Ruger 22/45 Lite variations

[RPM Enterprises]

I have been finding variations on the 22/45 Lites. This is what I have found to date. Notice the finish listed on the boxes. Some of these guns are also listed as blems.

3900 Gold Anodized first generation. Less than one year production. would like to know when introduced. I know Fifer told me that they were going to be discontinued January of 2013.
3901 ???????
3902 Black Anodized "TALO" first generation. 3000 produced
3903 Black Anodized 2nd generation
3904 Anodized but in Raspberry color. first generation listed as Blems 72 guns produced various shades of color. Listed as black anodized on box not raspberry.
3905 Anodized 2nd generation listed as Blems 104 guns produced. various colors from silver gray to almost black.


I am referring to first generation guns having the hash marks on the receiver. And 2nd generation guns as having the fluted barrel.
Not sure what 3901 may be possibly the copper Talo version.

serial numbers for the raspberry 03904 guns I have is
390-23471
390-23478
390-23495

serial numbers for the anodized 03905 guns are
390-23429 interesting gun here... see below information.
390-27035
390-27089
390-27091
390-27100

This gun is listed as 3905 Anodized but is very close to being black and not like the lighter guns in color. This gun is also a 2nd generation with fluted barrel but look at the serial number 390-23429 it runs in the raspberry range. I also notice some of the grip panels are different.









These are all refered to as anodized





Top gun listed as anodized and lower gun listed as black anodized. Notice the difference in grip panels. Lower gun is current normal production.

 

[contender]

Wow,, lots of neat examples of great guns!

 

[chet15]

Rick:
It is a good thing Ruger seems confused about these 22/45 LITE's!!
To me, there is no reason 390-23429 should have the fluted cuts on the barrel since Ruger was still doing regular production with the slant machine cuts. I think you got a prototype of the 3903 and when boxing these things up they accidently goofed by calling it a 3905. Congrats!!

Question: Is the 3900 #390-27269 you have pictured above in gold or gray anodize? The pic makes it look about the same shade as the other gray anodized guns you have pictured.

Also, the raspberry is probably a lot rarer than what has been said of 72 shipped. One of our contacts said that of 40 boxes opened in this 72-gun shipment, only 2 were raspberry, a couple (few) more were the gray anodize and the rest were either gold or black.
Chet15

 

[contender]

Uhh Rick,,, Miss Penny wants that raspberry MKIII. She says she has to have it to match her other raspberry guns. Please make arrangements to send it to NC.

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Chad,

Question: Is the 3900 #390-27269 you have pictured above in gold or gray anodize? The pic makes it look about the same shade as the other gray anodized guns you have pictured.

Answer: It is gold they tend to look silver in natural light and tend to photograph silver.

Question: Also, the raspberry is probably a lot rarer than what has been said of 72 shipped. One of our contacts said that of 40 boxes opened in this 72-gun shipment, only 2 were raspberry, a couple (few) more were the gray anodize and the rest were either gold or black.

Answer: I have serial numbers of three guns and know of another but the seller would not respond back to give it to me. When I talked with Jayson at Lipsey's he told me that they had received 72 raspberry guns and the color varied. With the anodized guns they received 104 guns and the color varied from silver/gray to almost black.

When I had talked with Mike Fifer at the shot show in January he told me then that Ruger was going to discontinue the gold Lite. Seems they had 1000+ receiver come back bad. I wonder if these receivers were sent to Talo and they had them anodized black to cover the bad gold color. The I would guess Ruger changed the design of the Lite and fluted the barrel and made the current model black. When I see Mike next time I will ask more about what went on with these guns.

I had contacted Talo to find out about the copper gun they have listed but have received no responce.

Needless to say these so called BLEM guns are going to be highly collectible.

 

[mike722]

very neat... I've got 390-25449 in the gold finish model 3900...

 

[d findley]

The hunt never ends.

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Uhh Rick,,, Miss Penny wants that raspberry MKIII. She says she has to have it to match her other raspberry guns. Please make arrangements to send it to NC.

Sorry Ty.... No can do.. If I do locate another one I will let ya know.. OHHH and be prepaired to pay the piper for it. :shock:

By no means did I get deals on these.....

 

[contender]

Aww come on Rick,, Miss Penny needs it,, and she's a cheapskate when it comes to buying guns!

 

[Rumrunner]

For Sale - 1 can of raspberry spray paint - cheap :lol:

 

[chet15]

Does anybody here on RF have one of the 3902 TALO black LITE's? I'm curious if the markings on that model are blacked over, or if there are some of those that have blacked over markings and while other 3902's have their markings lasered through the black anodation.
Chet15

 

[hutchman]

It appears that I have stumbled across a 3904 today. Should have pictures tomorrow......

