Is there any way to tell if a three-screw Ruger Single Six has had the safety recall?

[Rugerlvr]

I bought a 1964 "Old Model" three-screw Ruger Single Six at a gunshow today, and as soon as I printed the instruction manual from Ruger, I notice that they recalled them for a safety mod.

Is there any way to tell if it's had the mod before I ship it off to Ruger?

EDIT: Other than banging off a round that is?

 

[DPris]

If it has a transfer bar in it, it's had the work done.
Not really a safety recall, just adapting the lockwork to allow safe carry with a loaded chamber in front of the hammer. There was nothing wrong with the old lockwork, just brain-challenged people disregarding the ancient advice to leave the chamber ahead of the firing pin empty.
Denis

 

[Neophyte1]

Don't modify

Rugerlvr: Sir; if you have an unmodified Ruger Single Action. DO NOT SEND TO RUGER; Sir; you have a collectors piece. Ruger will upgrade and value will decrease exponentially.
How to tell.
Pull hammer back; look between the hammer and where the firing pin should be.
If you see a big chunk of something [it'll be obvious] yours has already be desecrated.
This piece is called a transfer bar. Bill Ruger ingenious mind created this so that you could carry with 6 chambered. Do NOT carry an unmodified with the hammer on a loaded cylinder.
You can call Ruger and ask for 'date and a free letter' on your firearm. Ruger does this as a courtesy.

Call Ruger @603-865-2424

Follow up with your findings. and Thanks

You have an outstanding unit whether modified or not. You can be safe with an unmodified unit. Lets us know and we will make sure the firearm and you are safe. It's easy

 

[Rugerlvr]

Thanks Craig. I'll check it for the transfer bar, and perhaps post a picture. Ruger has serial numbers listed on their website along with rough shipping dates, and this one checks out as a Single Six Magnum model shipped in about 1964. It's got some holster wear to the bluing, but otherwise seems fine. It appears to have original wood grips.

The seller tried to tell me it was a "transitional gun" between the new and the old, but I'm thinking it is too old to be a between the models gun. It has a small serial number, and numbers 1-6 engraved on the magnum cylinder.

Does anyone know if that makes it special in any way?

 

[Ghost Tracker]

I don't know what the current Ruger proceedure involves. But I do know that they used to send all the original (now replaced) loose parts back with the complete, "safety modified" revolver. They didn't keep 'em. That way, any of the gun's Collector Value remained intact simply by re-installing the original parts.

Does Ruger now keep the "old" parts?

 

[bigjohnson]

The easiest way to tell is to flip open the loading gate and see if the cylinder stop drops, allowing the cylinder to rotate by hand. Old model guns require the hammer to be placed in the half-cock position to drop the cylinder stop, but the new model ones (and the modified ones) are rebuilt so that the cylinder stop drops when the loading gate is opened.
If your gun has not been modified, be aware that Ruger will not repair your gun, NOR WILL THEY SELL YOU PARTS FOR IT. I needed the extractor spring for a single six last month, and the first thing that the parts dept lady asked for was the serial number of the gun. When I read off the number, she told me that the gun would have to be returned to Ruger for the modification before they would sell parts for it. No mod=no parts.

 

[Rugerlvr]

Ah, thanks bigjohnson, no the cylinder stop doesn't drop until it's in the half-cock loading position. I guess this one is unmodified. I guess the main safety tip to remember is when loaded, don't drop the gun on the hammer!

 

[Gator]

Is there any way to tell if it's had the mod before I ship it off to Ruger?

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Please don't modify that old model. Every time that is done, a kitten dies!!!
New models are cheap and plentiful, plus if you do that you will have to change your screen name.

 

[Rugerlvr]

Ok guys, I won't send it to Ruger.

 

[MADDOG]

The way to load an "old Model" is-----load one skip one then pull the hammer all the way back and lower it. The hammer should be sitting on the empty. Also if Ruger modify's it they will mark the frame so it will be known. I kinda like the 4 clicks and I don't consider them unsafe.

