to me to be "chromed' its more white, than 'yellowish' and the factory nickel guns were SC-6s or 5s I believe the ones with adjustable rear sights,,,,'Superior Plating' was across the street from Ruger and they did stuff for them from time to time and when it was done there would be a small white sticker on the end of the box and either say "Nickel" or "Chrome", my wife still has an old flatgate that was chromed, and there was a sticker on the end of the box,,,the box got tossed??? by the owners family and Steve Vogel himself told her there was NO record of it, but if he saw it , he would tell us for sure one way or the other,,,Steve passed away before the Monroeville PA RCA Theme show....oh, she paid $200 for the gun, and the family did recall the box, as I asked them "how did you know its 'chrome"??? I said to them they chrome bumpers and guns are nickeled" thats when they told us about the small white sticker...in this case we bought the story and at $200 who gives a rats patutty........:cool::rolleyes:;)

 

[knuck39]

Thanks for all the help. I think I’ll do what “hitman” suggested and put in a request.
What are your thoughts on the grips? Are they original or aftermarket?
Thanks again
Jon

 

[hittman]

Inexpensive aftermarket be my bet on the grips.
Aftermarket for certain.
Inexpensive cause look too glossy to be “real” stag.

 

[contender]

Those grips appear to be fake stag. Do they have a wood backing piece?

 

[knuck39]

They are definitely fake stag, plastic ribs they do not have a wood backIng.

 

[rugerguy]

Jon are you sure?? from the picture is looks like a dark ( wood) backing which is the :"Jay Scott".......there are others from back then also but just a polymer "faux" stag.;)

 

[knuck39]

Ruger guy, you were correct, they are wood backed grips. Says “24 RUGER” can’t read the second word.
Thanks for your help.

 

[wproct]

This has been an interesting thread. I can remember the Jay Scott grips being advertised and pictured in gun magazines. I never saw a pair first hand, I always assumed that the dark backing was some form of synthetic material, didn't realize that it was wood.

 

[rugerguy]

good grips and they work, that was one number and I believe #31 wa the other that Jay Scott used, the wood backing reinforced these grips......they hold up pretty god Nice Gun too......(y)