RPM here is my letter on the US T514

[radicalrod]

Well Rick did some research on the 3 US T514's Chad has listed in RENE and came to the conclusion they were re barreled T678's guns....as he could not get RUGER to verify the barrel lengths....seems they do not want to take the time to do the leg work anymore and give the "flood" story rather quickly....I am quoting Rick here....

"When I did my research for my display Chad had 3 T514's listed: serial numbers 76634,78252 and 78348. I called and got letters on those guns and the letters indicate that yes they were U.S. guns shipped to a government agency but do not list the barrel length or model number. "I tried but I could not get Ruger to indicate the barrel length". Without factory letter stating the barrel length I would say that those most likely were shipped as T678's and fitted with new barrels. That was common practice for those guns fitted with silencers and most were re- fitted with 4 3/4" or 6" barrels "those were the cheapest barrels" but remember won't letter as 4 3/4" or 6" because they left the factory as T678's."

Rick sent me a PM asking to see my letter.....so I took picks of the new one I recieved and an old one the precious owner had from 1988....good thing I got the old letter :lol: :lol: :lol: WOW it appears the same KMP wrote both letters....one with much more detail.....here ya go Rick....hope this clears up some questions.....RR.

PS. "The markings you describe would be correct for this model." sentence in the original letter is how the first owner described they answered his question on the threads on the barrel....he stated he talked to MR Vogel on the phone inquiring about this gun.....

Link to Ricks post..... http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=168722

My letter.....

previous owners 1988 letter......

well added a few pics of the gun in question

 

[Tucsonite]

Adds a little cool factor there RR, nice Gun and letter. This is the exact reason I have been bitchin, ranting and complaining about Ruger Records Department for years now. Ruger needs to get over their "Secret Society" attitude, especially now that they are charging $$$ for a letter.

Dan in the PNW

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Hey Rodney, The letter on top is like the one Ruger sent me other than it talks about records being damaged by the flood. Just like the top one just states shipped as a Mark 1 and nothing mentioned about barrel length. Like Dan says. goes to show you how Ruger records are, and now they want to charge for those letters. Glad to see the second letter states it was shipped as a T514. Now I can add some information to my U.S. display about the T514. Thanks.
Great letter and gun.

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Thanks for sharing Radical!!

 

[ndruger]

Thats way cool Rod. 8) :wink:

 

[chet15]

Tusconite:
Just remember, the ladies doing the work for serial number research at the factory are not collectors...so I wonder if they know what they are looking at anyway, or where to go for better info?
Secondly, Note that whether it was a 5-1/4" or 6-7/8" pistol, they would all be noted in records as MARK I, probably in the day book. The catalog numbers "T678" and "T514" was not a part of Ruger's terminology until sometime in early 1957. The earliest piece of Ruger paper with those catalog numbers is the March 15, 1957 dealer and distributor sheets.
Chet15

 

[contender]

This is the kind of stuff that helps preserve the history of Sturm, Ruger & Co. A hundred years from now,, other collectors will be GLAD we do the things we do to verify what we have & how we chase as much info as we can find.
RR's letters are proof that info exists,,, but is hard to get.

 

[Tucsonite]

chet15,

I have no issues with the ladies in the department doing what they have been taught to do, It is the lack of effort or laziness and info that you get that is exasperating to me.

To be able to letter a gun in 1988 and get detail that is meaningful and then 20+ years later you ask for a letter on the same gun and it comes back nothing like the 1st letter is ridiculous.

It is the "flood answer" on some guns, it seems they use as a crutch to not have to go research records.
Its the "Legal Department" answer, it is the lack of a Shipping To location (I can understand not wanting to give names of purchaser) but at least give the City & State or distributors name.

Look at the letters provided by S&W, Colt and Winchester.... There is actually history attached to those letters and you feel like you are getting something for your money, with Ruger I always felt a letdown other than configuration confirmation.

