Help with a Ruger Single Six

M

Mike38

New member
I searched the internet, and all it did was confuse me, so here I am.

I have a Ruger Single Six .22 that was once my Father’s. If memory serves me it was a “Convertible” that had two cylinders, .22 LR and .22 Magnum. During the shuffle of the estate the Magnum cylinder got lost, that is if it even had one. How can I tell if this handgun was originally built as a Convertible? Any good web sites out there?

Also, from what I have read, if I can get a .22 Mag cylinder, it has to be fitted by Ruger. True? Anyone know how much this will cost me? I’d like to know a little about what I am saying before I call Ruger.

Info from gun. Left side of frame says “Ruger .22 CAL. NEW MODEL SINGLE-SIX” Right side serial number 261-999XX

Thanks.
 
You might be able to find a .22 Mag cylinder for sale that would fit your revolver. There's a lot of discussion about the cylinder being "fitted" to the specific gun; basically, that they are not interchangeable with other cylinders. This has not been my experience.

I have two Ruger Blackhawk Buckeye revolvers in 38-40/10mm. The cylinders get mixed up and I can't tell any difference, so I don't bother to try to match the "correct" cylinder to the "correct" gun anymore....
 
I have a Single Six, with both cylinders, and somehow ended up with an extra mag cylinder as well. I can tell from my own situation that either they don't need to be "fitted", or both just happened to fit mine because I am a very good pistol shooter, and I can see no difference in point of impact or accurracy, and i don't even know which one originally came with my gun. My own thoughts are that having a gunsmith fine tune a cylinder to a gun could improve micro-accurracy for a competition target shooter, but the original production line cylinder is probably no more custom fitted than the next one, and even very good shooters would probably not know the difference.

I'd be willing to part with one if you'd like to PM me.
 
I agree with the "call Ruger" answer.

FWIW, I had read where the .22 Magnum Single Six (or convertible as it were, with both cylinders) comes with a larger diameter bore to accommodate the slightly larger dimensions of the .22 WMR bullet in relation to the .22LR.

I could be mistaken on that... but the idea here is that if the revolver was NEVER originally built as a .22 Mag, then sticking a .22 Mag cylinder in there and dropping the hammer is to introduce a dangerous situation -IF- the bore isn't of the proper size.

Call Ruger!
 
The bore diameters are the same whether they are a convertible or not. The actual specs on the bore diameters actually overlap. If you do some research on actually measured diameters of .22lr ammo, you'll find it's not as uniform as you thought. Same for the mag stuff.
 
I actually think you will find a difference in bore dia. with the very early .22's compared to the later versions. Ruger originally came out with .22lr only, followed by a .22 mag only version,followed by a .22 mag with an extra LR cylinder, followed by the convertible as we know it today. As I understand it, they were afraid to chamber the mag in the smaller dia. barrel of the LR originally, thus the introduction of the mag only version. The convertible was a comprimise to handle both calibers.
I doubt it would have made any difference anyway, but there was a progression of models to get to what we know as the convertible as today. Sort of confused myself trying to explain all that...
 
Check your existing cylinder

Mike,
Do a historical search in here as this one comes up from time to time. One clue and it's surely not foolproof, is to check the end of your existing cylinder and see if it has the last three digits of the serial number. If it does, It's likely that there is a mag cylinder with that serial number. The last dollar figure I read was $150.00 to match and replace. ... :confused:

Might add that I have seen some orphaned cylinders at gun show. .... :(

Be Safe !!!
 
TimSr, thanks for the offer. I will check into if my Single Six was made as a convertible and if it was, I will contact you.

Pahoo, my LR cylinder does have the last three digits of the serial number hand engraved on it, so maybe I do have a convertible?
 
NEW MODEL means the gun was made with the transfer bar system, which RUger went to in 1973.

I just checked mine, which I got in the 80s, it has a 262-wxyz number, so I would think your 261-xxxx is from the same era.

If your gun has adjustable sights, then it is properly called a "Super Single Six".

Ruger can certainly tell you if your gun was made as a convertible model or not, from the ser#. I do not know if there is a charge for this or not.

As to "fitting the cylinder", while there are people who will tell you it's not needed, or no big deal, and their "spare" cylinders drop in and work fine, it's not something you can count on.

Generations of makers, and gunsmiths say revolver cylinders must be fitted to the gun. I doubt this is, and has been the industry wide standard for a century+ simply because gunsmiths want the extra business.

There are several contact points on a cylinder that must be "fitted" within a pretty narrow tolerance range to ensure both safe and proper fit and function.
And to ensure a reasonable service life of the gun.

