Have I been wrong all these years???

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denfoote

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I have a Pre-1973 three screw Single -Six that I have always assumed to be .22LR,
Well, today, I was at the range shooting it when I noticed that the cases were splitting and buldging.I have not shot this gun in quite awhile (read at least 10 years). I do not remember if the cases always did this or not!! I happened to mention this to the range master who took a look. After examining the gun, he pronounced it to be a .22MAG!!
How do I find out for sure??

the only marking on the gun is on the left side of the frame:

Ruger.22CAL
SINGLE-SIX

It has a standard Single-Six serial number from about 1972, according to the Ruger web site. (21-48XXX)

What manner of beast do I actually have??

It has always been my understanding that the .22WMR models were the Super Single Six!!
 
Could the following scenario be possible?

"So, where's the other cylinder? "
"What other cylinder? "
"The one marked '.22 LR'... "
"They made a gun with two cylinders? "
"Yeah, but you only used one at a time. "
"You mean to tell me I've --- "
"Yeah, probably. "
"For all these YEARS? "

;)

Could it be a 'New Model Single-Six CONVERTIBLE'?
That'd be good!
 
Well, the first thing I'd try is...
Remove the cylinder from the gun; for practical reasons and safety reasons.
Clean out one chamber of the cylinder really good until there's no crud build-up in there.
Take a 22WMR round and see if it drops into the cylinder freely.
 
It could very well be a convertable.
However, there is no serial number on the cylinder!!
As I understand it, the cylinders were so marked by Ruger at the factory.
I bought the gun used at a local gunshop circa 1989. It came with only one cylinder. Because of the serial number thing (see above) I assumed it was .22LR.
Also, because it was an old 3-screw gun, I have not shot it very much at all during the ensuing years!! Mostly, it has been a safe queen!!
I am loath to buy a box of magnum rounds just to see if they will work in such a fine old revolver.
 
Ruger

I believe the SUPER part of the Single Six you keep referring to just meant adjustable sighted model.

Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
 
I am flying by the seat of my pants here, but I seem to recall that they two cylinders looked different. Like one is fluted and the other one isn't.
I own a Single Six and have owned a few others, but I almost never used the magnum cylinder so my memory of this is weak.
 
As best as I can remember , from my boyhood coveting of that gun, they were convertables.
.22 WMR snould be scrolled on the cylinder jsut forward of the timing ring.

Of course the easiest way is to see if a .22 mag will fit in the cylinder

I was talking to a shop owner a year or so ago about my H&R convertable. During the conversation he told me that it was not unusual for one of the cylinders to be missing on older used guns.

I bough mine LN and unturned about 3 or 4 years ago I have no idea where the LR cylinder is now
 
denfoote...

I have a Ruger Super Single-Six with both cylinders. The .22lr cylinder is not marked but the .22Magnum cylinder is clearly labeled around the rear of the cylinder. I would hope this practise is uniform by Ruger but I can't speak for them.

If you don't want to buy a box of .22Magnums, take the cylinder out of the revolver, go to a gunshop that is friendly to you and ask them to check it with a Magnum round.

If it is a .22lr cylinder, are you using good ammo? If you are it's probably time for a call to Ruger for some factory help.
 
I have a Ruger Super Single-Six with both cylinders. The .22lr cylinder is not marked but the .22Magnum cylinder is clearly labeled around the rear of the cylinder. I would hope this practise is uniform by Ruger but I can't speak for them.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

You said you bought it used? Sounds like someone traded it and neglected to provide the extra cylinder, or lost it, and that's why they traded it in. Could alsoi be one of the models that doesn't come with an extra cylinder. But check around the back of the cylinder, it should say .22 Magnum. But the best advice is the myriads of people that suggested you take the cylinder in and see if the guys at the gun shop will be good enough to drop a cartridge in it for you.
 
As I understand it, the cylinders were so marked by Ruger at the factory.
Click to expand...

Someone may have had the chambers reamed on an LR-only gun, rather than go through the expense of buying and fitting an extra cylinder.
 
I have 21-32xxx that I bought new in the summer of 1972. It's a Single-Six Convertible with a fixed sight; the Super had an adjustable sight. Mine is marked RUGER.22 CAL SINGLE-SIX on two lines.

Both cylinders are fluted. The magnum cylinder has the last three digits of the serial number hand written on the front of the cylinder in dots poked through the bluing with the digits spaced between holes.

The rear of the cylinders are different. The magnum cylinder has six countersunk holes, but is otherwise flat. The LR cylinder has a circular groove cut near the outside edge connecting the outer third of each hole. It's about .107" wide by .041" deep.

The walnut grips have silver birds on a black background.

How's the trigger on yours? Mine came with a nice 2-pound pull. On a Lyman gauge it measures 2 pounds and 0.7 ounces.

John
 
Tamara,
I don't think the cylinder would need to be reamed ( larger in diameter ) as much as the whole cylinder needs to be a little bit longer.
What you said, though, would sure allow a case to expand in the wrong way!
This is a good mystery. I'm anxious to find out what the solution is.
 
I just found the .22 cylinder for my H&R for what it's worth

If the mag round will even fit past the bullet it is not a LR

My cylinders appear to be the exact same length, but in any case certainly not the same difference as between the LR and the mag cartridge

If the LR round wobbles around like a baby tooth getting ready to come out it's probably a mag cylinder, but I know that description doesn't help much

Both of my cylinders are completely recessed at the top
 
You don't have to buy any ammo. Just remove the cylinder and see if the chambers are bored straight through or whether they have a smaller diameter throat at the forward end. The .22 RF (LR/L/S) bullet is the same diameter as the OD of the case. The .22 mag bullet is seated inside the case, like centerfire ammo used today.
 
I have both of my cylinders in front of me and you would need a better eye than mine to see a difference between the the sizes of the front and back holes

But perhaps you could take sharpened #2 pencil to use as a gauge
Stick it in the front to the point of resistance and then stick it in the back then see if there are 2 impression marks or just one
 
BusMaster007,

I don't think the cylinder would need to be reamed ( larger in diameter ) as much as the whole cylinder needs to be a little bit longer.
Click to expand...

Single Six cylinders in .22 LR and .22 WMR are the same length. The difference is that WMR chambers are slightly larger in diameter. You can make a LR chamber into a WMR chamber with a reamer...
 
I'm not sure when Ruger began putting serial numbers on the cylinders but on my New model (1988) it's HAND engraved with the last three digits of my SS SN on both cylinders on the barrel (forward) end, one number in between the consecutive chamber holes.

It's difficult or impossible to read unless it's clean.

Now I feel like shooting mine... FUN and very cool guns. I need to buy more of them. :p
 
I have a couple of 'em. Go up to the Ruger Forum and ask a gentleman named Flatgate for help. Or just call Ruger and ask them. My experience is that they've always been quite helpful.
By the way, the numbers on the front of the cylinders are still hand-engraved.

These are seriously cool guns. Until you've introduced a 9 year old boy to shooting with one of these things, you really haven't lived...

Jeff
 
Tamara:
Single Six cylinders in .22 LR and .22 WMR are the same length. The difference is that WMR chambers are slightly larger in diameter. You can make a LR chamber into a WMR chamber with a reamer...
Click to expand...

:eek: You're 100% correct. Thanks.
I just went and looked at mine in the safe. Even put the ammo to it for a real hands-on approach! ;)
Next time I'll check my facts before I post, THEN have a beer... :D
 
If it's splitting the 22 LR cases it is almost certainly a 22 magnum cylinder.

Other werd things can happen, but unlikely - my money is on the 22 magnum cylinder .
 
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