Please help age my new OM Single Six

[wesm]

Hey guys,

I happened across an unconverted Old Model Single Six in very nice condition this past week and as I am prone to do, I accidentally bought it. It is a blued 3-screw Single Six with the drift-adjustable rear sight, and a 5-1/2" barrel. The gun was in a pawn shop and only had a 22lr cylinder with it. The frame is labeled "22 caliber". Walnut grips, black eagle medallions. The serial number is #4463XX. This serial number appears to be of a "Single Six Magnum" made in 1966 according to Ruger's website, however the frame is not labeled 22 magnum, the cylinder is not a 22 magnum, and the 22lr cylinder is electropenciled with the matching last 3 digits of the gun's SN.

With that serial number, would this gun have left the factory as a 22 magnum only, and later a 22lr cylinder was maybe added? Or would it have come with both cylinders from the factory and the magnum cylinder was misplaced? I thought Super Single Sixes were what came with both cylinders.

Any background you guys can give me on this gun would be great. Thanks!

Can't wait to shoot my new companion!

 

[Hondo44]

The Single Sixes that came only with a Magnum cyl and roll marked Magnum were 6 1/2" models and are in the 300,000 range. They also could have come with two cyls later on.

Your serial #4463XX is from 1966. And yes, it is a convertible model that should have a magnum cyl.
Convertibles began in 1961.

Ruger's s/n lists leave a lot to be desired.

NOTE: Corrected to 6 1/2" thx to Ale-8(1).

 

[Ale-8(1)]

The Single Sixes that came only with a Magnum cyl and roll marked Magnum were 6" models . . .

Actually 6-1/2".

:mrgreen:

 

[rugerguy]

wesm, NO accident, was meant to be,,,you got a NICE gun, and the fact the numbers were "electric penciled" usually means there were TWO cylinders.....so you are half way there,,,,,the other cylinder can be gotten, fitted, and you will have BOTH then......main thing in your search for the OTHER cylinder is make sure you find one that "matches" the overall length of the cylinder that is now in the gun, usually around 1.620 inch....end to end ( overall) it can be a tad longer but if its shorter you run into "fitting " issues ( head spacing ( end play, etc........) 8) :roll: :wink:

 

[street]

just about "all 5 1/2 in bl. Single-Sixes" that have the last 3 digits scratched on it's cylinder will have been shipped from the factory as a convertible. I have one that has the last 3 digits scratch on it's .22 L.R. cylinder, and I have a letter from Ruger stating that it is a single cylinder .22 L.R. only gun. The only way to tell for sure is a letter from Ruger. The catalog number will be RSS5W not RSS5X.

 

[wesm]

The Single Sixes that came only with a Magnum cyl and roll marked Magnum were 6" models and are in the 300,000 range. They also could have come with two cyls later on.

Your serial #4463XX is from 1966. And yes, it is a convertible model that should have a magnum cyl.
Convertibles began in 1961.

Ruger's s/n lists leave a lot to be desired.

Thanks for the info, now that I know it was a convertible mode, I guess I'm on the lookout for an old model 22 magnum cylinder. And for some reason I just like knowing the year my firearms were made. It doesn't make sense, but I really like to know that info. Guess I think of them as kids or something.

 

[jerryp5878]

So I also have a OM Single Six not converted serial #386xxx. Just received the letter from Ruger stating it shipped 1964 as catalog number RSS5W in .22 Long Rifle. I see no ssn scratched on the cyl (as on my NM Single Six 22 LR/22 Mags). As I read the previous posts, it all matches up.

Still, it seems to me that it needs a magnum cylinder. Hard to justify as I've not shot more than a couple cylinders of mags in the NMs if that.

With the letter, Ruger included copies of both the original manual('81 version) and a manual for a OM conversion(conversion not convertible). I wonder if I should have it converted before it moves a couple of generations down the line.

 

[rugerguy]

jerry, sounds like a nice gun, and as the letter states, that came as a single cylinder gun,,,thus as we have said on the past "normally" then , there is NO "need" to mark, the ONLY cylinder that came with the gun, ONLY the 'spare' cylinder , so as to keep the "set" ( package) together, matching up....we have seen over the years, NO markings on single cyl, guns, the 22lr unmarked ,but the "SPARE" MARKED, and then later on BOTH cyls marked......there may be exceptions for this at any time depends on who built it, when , what day of the week....also , if the gun ever went back , for any service, they too may mark the parts, again, to "keep things together" matching up...yes, even a trip .back in the system , for a recheck, or fix something, BEFORE the gun was even shipped in the first place!!! 8)

hell Luger stamped the last digits on ALL of the parts, on ALL of his guns....but they were built, fitted by hand by artisans, and craftsmen, proud of their trade...hand fitting is costly, time consuming,,,now days, new manufacturing techniques remove much of the "need" for hand fitting,BUT you still have to be able to "keep things together, matching up"...........


and yes, you can get , a "spare" 22 mag cylinder, making your gun a convertible..the "Purist" likes the fact it did ship as a "single cylinder gun" so be it, their want, wish or need....MOST users want the availablility to shoot more, (options) with their gun...........go for it, they're out there... :wink:

 

[Hondo44]

HOW TO GET A USED CYLINDER OF PROPER SIZE:

You can purchase a used magnum cylinder usually around $75 more or less, on the forums, ebay, Gunbroker, etc. Old Model and New Model cyls will interchange, so that's not an issue. Price range for a cyl is $65 to $100 depending on condition and seller.

