OM Single-Six ?

[turangi]

Hello all, very interesting and informative forum here. I recently purchased my first Ruger and thought I would post the dreaded "what is it worth" inquiry here. The gun was shipped August 19, 1960 and shows some handling marks and the odd scratch in the finish. Mechanically it seems fine and the cylinders and bore are clean and bright. Most interesting to me are the grips. They are Ivory and give the appearance of being factory grips. The are in great shape with the exception of a small defect in the area around the left medallion. I have included photos that I hope will be useful, please exclude the blue cast as it was a cloudy day and my inexpensive camera does not allow proper white balance adjustment. If further information or photos are needed please request them. Thanks in advance! Moderators, I also posted this in the revolver section, if double posting is not proper feel free to delete.

 

[rugerguy]

welcome to the Forum, nice looking gun, cannot tell by the serial numbner but if you say 1960s then in the 151xxx-171xxx range, nice roundgate RSS......the gun is in the $350 range, cannot tell if its reblued, seems a bit shiny BUT it may have been waxed or the finish 'polished' over....'BUT as for the grips they appear to be real ivory, sadly they have a couple of issues the chip and the anomoly in the left panel front edge discolored in the ivory??? the numbers means they were a "matched pair" by the maker, they do NOT appear to be redone , like say from a Colt and changed to a Ruger, they are Ruger alll the way...we;ve seen some that have that slightly "flat" edge at the bottom of the grip frame, this is called "fitting" to the gun, and the location of the medallions, we've also seen some thats just where the early ones were put at...NICE grips, and as ivory are very valuable and collectible, any "hint/judgement/opinion" as to them being "factory" , they they are worth 4-5 times the value of the gun, minus the flaws,imperfections, ,,,,,MOST guys would take those grip in a heart beat, flaws or not, I know I would..BUT I am NOT one to "pay the going " rate on ivory grips ,original to a gun......ivory grips to be made from scratch today will run you in the $500-775 range, try and price some for the Colts Single action army say from Nutmeg Sports or our guy ,Dan Chesniak up NE< they ain't cheap....again, NICE gun, NICE grips....you done well, its a "keeper"

 

[turangi]

Dan, thank you for your illuminating and thoughtful comments. I find no evidence of the gun being reblued but I did apply a coat of Renaissance Wax perhaps accounting for the shine. The gun is in the 166xxx range and the shipping date was obtained from Ruger.

 

[wizofwas]

Don't know if it means anything, since I'm really new to looking at Rugers for the small details. But I did notice that the screw head on the grips is on the wrong side, at least when I compare it to my revolvers. To me it wouldn't make any difference. And a real nice revolver you got there.

 

[rugerguy]

the stags and ivory grips this grip screw did go in from the opposite side, one of the ways to tell they are "factory",,,, the fakes will often have the screw coming in from the same side that the original grips did,one reason was the original makers of the stags and ivory grips that made them with a blind hole for the older style Colt grips ( they sometimes carved a steer head on the right hand panels, thus the blind screw went in from the opposite side),,,carry over to the Rugers??? good question.........all the OLD grips makers I knew are GONE to the big gun show in the sky......!!!
gotta remember the factory grips were made back in the middle,late 50's and early 60's..................yes, other makers have and continue to make them even today but the materials used today are NOT even close to the older ones, another way to tell of the "fakes".......color, density, etc........

Yes, I picked up in the picture the "sheen" of the gun being "polished" and thats why my original comment...they ( the originals) do NOT photograph that "shiney".....

 

[wizofwas]

Thanks for the info on the grip screws Dan. I'll have to keep an eye on them when I see any at the gun shows. I really never payed any attention to that before.

 

[rugerguy]

yes, do that 'wiz' many folks see them and note the screws are going in from the opposite side and then "pass" on or do NOT buy them cause they think they are "different"...gotta pay close atttention to the material of the grips first and the back side of just how they were marked, hole locations and how they were 'staked' at the medallions...Turangis pictures are very explicit...nice job.again, I would buy this gun too, turangi did GOOD....many folks will 'poo poo' it, just cause they don't don't have it, its not "theirs"... besides, opinions are like butt holes, we ALL have one!! :roll:

the ONLY thing "wrong" with the above grips are the issue with the 'chip' and the 'flaw' in the material on the left grip panel ,front edge....just NOT "perfect".................again, MOST collectors never get to "see" let alone handle OR 'own' REAL ivory grips.........................

by the way, as one can "see" as to the grips pictured above, the RIGHT panel is about as nice as one can be, so on a "display" , the serial number side (right) side facing out would be awesome,, no matter the 'issues' of the left panel........hhhmmmmmm, interesting