Ruger flubbed big on this one!!

[chet15]

Sometime in 2014 Ruger ran out of serial numbers in the scheme of things with the way they serial numbered 10/22's.
In that year Ruger completed the 82x-xxxxx block of 1 million numbers when 829-99999 rolled off the line.
Because the serial number system at that time would soon run out of possible prefixes, Ruger decided to begin anew in 10/22 serial numbering at 0001-00001 and continue upwards.
Well, it didn't take long to reel off another 100K 10/22's. After reaching 0001-99999 they should have went to 0002-00000 and continued on.
But this was their first flub....instead of going to 0002- they went to 0010-, essentially skipping 900,000 potential serial numbers.
The RENE reported this back then and Ruger evidently caught their error. After reaching 0010-99999 they went back to the 0002- prefix and didn't skip a beat after that.
In the short couple years since, Ruger has built 100,000 guns in the prefixes of 0002-, 0003-, 0004-, 0005-, 0006-, 0007-, 0008- and recently completed the 0009- prefix when they reached 0009-99999.
We've been watching to see what they would do next...would they go to 0011- since the 0010- prefix was used in error a couple years earlier, or would they err again by duplicating the 0010- prefix?
Yep....they erred. Ruger is well on their way to duplicating 100,000 serial numbers with a fresh new recently produced model seen just a couple of hours ago, a 10/22-TDT-MB Mica Bronze takedown, with serial numbers on this one reaching to at least 0010-34160 (34,160 duplicated serial numbers...and we can just imagine how many receivers after that are already numbered in in process). This is a big BATF issue, unless Ruger halts the lines NOW!
Otherwise, anybody receiving one of these new 0010- guns should be receiving a letter from Ruger asking for their gun back so they can stamp a "D" beside the serial number.
If you have a 0010- prefix 10/22, the question is....how can you tell if your serial number is a duplicate or not? The original 0010- prefix guns made in 2014 have Ruger's 10/22 50th Anniversary rollmark on the receiver and a 10/22 50th Anniversary logo on the bolt. The duplicate guns have Ruger's current "standard" rollmark on the receiver and the word "RUGER" lasered on the bolt.
Chet15

 

[mike7mm08]

Curious if they could get away with this by saying two different model guns. Being that the original serial number guns were stamped different, 50th anniversary, than a standard 10/22. Would think Ruger would be on top of this.

I work for a motorcycle manufacturer. If there is any issues with a VIN number I mean anything, it is major major deal. World nearly stops til the problem is resolved. I would assume with guns would be a even bigger deal if there was a serial number problem.

 

[chet15]

Curious if they could get away with this by saying two different model guns. Being that the original serial number guns were stamped different, 50th anniversary, than a standard 10/22. Would think Ruger would be on top of this.

No. I referenced the particular model just because it is the first 0010- prefix I've seen of recent 2017 manufacture.
Every 10/22 model under the sun could be produced with the recent 0010- prefix.

The next thing is...if their laser serial numbering system is foolproof (which it isn't foolproof, but it should be better than the stamping system), this should mean the death knell for stamped serial numbers on the 10/22. They'll just have to laser the serial number over the powder coat on their receivers.
Chet15

 

[rugerdczr]

Chet I believe they stopped the 0010- prefix around 0010-30000 in 2014 and just started up where they left off because I didn't see any after 30000, I may be wrong but I was buying alot of 10/22s back then. I have a Wild Hog model in the 0010- Jesse

 

[chet15]

Chet I believe they stopped the 0010- prefix around 0010-30000 in 2014 and just started up where they left off because I didn't see any after 30000, I may be wrong but I was buying alot of 10/22s back then. I have a Wild Hog model in the 0010- Jesse

Will need to check my notes but I believe they went through the entire 0010 prefix in 2014....was watching it to see what they would do next because they messed up then as well. Will let you know.
Chet15

 

[mike7mm08]

I realize that there are numerous models of the 10/22 no serial number range is assigned to models. Other than the box marking the model number is nowhere on the gun. With the receiver having the 50th anniversary stamp along with the serial number,would that allow the gun to pass as a different model in the eyes of the ATF? Kinda like the Charger being stamped on the receiver so it is visually marked a different model than the 10/22 if it were ever made into something else or someone tried turning a 10/22 into a charger.

 

[rugerdczr]

The Highest Ser# from 2014 0010-31510 Model 11173 that is in my books and the same day 11//01/2014 I received 0002-30407 Model 01297, of the 40 or so of the two prefix in question I received roughly in two month period. The new Wild Hog 0010-36523

 

[chet15]

The Highest Ser# from 2014 0010-31510 Model 11173 that is in my books and the same day 11//01/2014 I received 0002-30407 Model 01297, of the 40 or so of the two prefix in question I received roughly in two month period. The new Wild Hog 0010-36523

Thanks rugerdczr...still looking for my serial number notes for that period.
The sn's you gave are actually a good example of how "all-over-the-board" Ruger is with their method of building/shipping guns. Of course everything depends on when the guns were shipped too, because those two probably came from a distributor? So depends on their stock when you ordered them.
But those serial numbers also indicate 30,000+ guns within the 0002- prefix at the same time you received your 0010- gun.....30,000+
I'll also check an RENE backissue to see if I put any sn's in there on the 0010-
Ruger may have done what you are saying...if so I didn't catch it at the time. To them you would think it wouldn't matter what prefix was being used at the time...as long as they didn't duplicate it.
Chet15

 

[chet15]

Looks like rugerdczr is probably onto something here. Anybody else have record of an 0010- prefix gun from 2014? What is the highest you have or if you are a dealer, what's the highest you ran through your books?
Chet15

 

[mohavesam]

"The factory will produce exactly the number of errors which management allows - never more, never fewer."
This error (or series of errors) is exactly what happens when there is no quality/management system in place at the top.

They pretty much lost my interest when they started using paint instead of a real metal finish...