1953 TOPRESENT

Sturm, Ruger & Co. Introduced its first single action revolver in June 1953. It was a six-shot.22 caliber called the “Single-Six”. Bill Ruger had recognized that, due to the popularity of the early 1950’s TV and movie westerns, a “cowboy type” gun should be desirable to the gun public.

The Ruger Old Army is a black-powder percussion revolver introduced in 1972 by the Sturm, Ruger company. The revolver is unusual in that, unlike most percussion revolvers on the market, it was not based on a historical design, but was a modification of Ruger's Blackhawk model, which was itself based upon the cartridge-firing Colt Peacemaker. Your 5 1/2 Single-Six was probably shipped as RSS5-X and the primary.22LR cylinder was misplaced somewhere along the line. This can be a complex subject with respect to the serial numbering sequences of the Single-Six during the 1962-63 era, it is explained better in Ruger.

byBill Hamm

Ruger Old Model Single Six Serial Number History Pictures

photographyby Bill Hamm & Boge Quinn

March18, 2003

Old Model Single Six Value

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I have had many questions over the yearsfrom folks about which “grip panel” goes on which single action Ruger.Especially about the difference in the early Single-Sixes andBlackhawk “Flattops” when compared to the later Blackhawks and Single-Sixes,short barreled New Model Super Blackhawks, and on into the New Model Blackhawks,Vaqueros, and Bisley Vaqueros.Itcan be quite confusing unless you are a student of the subject.These questions are primarily generated by someone attempting to purchasereplacement grips or custom grips for their Ruger single action revolver.Also it may beabout a gripframe on an old collectible Ruger that someone is about to lay out a goodly sumof dollars to purchase and they want to make sure the gun is “right”.

Severalmonths ago a Gunblast reader requested that I provide some information onthe different type grip frames that Ruger installed on their single actionhandguns.I thought thiswould probably be an interesting subject for others as well and have compliedwhat I believe is a complete listing of the different types used since 1953.I have included the year the specific type was introduced, type ofmaterial and finish, grip panel information, and the current production statusof each of the grip frames.

During the research of the different types Iwas surprised to find out that Ruger has produced fourteen differenttypes of frames since 1953, more than I had first thought.

Ruger Old Model Single Six Serial Number History Pdf

Ihope this helps you identify and answer questions that you may have about thesegrip frames.If anyone has anydifferent observations or comments they will certainly be welcome.