Odd SN prefixes

[chet15]

Has anybody seen or know about any odd prefix sn New Vaqueros or NM flattops? Saw a 512- New Vaquero and 521- NM flattop at the Des Moines Show this weekend. This coincides with an 831- prefix 10/22 also reported recently.
Seems somebody need a break at Ruger...namely the guy at the serial numbering machine!!!
Chet15

 

[Coogs]

Chet, aw c'mon...........they're doing it on PURPOSE so we all have to buy more of those oddball variations!! :shock: :shock: :shock: Coogs.

 

[chet15]

What's hard for me to believe is there aren't more people out there reporting this stuff. Rugerforum.com got started because of collectors. And the "flattops" have gotten so expensive that most of those breaking into the collecting area choose other "non-flattop" series to collect. But nobody is going to hold new collector interest without talking about this new stuff coming from Ruger.
Really!! I'm the only one in these 50 states that happens to see a 512- prefix New Vaquero and 521- prefix NM flattop and notice its significance?
Ruger collecting is a dying hobby unless a bunch of others dive in to share the info!!
Chet15

 

[Ale-8(1)]

It's kinda tough to keep up when Ruger introduces a new model every other week.

It was pretty straightforward back when all we had to consider was Standard Pistols, and Single-Sixes, and a couple of flavors of original Flattops, and maybe some Bearcats. These days there's a new "factory variation" weekly.

Just an observation.

 

[Terry T]

Chad,
Thanks for sharing the info. Been trying to let folks know when I do find some odd stuff. I usually post it on this forum. Sometimes, it just slips buy us too. :shock:
I really do appreciate the work you're doing collecting all of these reports into one data base.
Thanks again,
Terry T

 

[Timbo22]

I went to the "Nation's Gun Show" this past weekend at the Dulles Expo Center in northern Virginia. The crowds were as big and the buying as brisk as earlier in the year. The end of the current round of federal gun control efforts did not seem to make any difference to everyone's zeal to stock up on guns and ammo. I found three of the odd prefix marked Rugers at three different small vendors (one each). The larger volume vendors did not have many Rugers on hand and my main vendor said that he is having trouble getting orders filled. I also found two half-lug, fixed sight GP-100s in 357 Magnum, one blued and one stainless, models GP-340 and KGP-340 respectively.
Here's what I found:
512-41641, New Vaquero, 357 Magnum, blued, boxed marked NV-35, 05106
512-42962, New Vaquero Bisley, 45 Colt, high polished stainless, 5 1/2" barrel, ivory grips, box not on display
521-31438, 44 Special flattop, blue, box marked NVB-445-44 Spl, 05233
Hope this helps with RENE.
Tim

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

I found RNVB-444-Spcl. Number 520-31143 and then found RNVB-445-Spcl. Number 521-31462.

Timbo22's observation of NVB-445 Number 521-31438 cuts it down even further, but in a standard GF configuration. Tim are you sure it was not a Bisley you seen?
Any others?
Terry

 

[Jimbo357mag]

To a non-collector the serial number prefixes don't mean much, just another minor variation like changing the hammer style, the blueing on the hammer, the notch on the rear sight blade, the size of the grip frame, lock or no lock. The number of changes on just the single-action guns alone is astounding.

 

[Timbo22]

Terry,
I'm very sure it was not a Bisley Flat Top but a standard grip model 44 Special that I saw. I carefully wrote down the model and serial numbers.

I understand that most people could not care less about this, but for a few of us it is significant because it means that there is a gap of about 100,000 serial numbers in both the New Vaquero and New Model Blackhawk Flat Top series.

Terry reported seeing 44 Special Bisley Flat Tops with serials numbers of 520-31143 and 521-31462. I saw a plain grip 44 Special Flat Top with a serial of 521-31438 giving a gap of 100,293 serial numbers in that series. Considering it took about 8 years to run up 30,000 serial numbers in the 520 series, we shouldn't have seen a 521 prefix for another 16 years.
It took New Vaqueros about 6 years to get through the first 100,000 serial numbers, going from a 510 to a 511 prefix. If production continues at the same pace into the future, the first 512 prefix should not have shown up until about 2019.

It's probably just human error, but I'm certainly curious as to what happened.
Tim

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Tim, Traded emails with Chad and he is with you, they seem to be through out the NM / FT's.
Terry

Update,
Bought RNVB-444-Spcl. today, serial #521-31547, with a fired cartridge date of March 20,2013.
Thought I better snag one just in case they decide to go back to 520-XXXXX. :wink:
Terry