Question on a SDA84

[wizofwas]

I picked up a SDA84 Liberty model the other day. It's really nothing special but it is in great shape, lock up is tight and the bluing is also great. It's also roll marked as a Police Service Six. I was cleaning it after shooting it and noticed that it had the last three digits of the SN. scribed on the cylinder. I haven't seen this before so I'm wondering if it's something that someone did or if it could be factory. Here's a picture of the marked cylinder.



TIA for any info on this.

 

[RoninPA]

Wiz,
I looked at a few of mine and did not see that on any of them marked that way. I wonder if the previous owner did that for some reason?

Edit, just had a thought. I wonder if in the past, for some reason it was returned to Ruger or someone else for repair. They might have done that to insure the cylinder got back with the correct gun. Kind of unlikely, unless they do things different from me. When I tear a gun down, all the parts go into a dedicated box so they don't get mixed up. However, that said, I can see it being separated from it's frame if it and some other cylinders were being reblued, at the same time, either by Ruger or someone else.

 

[wizofwas]

Thanks for the info Ron. Looking at it again and comparing this service six to my speed six, I noticed that the trigger and part of the hammer are blued on the service six. Also the notice that the cog(?) that rotates the cylinder is blued too and it's not on my speed six. So it may have been sent back to Ruger for rebluing. Another thing that I just noticed was that the rib on the barrel on this service six is taller than the one on my speed six. I may be comparing apples to oranges but I only have the one service six, so far. If you want, I can post some pictures of this service six.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

I would bet your Speed Six is a later model after Ruger started using stainless triggers and hammers on all Sixes.

 

[RoninPA]

I agree with WMG, on the earlier models of the Sixes the front and back of the hammer and trigger were blued and the sides were left "in the white" (meaning that is not treated in any way). Later when they were doing more with stainless steel, they just made all the hammers and triggers out of stainless. This would eliminate several steps in the manufacturing process because they didn't have to use a standard steel to make the items nor did they have to take the time and effort to blue the hammer and trigger.

 

[wizofwas]

Yes, the speed six is an 80 model compared to the service six that is a 76 model. And I guess that I'm not doing too bad in collecting these six models. In less than a year, I've now picked up 4 of them and 2 of them are the rarer ones. SS84L and the GS33PS. Thanks again.