Factory Muzzlebrake Ruger Mark I - Mystery Solved

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gizamo

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Checking the history of this one. Trade in from the gent that ordered it originally. Going to call Ruger tomorrow to see how it shipped. I am told the rib was installed for the owner by Ruger...it is an amazing job of mounting. Each lug is custom made to the gun and silver soldered in place...:)

Going to call Ruger Records tomorrow and ask the girls how she shipped...After I shoot her... ;)


MarkI002.jpg

MarkI003.jpg



giz
 
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looks like a name on the side of the rib but can't make it out. sort of doubt it was shipped from the factory that way. if it says simmons gun specialities on the rib, may well have been sent to them for the installation. they are prominent in the shotgun sports and back in the day they would make them for about anything. have seen colt officers with very similiar rib. posts on your rib look very much like those on their model 12 winchester ribs.
 
Now that is the coolest Ruger auto I've seen. great find Giz

Dan
 
perrazi,

You nailed it. It is a Simmons rib.:) According to the gent that sold it, he asked for a rib to be installed by Ruger. He did not send it out. So there's the mystery. I'd rather doubt that Ruger would send a gun out of house for the work. But you never know.

giz
 
gizamo,

maybe not, but winchester sure sent guns out. they also installed those ribs themselves at their factory. does the gun show any signs of refinish, specifically under the grips or any reblue in the magazine channel under the grips? that might give a clue to whether the gun was sent to simmons or not. if it was sent out it would have had to be reblued. keep in mind, back in the day of your ruger target,simmons had quite a good repair and reblue shop and did a lot of them although mostly on shotguns.
 
perrazi,

Thanks for all the help here, much apprecieated.
It has not been reblued and all the bluing is intact under the barrel rib. I would have to say it is factory original. The rollmarks are as crisp as can be...

The barrel rib rollmark reads: Simmons Gun Specialties, Inc. Kansas City, MO

giz
 
Giz, looks like you found another unique one. Did the holster come to you with the MK-I ? Looks like it may have been made special for it.

Congrats on your find............tell us how it shoots!

Don
 
woodsltc said:
Giz, looks like you found another unique one. Did the holster come to you with the MK-I ? Looks like it may have been made special for it.

Congrats on your find............tell us how it shoots!

Don
Click to expand...

Don,

Holster is an El Paso rig made to fit it. It came with the gun...


Lynnie,

Obviously you've been shooting those 44 Mags of yours too long. That muzzlebrake on my 22 is there for a reason ~ To tame the wicked muzzleflip of the vicious 22 LR....:D

giz
 
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I used to own one exactly like it. I've been sorry that I ever sold it. Either that's the gun I used to own or perhaps Ruger did a small run of them. Have you checked over at the Ruger Forum for info?

I'd like first dibbs if you ever want to sell it.
 
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That doesn't look at all like the only Ruger factory brake I ever saw. On the other hand, it is stamped.???????????????????????????????????

OOPS!, the one I saw was for a bull barrel, that one appears tapered.
 
WR Moore said:
That doesn't look at all like the only Ruger factory brake I ever saw. On the other hand, it is stamped.???????????????????????????????????

OOPS!, the one I saw was for a bull barrel, that one appears tapered.
Click to expand...


According to Chad Hiddleson's book (Encyclopedia of Ruger Semi-Automatic Rimfire Pistols - 1949-1992), Ruger Muzzle brakes (MB-4) were made to fit the tapered barrel T514 or T678. Factory records will indicate if the muzzle brake shipped with the pistol. At the time of Hiddleson's book no T514's had been verified as shipped with a muzzle brake. So few T678's were shipped with muzzle brakes, they are considered rare.
 
Thanks Jerry for the info....

Called Ruger records today, but all I got was a answering machine. Left all the pertinent info and a phone number for them to get back to me....

An interesting gun, no.....:)


giz
 
Well, after three days of trying...Ruger Records came thru...
They managed to find and pull the original invoice on the gun...

What we have here folks is a true Muzzlebraked T678...a factory modified gun. They are sending the letter out to me stating it is factory...

giz
 
They're looking into the rib. Folks from Prescott are involved. They will get back to me. There has been a rumor of a small distributer run back in 1965 for the Bullseye crowd.... My gun dates to 1965....;) Interesting post I read elsewhere is of a gun just like mine that numbers with 20 SN's ....

Proof will be in the puddin'...:D


giz
 
Jerry in SC said:
According to Chad Hiddleson's book (Encyclopedia of Ruger Semi-Automatic Rimfire Pistols - 1949-1992), Ruger Muzzle brakes (MB-4) were made to fit the tapered barrel T514 or T678. Factory records will indicate if the muzzle brake shipped with the pistol. At the time of Hiddleson's book no T514's had been verified as shipped with a muzzle brake. So few T678's were shipped with muzzle brakes, they are considered rare.
Click to expand...

OK, the memory isn't what it used to be and we're talking about something that happened around 1980..........

The pistol I dimly recall had a barrel about 5+inches, it may have been tapered...at least it wasn't as bullish as I expected. The brake didn't look anything like the one pictured, the gas port was kinda a smiley face to the best of my recollection. I may have made drawings as I'd been requested to design a brake for a 6 7/8 tapered barrel and I'd been looking for examples to get an idea about gas porting. The alleged factory brake was very light and retained by a set screw on the bottom. No markings that I can recall.

Oddly enough, my brake design looked externally much like the Ruger factory brake shown, but I used 3 holes as gas ports inline with the bore (1/8, 5/32 and 3/16, IIRC, going toward the muzzle). ID of the brake chamber was 1/2 inch (?). Going to have to look for the drawings. BTW, mine developed sufficient gas pressure to require a crosspin for retention despite being a press fit on the barrel.
 
True factory guns are pretty rare. According to Chad H, mine will be only the second known factory gun...In the T678...

giz
 
WR,

The Ruger brake has a traverse slot. A small pin runs through the the traverse slot and the base of the front sight to secure it to the barrel. I don't recall ever seeing one with a set screw but I've seen less than a dozen over the years. The Ruger brake was introduced in 1954.

Jerry
 
Guys, I found the drawings I made of the "Ruger factory brake" and discovered I was correct about memory not being what it used to be. The brake was a High Standard (OOOOPS). Oddly enough, I got the details of the gas port correct and the set screw......I guess that the fact I was supposed to be building a Ruger brake confused the details.

While experimenting with gas port configurations I tried something like the Ruger factory brake pictured. The target disappeared behind a blast of gas/particulates on each shot with a wide open vent like that pictured. This wasn't acceptable to the client.
 
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