In 30 years I have never installed a cylinder or heard of one that did not function and "time" correctly. They are assembly line produced to a common plus or minus tolerance. The exception and only important issue is that it has enough overall length for your frame at the front hub which is fit and sized to each individual frame window. If too long you can dress it down and is simple to 'fit' with a little stoning, usually under .005", that's not a lot. To have a gunsmith do it would be a minimal charge if you're more comfortable doing it that way.

Cylinders will more likely swap with similar vintage parts.

You should take an overall length measurement of your cyl with a dial caliper in .001 of an inch and seek one the same length or longer. The last ten thousandths of an inch is what tells us if it will fit right in another gun or not. Over size can be fitted, undersize causes cyl end shake.

A .22 cyl OAL is in the 1.622" range with slight variation.

If too long for the frame that's a plus; it just needs to be dressed down at the gas ring in front, with fine file or dressing stone.

If it fits in the frame, check for too much fore and aft end play called "cylinder end shake" in gunsmith terms.

If nice and snug, check for free rotation and check for a .004" to .007" bar/cyl gap. Cycle the action to confirm all chambers lock up at full cock. And you're safe to go.

A cyl with a gap at the gas ring as shown below at the bottom arrow will rub on the end of the barrel at the top arrow because it will move back and forth in the gun. Generally if overall length is correct, barrel to cyl gap will be within tolerance.


Note: Magnum 22s are expensive, but the mag cyl will also shoot 22 Winchester Rim Fire ammo which is being produced again, is a bit cheaper, and with similar performance.

 

[chet15]

So I also have a OM Single Six not converted serial #386xxx. Just received the letter from Ruger stating it shipped 1964 as catalog number RSS5W in .22 Long Rifle. I see no ssn scratched on the cyl (as on my NM Single Six 22 LR/22 Mags). As I read the previous posts, it all matches up.

Still, it seems to me that it needs a magnum cylinder. Hard to justify as I've not shot more than a couple cylinders of mags in the NMs if that.

With the letter, Ruger included copies of both the original manual('81 version) and a manual for a OM conversion(conversion not convertible). I wonder if I should have it converted before it moves a couple of generations down the line.

Jerry, you've got a scarce gun there. After 1963 only maybe 5% of Single-Sixes in the 5-1/2" length left as LR only. Most people wanted the convertible feature with the extra Magnum cylinder, even there's a bunch of Mag. cylinders out there that never had a round through them.
And to add, your 386xxx RSS5W is even more scarce as it probably does not have "INC." in the barrel address.
Chet15

 

[jerryp5878]

Thanks Chet15. You are right of course. I just looked and no Inc on the barrel. Picked it up at a show a number of years ago. Perfect grouse getter when hiking into high country lakes for brookies.

Jerry

 

[OVERLOADDED]

So if it started life as 22lr only, would not the rifling be smaller and therefore a mite tight for the larger 22mag bullet!
Overloadded

 

[rugerguy]

no not really, after the advent of the 22 mag in 1959 all the barrel blanks became the larger diameter .224", so no need to switch back and forth...the rule of thumb has been guns made after serial number 150,000 close enough, so if higher, larger bore............

 

[chet15]

no not really, after the advent of the 22 mag in 1959 all the barrel blanks became the larger diameter .224", so no need to switch back and forth...the rule of thumb has been guns made after serial number 150,000 close enough, so if higher, larger bore............

Right....it is suspected the change happened at different serial numbers earlier for the various barrel lengths, but 150000 was a safe spot for Ruger.
Chet15

 

[arfmel]

So, most likely the OM SS I have, #125xxx, which I acquired used with two cylinders, probably didn't come from Ruger as a convertible? Is it unsafe to fire with the magnum cylinder? Neither cylinder has any numbers inscribed on it which, combined with the serial number, lead me to suspect the magnum cylinder isn't original to the gun.

 

[chet15]

So, most likely the OM SS I have, #125xxx, which I acquired used with two cylinders, probably didn't come from Ruger as a convertible? Is it unsafe to fire with the magnum cylinder? Neither cylinder has any numbers inscribed on it which, combined with the serial number, lead me to suspect the magnum cylinder isn't original to the gun.

Right...your gun was not shipped with the extra cylinder. Ruger sets the serial number at 150000, but convertibles don't start showing up until 160xxx.
The difference in bore diameters was .002 larger for Single-Sixes made for firing WMR.
There are a lot of people who shoot WMR through their earlier Single-Sixes. Ruger says not to. But I will say the +/- manufacturing tolerances were probably most of that .002 anyway.
Short answer...WMR's are tight through those earlier barrels.
Chet15

 

[arfmel]

Thanks Chet!