 

[Virginian]

Brownells has no compunction about selling you parts, whether your Ruger has been modified or not.

 

[BlkHawk73]

Please don't modify that old model. Every time that is done, a kitten dies!!!
New models are cheap and plentiful, plus if you do that you will have to change your screen name

Forget the kitten, everytime a Ruger is converted, another illegal alien crosse the boarder!
Anyone with such a member name should know better.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The easiest way to tell is to flip open the loading gate and see if the cylinder stop drops, allowing the cylinder to rotate by hand.

I have an "desecrated" "old model" Super Blackhawk and it does not work this way. I see no reason why a Single-Six would be any different. The New Models do. The hammer still has to be put at half cock to rotate the cylinder. There is no longer a "safety" notch (the first click of the hammer that places it slightly away from the frame), just half- and full-cock.

Besides the obvious transfer bar rising up when you cock the hammer, other differences are a hammer with two steps in it instead of being flat faced, and a cylinder base pin with a spring-loaded plunger in the forward tip. When the cylinder and base pin are out of the gun, the hammer cannot be drawn quite to full cock; put the base pin back in and it will work normally. There are other differences but you can't see those. Again, this is a Super Blackhawk. Oh, and if mine is any indication the trigger pull is seemingly about 10 lbs.

And no, I didn't "descrate" it - it came that way, at a discounted price. Unfortunately I failed to see the barrel out of index with the frame and the front sight canted; it shoots far to the left. My brother did some stoning on the trigger and reduced the "old billygoat" pull by about half. He also gave me some action parts from another unaltered SuperB, but I haven't gotten around to doing anything.

 

[Neophyte1]

Whew

Rugerlvr: Sir; You have already decided not to send to Ruger whew.

Yes they will or have returned the old parts when the ?UPGRADE? is done
The inside of the handgrip is marked. Collectors know exactly where to look.

Take your Grips off and look.

How to load; put a 20 dollar bill in one of the chambers. load one and skip the $20.00 bill. Set the Hammer on the 20.00. You'll have some dollars later when you need them

Thank you "Rugerlvr"

 

[Rugerlvr]

So what's the difference in safety between my S&W model 28 where the hammer is always resting on a cartridge, and the Single Six where the hammer is always resting on a cartridge, and why would I worry more about the Single Six?

Since the Single Six is not a carry gun, I doubt the issue will ever come up. I will be plinking with it, and always just be putting in six and firing them right away.

 

[Gator]

But the hammer of your model 28 isn't resting on the cartridge. S&W's have a hammer block that preforms the same function as the transfer bar in the new model Rugers; the firing pin can't touch the primer unless the trigger is pulled.

Your old model has no transfer bar, so if it is dropped on the hammer, or your thumb slips when cocking/deckocking the firing pin can hit the primer. That's why you only load five and rest the hammer on an empty chamber.

 

[HammerBite]

Rugerlvr . . .

Watch the hammer of your M28 when you release the trigger. Notice how it rebounds away from the firing pin. The gun's rebound slide cams the hammer back when you release the trigger. A moderate blow to the hammer won't do anything because the hammer motion is blocked by the rebound slide. A really hard blow to the hammer can break the hammer stud, which would allow the hammer to move forward. This is why S&W added the hammer block, which blocks the hammer from the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled.

---

On a single-action revolver with a transfer bar the hammer is designed in such a way that, although it impacts the frame, it cannot reach the firing pin. When the trigger is pulled, the transfer bar is interposed between the hammer and the firing pin. The hammer hits the transfer bar, and the transfer bar hits the firing pin.

---

The New Model single-actions by Ruger, in addition to a transfer bar, are designed in such a way that when you open the loading gate with the hammer forward the cylinder bolt is retracted so you can rotate and load the cylinder without any manipulation of the hammer.

