Ruger Letter Reply

CharlesBSummers

Bearcat
Joined
May 31, 2025
Messages
35
City & State/Province
Nashville, Tennessee
So I sent a letter in on 12/29/2025 for a Single Six, and another letter regarding 2 mini-14's on 1/6/2026. I knew the service was being interrupted, but I was hopeful since the web-site and the forms were still available. I finally received their reply letter along with my cancelled checks. So... here is the latest information. Sounds as if the letter services MAY return eventually. Who knows? But I got a sticker! LOL

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Yes, think they have a similar message on their web site.

My prediction:
It will continue
It will be different
Likely all electronic / automated
It will cost more …… in the $35 to. $50 range


Well, so long as it is a downloadable version of the original "letter" format with all the desired info included, I guess that wouldn't be too bad. No one has personally signed any litters for quite a while, so that's not a great loss.

Just hope they don't get too expensive . . . "too expensive" being a relative term. :)
 
So I sent a letter in on 12/29/2025 for a Single Six, and another letter regarding 2 mini-14's on 1/6/2026. I knew the service was being interrupted, but I was hopeful since the web-site and the forms were still available. I finally received their reply letter along with my cancelled checks.
I requested manufacturing dates from Ruger in 1973 on my Single-Six (1957) and my Blackhawk (1958). I got a letter back from Roy Jinks, signed, no charge. Side note: I learned a woman I knew in my town was then married to Lynn Jinks, Roy's brother. Small world.
 
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I requested manufacturing dates from Ruger in 1973 on my Single-Six (1957) and my Blackhawk (1958). I got a letter back from Roy Jinks, signed, no charge. Side note: I learned a woman I knew in my town was then married to Lynn Jinks, Roy's brother. Small world.

I thought that Roy worked for S&W.
 
sadly Ruger is losing it's family personality and transforming into just another faceless business.

I recall some 10-15 years ago calling ruger for some info and talking to a friendly gal that grew up snow sledding on Ruger's place or something like that. she was a manager of some sort and offered a complimentary refinish if I would send the gun we were discussing in for conversion. I suspect that's not the likely outcome of a phone call today, if there's even a live answer available.

I have very fond memories of several, some quite lengthy, discussions with Glen Jensen from Browning in Utah. he would answer the phone directly and happy to share his vast knowledge of Browning firearms history in detail. I even recall talking to him once about BLR history and he mentioned some of his collection had been stolen. He was a Browning icon and has since retired. I did have a pleasant conversation with a Browning historian about 5 years ago and he provided a personalized letter to Mrs. Bee for a beautiful birth year Grade V Citori I bought for her birthday.

and anyone that knows anything about vintage Smith and Wesson understands and respects the highly coveted Jinks signed letters. far as I know, Smith still offers letter services but Roy Jinks has retired.

I have spoke to and corresponded with Anthony Imperato on a couple of occasions that he provided custom serial numbers for each of my kids and a friend of mine's son on golden boy rifles. Anthony even sent a personal email to my son when he was barely a year old as a keepsake to go with his rifle.

all of these experiences are part of the joy of collecting but sadly the newer generations don't understand that and these personal interactions are being phased out of modern business operations. the importance if historical records maintence and collector access to them isn't profitable enough to maintain those services. and the number of collectors willing to pay extra for those services are growing smaller.
 
Back in the early 1970's my first handgun was a Single Six. I had a question about it so I wrote a letter to Ruger. I received a very nice letter back signed by Bill's son Thompson Ruger himself. I was sad to hear that he passed away at an early age.

My first S&W was a Model 39-2 and I had a question about that as well, so I wrote another letter. My reply was signed by Roy Jinks.

Both of these correspondences were free.
 
An online certificate that can be printed is better than the inability to get anything… and we don’t know what we will be getting once the lettering process is resumed. I’d rather have a cheap letter that I can print as opposed to an expensive letter that might not be any better. If Ruger is indeed cost-cutting, I can see the embossed seal going away…

We’ve been spoiled by the exceptional care that Linda showed towards us, and the low cost that Ruger charged. I can’t imagine having to pay what Colt charges…but likewise I can’t imagine not having the ability to get a gun lettered.
 
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