You may get lucky and find a cylinder that just "drops in" and works fine. Every cylinder that is made to fit your gun will just drop in the frame window. But it is the fine fit that ensures proper timing. A tiny difference can mean a cylinder that shaves bullets and spits lead. A large difference can mean a very dangerous situation.

Also, While having the extra cylinder is nice, you need to decide if it is actually worth the cost, for you. In 30+ years, I don't think I have fired two boxes of .22WMR from mine. Early on, I decided that, for me, the cost of .22WMR simply wasn't worth the benefit. And this was back when .22WMR was $6 a box and .22LR $8 a brick!

So, think about your needs, wants, finances and priorities. If its going to cost you a couple hundred for a WMR cylinder (parts, labor, shipping etc) is it worth it, to you? (and, if it is, by all means, have RUGER do it!!!)

I get it, Dad's gun, you want it all complete like it was. That alone may be worth the cost, to you. I can easily understand that.

Call Ruger, they are nice folks, and generally easy to talk to.

Good Luck, and let us know what you decide, and how it all works out!
 
I broke the cylinder ratchet on my 22 Ruger Single Six Hunter Model --- I sent the pistol back to Ruger from the gun store I bought it from --- and in 2 weeks, the Ruger Repair Shop sent back the pistol, doing a complete overhaul of the gun...with new springs, new hammer and new 22 rimfire/22 mag cylinders as well; all with free shipping.
 
Bore diameter makes almost no difference. I believe that Ruger, like most makers of guns for .22 LR, probably used fairly soft (and less expensive) steel for guns in that caliber. But .22 WMR is a high velocity round, firing a jacketed bullet, and will wear out a soft steel barrel in short order, so barrels made for that round are made of better steel and hardened. That is why converting a gun made for .22 LR to .22 WMR may not be feasible. Some makers used the same steel for both calibers and of course guns made as convertibles have the .22 WMR steel and dimensions.

Jim
 
I've called Ruger to get info on serial numbers before since their online log isn't very helpful, and they were really helpful- Ruger always is though. If you want to cough up $10 and postage you can also request an letter of authenticity here:

http://www.ruger.com/pdf/letterOfAuthenticity.pdf

Which should include all the details of your gun. If not a phone call should be able to tell you all the important info, their number is 603-865-2442.
 
This bore diameter issue has been rehashed to death over on Rimfirecentral and many times members have quoted Rugers response concerning bore diameter, wearing out barrels, etc. The specs overlap and no, you won't hurt the barrel shooting WMR rounds out of it. Go over there and hit the search button. Wait,don't bother. This will just come up again next week anyway:)
 
Interesting. I have a 77 Single Six New Model Convertible in SS and the S/N is 65-21xxx. But I would call Ruger. They will tell you when yours was made and if it was a convertible. It is my understanding that Ruger would fit a new 22 mag cylinder if yours was one originally but I don't know the cost.
 
Not to hijack, but I have an interesting take. I have a 59 Single Six that I bought used with a 22 Mag pencil engraved cylinder that matches it. My gun predates the .22 Mag versions by serial number. I contacted Ruger and they said it shipped as an LR and had no record of a conversion. They did start shipping mags in late 59, but not early. I wonder if mine was a very early one that slipped through of if someone actually made and fit one for it. I have not shot it for fear of the bore issue. Maybe I will maybe I wont. Sure makes a cool paperweight though!
 
Ruger would fit early LR only guns with serial numbers higher than 150000 with a magnum cylinder if the owner so desired. I would not hesitate to shoot magnum ammo through it if the number is over 150000.
 
Ruger sells new .22 convertibles today. I seriously doubt if any cylinders are hand fitted except for the ones that won't fit in production. At most they probably only have only 2 or 3 people in the whole organization capable of doing this work and only as a last resort. You have to consider modern gun manufacturing like manufacturers of any product on the market today consists of low paid peons who are paid to do, not think. Like about every other manufacturer's mass production workforce it is put everything together as fast as you can with the least amount of expense. If you think every Ruger .22WMR convertible's cylinders are hand fitted to guns then you also believe in the tooth fairy, leprechauns and that you can buy the Brooklyn bridge from me cheaply.
 
While things have changed a lot with the modern era, there is still a difference between making revolvers and making toasters, or a great many other "mass market" goods.

One thing important is one's definition of "hand fitting". Modern tolerances being what they are, a lot of the time, a new cylinder could "drop in" and fit well enough to work.

The point of having a gunsmith (or the factory) "fit" a new cylinder is to ensure things fit within acceptable tolerances, and to do what is needed if not.

This is also the "hand fitting" done at the factory during assembly and QC of new guns.

The other thing that falls under "hand fitting" is the costly work of fitting the revolver for the best fit practicable, beyond the usual serviceable standards. (think Python)
 
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