When you load an Old Model Ruger with the transfer bar upgrade, you still must draw the hammer to half-cock in order to load, which means you need to manually lower the hammer after loading. Draw the hammer back to full-cock, get contol of it with your thumb and pull the trigger. As soon as you have lowered the hammer beyond the full-cock, get off of the trigger. This will retract the transfer bar and nothing bad will happen if the hammer slips from under your thumb.

---

To correctly load a traditional single-action (no transfer bar) as a "five-shooter", load one round, skip one chamber and load the next four rounds. Immediately after loading the fifth round draw the hammer back to full cock and then manually lower it with your thumb. It will come to rest over the empty chamber.

 

[Rugerlvr]

So should it ever be loaded with six? Say I'm at the range, and I'm just firing off cylinder after cylinder, would that be an ok time to load six?

 

[Neophyte1]

Ruger 'Old Model'

Rugerlvr: Sir; an imposing question. Example; Should the hammer be hit or be dropped and land on the hammer; potentially bad to real bad.

Habit yourself to load 1 skip one and when you get back to the last round your hammer can be safely set on an open cylinder.

My $20.00 bill thought.

You have an outstanding firearm, care with it and any other should be recognized. Sir; I say this with total considerations and respect.

We that carry some of our semi's too leave the chamber 'empty' for safety.

Follow up with a range report and PICTURES

 

[Rugerlvr]

 

[DPris]

Shooting it on the range, fill it up if you want.
Look at the broad picture- you leave the chamber under the hammer empty to avoid an accidental discharge if you drop the gun. That usually applies to carrying it or handling it.
Use the thing accordingly in deciding when to load fully & when not to. There's no 24/7 rule.
Denis

 

[absolute0]

So should it ever be loaded with six? Say I'm at the range, and I'm just firing off cylinder after cylinder, would that be an ok time to load six?

Loading 5 up is the only safe way to tote around one of these older guns but when burning through ammo at the range, I usually load to capacity and let 'er rip!

 

[bannockburn]

Rugerlvr

Great looking Single Six; I would love to have those grips. If it were mine, I wouldn't do a thing to it.

 

[Rugerlvr]

Ok. What would you guys pay for this gun? I think I paid a tad much, but I'd like to see what you guys think.

 

[dogrunner]

I have two SAs. An ancient flat top .44 that I've owned for nearly fifty years, and a 41 three screw.

Both have been back to the factory (hated to do it as I knew they'd do the mod) thankfully both were returned with the original parts.

Being hard headed and old fashioned I immediately "de" converted both and tossed the new parts in a drawer with a lot of other "junk". Both guns were crudely electric pencil engraved on the cylinder face with a partial of the full serial no. (assume thats so they don't mix up parts???) that just looks like hell up close. I don't know if thats standard for Ruger on conversions but I'd guess it is and I'd guess that it's a pretty good indicator that the gun'd been properly, lawyerly "safetyized".

Several of the conversion parts tho CAN be useful for replacements for old model items with some minor modification. For example, I salvaged one of the conversion triggers to replace a badly worn original (you've gotta remove the connecting assembly for the transfer bar. Note also that the locking bolts are convertable. One thing you'll note is that the new cylinder pin has a spring loaded pin it its rear to facilitate the transfer bar alignment with the firing pin. You can keep that thing in if you want but I replaced both of mine with the original rounded rear versions.

No doubt the transfer mechanism makes for a slightly more "fool" proof design for the idiot that just doesn't get it and insists on packin' one under the hammer............but I intend to keep mine for the rest of my time on this earth and if some dummy in the future manages to blow off his toe because he's too damn dumb to understand how to properly use a real single action I hope it hurts good, really real good!....


Cold, yeah. BUT I am so sick to death of lawyer driven drivel that I refuse to accept it. Just like the key locked S&W's.....you can have my share of 'em.

Truly, applying any logic at all to the issue just begs comparison to the readily available Glock system that has been responsible for more AD's than any other design I have ever heard of.

Certainly the SA system as Colt originally designed it is AT LEAST as safe, more so to my thinking.