I will continue to watch with interest and hope someday they will start providing some of the history of Ruger and of their guns in the Documentation Letters.


Dan

 

[radicalrod]

Well it sure seemed strange that the other day DOC got a letter that told him the style of grips shipped on a gun :shock: :shock: :shock: I was always under the assumption they never kept track of such minutia :!: :!: :!: I think we should elect Chad as the OFFICIAL RUGER HISTORIAN imagine the possibilities then.....someone who cares and truly understands what the collector needs.....JMO....CHAD, I would help pay your moving expenses :lol: :lol: :lol: RR

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

When it comes to letters on Pre 1963 Ruger Single actions, It occurs to me that there are, in many cases, multiple "places" to look for information on a given firearm. That "set" of observation platrforms is predicated on what the company wants or allows to be provided, the time required to look, the direction of the mgmt for whom the research works, and the preset knowledge of the information bases in which investigation is required. I personally experienced one of these "search" missions and it occurred with a young woman, on the phone, during the near end of a quiet Friday aftternoon. Unfortunately, she is long gone from the business and I don't know all of her steps in finding out the real story regarding my SN 10XXX 7 1/2" 44 FT which letters as an "S", but has no "S" stamped on it. I do have this detailed multi-paragraphed letter. Day book, shipping record, and service record are "places" to look. An in-depth discussion with the Chairman, Mike Fifer, would be the start of the solution to this continuing issue......Any ideas?

 

[chet15]

Yes, Fifer would definitely be a great person to start with on that. But really, this has been engrained on a company from way back to an era when WBR didn't care for collectors at all (there is really much more to the story here regarding relationships that probably also had a huge part in this!!).
Even though Ruger was a collector of guns, art and cars himself, I don't think he could ever understand people collecting the guns of his make since he considered them utilitarian tools. This can no better be explained than what happened after the signature auto RST4S came out in 1982. People bought the guns and paid up to $2K when they came out because of the name "RUGER" and their history, but WBR failed to see this and threw a fit by keeping a huge bunch of those at the factory (1600+ pistols) because people were literally making up to 600% and more on brand new guns that he was selling for something in the low $300 range (distributor cost). He couldn't stand it that people were making that much $ off of him and that those funds weren't going in his pocket. So...those nasty terrible collectors were making $ off of him!!! But, I don't imagine a person would ever have been able to get through to him that collectors were also driving his business...oh, and uh...they still are today!!
But first and foremost, Ruger didn't want his guns seen as "collectibles", and the ladies in the records dept. had other jobs in the factory, and then just helped on the occasional letter request that comes through. Collectors were secondary.
Chet15

 

[chet15]

I think we should elect Chad as the OFFICIAL RUGER HISTORIAN imagine the possibilities then.....someone who cares and truly understands what the collector needs.....JMO....CHAD, I would help pay your moving expenses :lol: :lol: :lol: RR

That would be fun, that's for sure!!! You know I'd get to the bottom of a bunch of unanswered questions... certain questions that I'm sure come up all the time by collectors. Think how much time (and $) that would save the records dept at Ruger by having an actual answer to certain questions, instead of giving the same "non response" to the same question hundreds of times.
Chet15

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

WELL...............As noted previously in other's "other" posts, for other reasons, "All the Rugers are gone from the business.........." Based upon all of the following multiple and positive management decisions at Ruger, perhaps this Board and Managment would be willing to look at the manner in which information is accessed and provided in the formal factory letters.........The matter still resides with Mike Fifer, I believe..... :idea:

 

[contender]

Ok y'all, I will personally speak to Mr Fifer about this at SHOT next week. I have found him to be an intelligent person, who will study good ideas. But remember,, his job is to make money for the company, and we have to appreciate this. Maybe it's something that can be worked out.

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

Perhaps a more detailed report is worth more money, paid for by the requestor. Perhaps a ten dollar letter as available now, would remain in place, with a more detailed letter costing X more $'s. Just an idea which may require added finesse.......... 8)