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.
 

G2

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Perty,
and there is something about those walnuts, really like em.
Thanks for shar'n.
 

mattsbox99

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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!
 

flatgate

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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
 
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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.

;)
 

americal

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Feb 19, 2009
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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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