Smith&Wessons are always number one with me, but every once in a while I spot some other brand of firearm, and because it is unique, I buy it. Such is the case with this Ruger Lightweight (Tri-Color) Single Six 22 Revolver. I was 5 years old when this was made. Back then, I would probably have thought of this as a toy cap gun because of it's appearance. Definitely something different to add to my collection. This is only the second Ruger I own. The other is a Flattop 44 Magnum. I think these two are probably ones that are most collected.

Both nice guns, but that flattop is sweet! I've got a Super Blackhawk with the Bisley grip in .44 mag. My thought was if I ever run into a bear it would be a good gun to have. So far that hasn't happened here in the So Cal high desert, but I'm still hopeful.

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I only remember the light weight "cap gun" from reading Ruger forum in recent years.

I like Rugers but mine are shooters. I think that was the market Bill made them for. While Ruger is the brand for SA shooters some of their DAs fill nitches S&W does not make revolvers for and most of them have their own virtues. This is the S&W forum but there is nothing else like a well rounded collection.

My collection has varied some over the years but I doubt it will ever be without a vintage (pre safety) single six or two. There is just something about the cocking sound that stirs the soul!

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Dave

I LOVE the Tri-Colors...would like to add one (or several) to my collection.

I had a bunch of Rugers back in the 60s, I had several light weights with alloy frames, I never saw or herd of a tri- color
Single-Six, off hand I would say some one polished the anodized
"Black" off the alloy frame. They get kind of ratty looking when
it begins wearing off.

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This Tri-Color Frame is the original finish. This is the first model lightweight. The second model also a tri-color, had the same silver alloy finish, but a round loading gate, not the flat gate this one has. The 3rd and 4th model light weights had all blue finishes. The 3rd model had a alloy blue cylinder, and the 4th model had a blue steel cylinder What made this model appealing to me is the 3 different colors making this gun up. Only a few people have seen this so far, and when they do, they say it looks like it was made up from parts. Definitely not something you see in guns made today. Thanks for your comment/interest.

Well, I learned something new. I owned 50+ old model S-Sixes
since I was a kid. Only 5-6 of them were lightweights, I didn't
like them because of finish wear. Never bought a new one, just
ended up with trades. I never had a flatgate in alloy frame. In
the old S6 I have noticed the Plum color blue, especially on the
cylinders. I still have my first new one, in picture the top gun.
If you look closely you can see purple swirls in blue on frame.
I always wrote this off as imperfection in blue. This S6 also has
Burl Walnut grips. I still have box & docs. As far as I know it is
just a stock gun. At 14 years old I switched to S&Ws, and didn't
pay much attention to Rugers. I will still pick up a old model
now and then, but have no interest in new models at all. Am
going to educate myself on the alloy models.

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