 

[hutchman]

Just got home from the LGS and here's what I found.

Model 3905: According to Rick's info, this one should be gray, but mine is black.

The etching is bright and shiney:

The boxes:

Born on......kind of:

The 3904:

The etching is dark and it appears to have been anodize after the etching was completed.

The 3905 is definitely black.

All in all, a pretty good day at the LGS. I am planning to tell my wife that these are investment grade Rugers and enter them in my portfolio. I haven't tried that story yet......we'll see how it works!

 

[chet15]

The 3904 is 390-05496 and the 3905 is 390-23711??
Your 3904 is gray and not gold?
If your 390-23711 is the black one with fluted barrel, then it would be the same as Rick's 3905 #390-23429 another real early sn with flutes.
I'm waiting to hear on another 3905 that has a very early serial number, 390-17xxx that I saw in a dealers notes at the last Des Moines gun show....don't know what the gun looks like yet though.
Chet15

 

[hutchman]

The 3904 is 390-05496 and the 3905 is 390-23711??
Your 3904 is gray and not gold?
If your 390-23711 is the black one with fluted barrel, then it would be the same as Rick's 3905 #390-23429 another real early sn with flutes.......
Chet15

Correct on the serial numbers and colors.......

Chad, I reread your question and yes, the 3904 is gray and not gold. It appears more gold in the picture, but it is definitely gray.

 

[chet15]

Makes me wonder if the gray color wasn't the result of a bad gold anodation, except....your gray gun is the first I've heard of with slant cuts.
So...looks like some of the guns with 3904 box label are raspberry and some are gray. This goes along with the comment made by a Lipsey's saleman who said they opened 40 boxes and out of those they found two raspberry, two or three gray and the rest were black (this comment was kind of confusing because I have no idea what model numbers were on ends of the boxes. The black could have all been the 3903 standard production model for all we knew).
Chet15

 

[collectormzornes]

Just found two of the 3904 Raspberry also they were consecutive serial #'s. I swore I herd a faint Radical Rod in the background saying get them both, but I did not have the funds for them. I was able to put one in lay-away for the better half but the other one really has my trigger finger itching also.

 

[radicalrod]

DO IT NOW......then sell them to me when you need something new.....RR.

 

[hutchman]

Just found two of the 3904 Raspberry also they were consecutive serial #'s. I swore I herd a faint Radical Rod in the background saying get them both, but I did not have the funds for them. I was able to put one in lay-away for the better half but the other one really has my trigger finger itching also.

If you do not want the second one, I would like a chance at it. Please let me know.......and thanks!

 

[collectormzornes]

OK for all that have ask I am going to try and get the other one also if I can come up with something to part with. If I can not work out a deal for it tomorrow I will post dealer info. If for some reason the gun is gone I will also post that info. Thanks

 

[collectormzornes]

Well guys just as I said here is the info I was unable to get the gun today so here is the info of where it is. Hope someone gets it.
The store that has the other Raspberry 22/45 lite is Buds gun shop in Lexington KY phone# (859)368-0419.

 

[radicalrod]

well tried to call but no one could understand what I was asking.....must be hard having too much business to be able to answer a simple question.....my first and last attempt to work with them....THANKS COLLECTORMZORNES....RR.

 

[hutchman]

I just tried to buy one and they are apparently sold out. I had to call twice and finally got to someone in the retail store who knew exactly what I was asking about......but they are gone. Thanks to collectormzornes for posting the info!

 

[lexfire526]

Hello all, I'm a new guy on here and just ran across this board. I bought what I assumed was a rare 22/45 variation off a local this past week, and after reading all of your comments, have just confirmed it. It's the "blem" raspberry model! Did anyone ever confirm the number produced?

 

[RPM Enterprises]

72 . Looking to sell it let me know.

 

[lexfire526]

72 . Looking to sell it let me know.

If there's only 72 confirmed I think I'll keep it. It's unfired so it'll fit right into my "safe queen" collection. Thanks for the info!

 

[chet15]

Well...there are less than 72 of the Raspberry now (see post above with the guy who pictured a model 3904 but it is gray in color).
At this point, the question is how many of the 72 were really raspberry?
And all of the 3905 model aren't gray since two of those pictured here have black anodation.
Chet15

 

[lexfire526]

So it's safe to assume the value will only increase with time?

 

[lexfire526]

The Mrs just informed me she would rather sell than add to the collection, so, if anyone is interested, PM me your offer. RPM- you were the first to ask so you get the first offer.

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Pm sent