Two - Two - Two Lows in One!

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weaselmeatgravy

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Here is a gun some folks might not take a second glance at. Pretty decent shape, XR3-RED, 5.5" barrel Single Six, only an LR cylinder. Box is no prize, barely holding together with a lot of red duct tape. Well-stained 1959 manual.

RSS5W-192945-lowest.jpg


But scratch the surface and it turns out to be a real neat piece. In the XR3 days, the "W" in model RSS5W designated Walnut grips. Then when the XR3-RED grip frame came out, all grips were walnut, so the W for that was no longer needed. So Ruger changed the meaning of the W to designate single cylinder models.

This is one of those guns, a "type 1 transition" RSS5W - not a convertible, shipped with only the LR cylinder.

RENE lists the lowest known batch of these in the range 196245 to 196871. This one is 192945 making it a new low by quite a bit.

Then it turns out that this is also now the lowest known number for any XR3-RED Single Six. RENE lists one lower numbered XR3-RED convertible RSS9X at 175448. But I called Ruger to double check that one and it shipped in January 1961 - so it would have originally had an XR3 frame.

This 192945 gun shipped a little on the late side - November 1962 - which explains the XR3-RED frame on a low numbered gun.
 
Perty,
and there is something about those walnuts, really like em.
Thanks for shar'n.
 
Wow, great find, even as much as I like Ruger's I'd probably pass on that one just because I have no idea where to even start getting to know this stuff... I have a couple books and have done a lot of reading but no way I'd ever know anything about that sweet piece. Thanks for sharing!
 
matsbox99 & win85shooter,

All you need is to join the Red Eagle News Exchange and purchase the latest Ruger Reference.

Contact Forum Member Chet15 for further info.

flatgate
 
Nice one, WMG.

That's an interesting period for the Single-Six . . . right at the transition between XR3 and XR3-RED.

My 343XXX was also shipped in November of 1962, and it's a 5-1/2" XR3-RED convertible.

+1 on the RENE recommendation.

;)
 
WMG fine single six 8) that box don't bother me AT ALL :) YES to flatgate's note :!: :!: joine RENE interesting & fun to read--- find out A lot about what people are finding 8) besides information on RUGERS :D
 
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