VegasAR15
Member
I just picked up this Ruger Single Six 3 screw this weekend for next to nothing. It has some holster/safe wear, but it extremely tight. It came with both cylinders and a nice old leather cowboy style holster with belt.
New to me Ruger Single Six
- Thread starter VegasAR15
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Nice looking older Single-Six. Do you know if it has been back to Ruger for the safety improvements?
If not, make SURE you only load it "5-Up", that is hammer rests on empty cylinder. I found out about that with my First .357 Blackhawk, one of the 3-screw old models.
I didn't poke any extra holes in me or anyone else, but I DID wound an oak tree
If not, make SURE you only load it "5-Up", that is hammer rests on empty cylinder. I found out about that with my First .357 Blackhawk, one of the 3-screw old models.
I didn't poke any extra holes in me or anyone else, but I DID wound an oak tree
VegasAR15
Member
I am not sure if it was ever sent back, if I had to guess I would say that it wasn't. Is there anyway to tell?
returningfire
Member
You have got yourself a very fine and accurate 22lr SA. I think you will find that as a keeper.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Howdy
I have one exactly like it. Five and one half inch barrel and the rear sight is drift adjustable for windage. Mine was made in 1961.
It is easy to determine if yours was sent back to the factory for the safety modifications. Make sure the gun is empty and then cock the hammer. If you see a transfer bar rise up partially covering the firing pin, it has been modified. If not, it has not been modified.
Ruger will modify it for free. Personally, I recommend against it. Learn the proper way to load an old fashioned single action revolver. NEVER load all six chambers. Always load it with only five rounds and make sure the hammer is ALWAYS down on an empty chamber. If you lower the hammer on a live round, and the gun falls to the ground and the hammer strikes a hard surface, IT WILL FIRE.
The proper way to load a revolver like this is to
1. Set the hammer to half cock.
2. Open the loading gate.
3. Load one chamber.
4. Skip one chamber.
5. Load four more chambers.
Then, keeping your thumb on the cylinder so it does not roll backwards, close the loading gate and then bring the hammer to full cock. Then carefully lower the hammer. The empty chamber will be under the hammer. Unfortunately the chambers on these revolvers are counterbored so you cannot see if there is an empty chamber under the hammer. So practice this technique over and over again with snap caps so you can check if the chamber under the hammer is truly empty.
By the way, if you go to the Ruger website and click on the Customer Service tab, and then click on Instruction Manuals and Product History, then click on the choice for revolvers, you can bring up the product history of your revolver and determine what year yours was made. Ruger lists the first SN for each year.
Enjoy your new Single Six, and be careful how you load it.
I have one exactly like it. Five and one half inch barrel and the rear sight is drift adjustable for windage. Mine was made in 1961.
It is easy to determine if yours was sent back to the factory for the safety modifications. Make sure the gun is empty and then cock the hammer. If you see a transfer bar rise up partially covering the firing pin, it has been modified. If not, it has not been modified.
Ruger will modify it for free. Personally, I recommend against it. Learn the proper way to load an old fashioned single action revolver. NEVER load all six chambers. Always load it with only five rounds and make sure the hammer is ALWAYS down on an empty chamber. If you lower the hammer on a live round, and the gun falls to the ground and the hammer strikes a hard surface, IT WILL FIRE.
The proper way to load a revolver like this is to
1. Set the hammer to half cock.
2. Open the loading gate.
3. Load one chamber.
4. Skip one chamber.
5. Load four more chambers.
Then, keeping your thumb on the cylinder so it does not roll backwards, close the loading gate and then bring the hammer to full cock. Then carefully lower the hammer. The empty chamber will be under the hammer. Unfortunately the chambers on these revolvers are counterbored so you cannot see if there is an empty chamber under the hammer. So practice this technique over and over again with snap caps so you can check if the chamber under the hammer is truly empty.
By the way, if you go to the Ruger website and click on the Customer Service tab, and then click on Instruction Manuals and Product History, then click on the choice for revolvers, you can bring up the product history of your revolver and determine what year yours was made. Ruger lists the first SN for each year.
Enjoy your new Single Six, and be careful how you load it.
VegasAR15
Member
Thanks for the info, I will have to check my serial number when I get home. If the mod hasn't already been done then I will leave it as is, I like original.
joecil
Member
I got one for a my 18 birthday from my grandfather as well as a life time membership to the NRA. Oh and I'm now 66. At any rate I had it in the trunk of my corvette planing to go plinking the next day when the car was stolen. The car was found in a canal in S. Florida about a year later and the gun was still in the trunk. Needless to say it was pretty much shot but then the recall for the safety was issued so I contacted Ruger and they told me to send it to them. I was given a brand new gun which shocked me as I was prepared to buy another. I gave the gun as a gift to one of my sons when they graduated from collage about 10 years ago and still miss it. Mine had the 22 LR and 22 Mag cylinders as well. Really a good gun.
VegasAR15
Member
Now that is customer service!
Orion8472
Member
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- May 8, 2008
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I ended up finding a very nice 1958 Single Six at a local shop and it is a great shooter! Unmodified by Ruger, but I prefer it that way.
A quick question about how Ruger modifies an older Single Six [three screw]? When it returns to you, does it still have the "4 click" in the hammer, thus still having the "half cock, open gate, load/unload" setup? Or is it now like the current Single Six revolvers to where it only spins the cylinder when the gate is open, . . . and no longer indexes correctly [ejection bar now hitting between cylinder holes]?
A quick question about how Ruger modifies an older Single Six [three screw]? When it returns to you, does it still have the "4 click" in the hammer, thus still having the "half cock, open gate, load/unload" setup? Or is it now like the current Single Six revolvers to where it only spins the cylinder when the gate is open, . . . and no longer indexes correctly [ejection bar now hitting between cylinder holes]?
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