New 3 screw Single Six for me and a couple of questions...

B

baddarryl

New member
Hi all. I have some questions about this gun that have come up in another discussion. It appears to be a 1959 based on a 125xxx serial number. It came with both 22 lr and wmr cylinders. My understanding is that these were not offered as convertibles until later. Oddly, my magnum cylinder does have what appears to be matching numbers for the last 3. According to an article on gunblast Ruger started using an electric pencil to engrave in 63. That is what it looks like as I had to struggle to see the numbers, but they are clear to me now. The ruger manual also says not to use the mag cyl in models with serial numbers pre 150,000. The manual also says not to use any cylinder not matched to the frame. The lr cylinder has no numbers on it, but I have also read that revolvers shipped with both cylinders engraved did not always happen in the early years. The frame simply says Ruger 22cal Single-Six on the left side. Also the cylinder box has written on it Log #1993 for whatever that is worth.

This is a mystery to me as I don't know much about them. Can someone help me out? Thank you.

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According to my ancient copy of the NRA gunsmithing guide: Ruger began production of the SS in 1954. The magnum cylinder was added in 1959.
Interestingly, they had a short production of almuminum, light weight, cylinders in 1956. Ruger advice has always been to never swap clylinders with other guns. FWIW, there was a transition period where the magnum cylinder was fluted. Before and after that period they were not fluted. I have a stainless that is fluted. I acquired it used in 1970.
Edit: Ruger will tell you exact year of make of that SS if you write and ask.
Not asked but, I advise sending to Ruger and have hammer block safety added. Does not affect performance except to make the gun safer.
 
Thank you. You are the first person that has confirmed that the cylinder "could" be for this gun. My other reading has led me astray of that idea. I think it is best to contact Ruger at this point.

Here are my first shots out of her. Win 555 36gr bulk, 25 feet, offhand. Not bad as far as I am concerned!

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If I were you there is no way in the world I'd let Ruger get their hands on that gun! If you do send it in, keep your internal parts. They do have a way of getting "lost."

What you will get back is a ratchedy-clackety action with an atrocious trigger and hap-hazard cylinder lock up.

Had one done and bougth two with the after market conversion.

Ever wonder why original parts to un-convert such jobs are going for $200~$300 per set?

If you just have to have the transfer bar, buy a New Model.


Bob Wright
 
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Your Single-Six was made in 1959 (it should have the straight slot in the EJ rod housing, introduced gradually in 1958), which was the same year that saw the introduction of the new .22WMR cartidge - however it was a few years before Ruger started to chamber their revolvers for the new cartridge.

The first company to chamber for the WMR was Savage (Mod 24), beating even Winchester to the market.

To this date, there have been NO documented Single-Six revolvers, convertibles, or the dedicated WMR model, made in WMR before Jan 1961.

The early Single-Six convertibles had the last 3 digits of the SN STAMPED onto the front of the WMR cylinder.

Ruger soon changed to ETCHING the 3 digits with an electric pencil onto the front of the WMR cylinder, ILO the previous stamping.

Ruger has refused, from then to now, to fit a WMR cylinder to Single-Six revolvers with a SN lower than 150,000, due to possible liability issues resulting from firing the WMR through the smaller (.219") bores of the revolvers made prior to SN 150,000.

Ruger, much later, commonly sold WMR cylinders to gunsmiths, so IMO, a gunsmith bought & fitted an accessory WMR cylinder to your revolver, etching the last three digits of the SN on the cylinder, mimicing later factory practice.

Your WMR cylinder looks to be un-fluted, so it's a much later production unit. (All early cylinders were fluted)

If you call Ruger Customer Service with your Single-Six's SN, they should be able tell you what config that SN was shipped from the factory in/as.




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PetahW if what you summize is true, would they have reamed out the barrel? I am assuming to shoot the WMR through the originals would be flat out dangerous or at least degrade the barrel? I am maybe thinking this WMR cylinder has never been used.

What you write about the history is congruent with what I have read also.
 
I have usually advised against converting .22 LR guns to .22 WMR, not so much because of the small difference in barrel groove diameter but because most .22 LR barrels were/are of relatively soft steel and will burn out quickly under the higher pressure, hotter powder, and jacketed bullets of the WMR. I expect that in a revolver, those factors, plus the larger bullet diameter, would not be good for the forcing cone.

Jim
 
My understanding is that if you send an old model to Ruger, for any reason (repair, refinish, customization) they also must convert it to the new model lockwork.

Over the last 30 some years I've had a number of new models, one original 3 screw, but never a converted 3 screw. There seems to be a lot written on the net about how the conversion is not as "good" as the original, and while I don't have a personal opinion on that, I do know that some people will pay more for an unconverted gun.
 
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FWIW, "reaming out" a barrel doesn't increase the bore diameter until after all the rifling's gone - a nonstarter.

When Ruger formerly introduced the convertible model, they also moved to a larger bore diameter bbl.

That said, many early guns (under SN 150,000) have had a mag cylinder installed/shot - it's just that the factory won't be responsible for any damages to gun or shooter, if an individual chooses to do so (aka: liability issue).

Some of those guns have had issues, others not - either way, the owner/shooter's on their own.

Remember, the LR's lead bullets are either plain or coated; WMR's "jacketed" bullets don't have copper jackets like most CF bullets - they are plated, and may/may not swedge down easily in the smaller bore (different bullet makers use different process' and/or thickness') .



The factory safety conversion for OM Ruger's, to a transfer bar lockwork, usually results in a trigger pull that's miles worse than the pre-op pull.

The return of the original lock parts, if the gun is sent in with them still installed, is a hit/miss proposition - some get them back with the converted gun, other folks don't.

All converted OM's are stamped with an "R" on the bottom of the cylinder frame, where it can't be seen w/o removing the trigger guard/gripframe.

Many folks, who had their gun converted, re-installed the original lock parts fairly soon afterward - why the cost of replacement lock parts online is now fairly expensive.



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Not asked but, I advise sending to Ruger and have hammer block safety added. Does not affect performance except to make the gun safer.
Click to expand...

Could not disagree more. Never!

As others have said, it you somehow decide to send the gun in to Ruger for some kind of work, remove the OM parts before you do. You can strip the new parts out when it is returned. If they didn't return the OM parts… it might make you cry.

Gregg
 
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+2 ! !

The conversion sure does affect performance !

Every Ruger SA, that had the factory safety converion done, which I have fired (about a dozen), had horrendous triggers afterward.


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Quote:
Not asked but, I advise sending to Ruger and have hammer block safety added. Does not affect performance except to make the gun safer.

Could not disagree more. Never!

As others have said, it you somehow decide to send the gun in to Ruger for some kind of work, remove the OM parts before you do. You can strip the new parts out when it is returned. If they didn't return the OM parts… it might make you cry.
Click to expand...

I agree. Also, safety is between the ears. No gun is safe without someone competent handling the firearm.

And it's a transfer bar, not a hammer block.
 
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