Ruger Single Six

My single Six was made before they went to the transfer bar and came with both cylinders'
A word of warning: If you send your old Single Six to Ruger for repair without a transfer bar they will automatically convert it and NOT return the original parts.
Jim
 
SA Revolvers are what they are . Fun , accurate, strong, reliable, durable, natural pointing, and fun .

Diligent practice and muscle memory will shave a few % off your reloading time, but it will be several times slower than a swing out cylinder DA with a speedloader .

As far as I know , Ruger made .22lr or Convertable . Earlier this decade picked up a stainless New Model w/ WMR cylinder only . But the LGS in question sold it as a Convertable, but when the widow bundled the guns to sell , she couldn't find the .22lr cylinder . Fast foreward about 2yr , and I'm at a not quite LGS ( nice guy independent entrepreneur, just that he's 2 plus hrs from me ) doing a different transaction . I look into his glass cabinet of " Misc Stuff " and spot somthing .

I ask " is that a stainless New Model Single Six Cylinder ? " . But he got it in trade as part of a bulging box of gun parts, and had no idea . But if I wanted to take a chance on it, I could have it for $25 .

It was .22lr . Tried it in the gun, and got lucky . Timing and headspace perfect , b/c gap medium .
 
The lr cylinder has long been separated from pawpaws pistol.... I'm not writing it off as lost but I did have to replace the original.... hence the pinto look. Spotted the stainless cylinder tucked away in some junk at the lgs..... bought it for $20 on a chance and it fits fine. Ruger manufacturing pride back then musta had them holding tight tolerances. That Pinto cylinder works like it was fitted to the pistol.
 
I've owned several Single Sixes over the years, but I'm down to just this beater now.

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It was a police evidence gun and I got it dirt cheap. It has an LR cylinder in it.

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I don't know what was going on with the muzzle. It cleaned up and the gun shoots fine.

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It is a fun range gun. The loading and unloading process makes ammo last a while. The Ruger Single Six is an American classic - everybody should own one!
 
Muley Gil said:
"It is my first single action revolver..."

Now wait a minute!!! You claim to be a Texan AND a gun guy and you have never owned a single action revolver!!!!!

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!!! :D
Click to expand...

Afraid so. I had only semi-automatics until I bought a nice Highway Patrolman Model 28 for $400. Then I started buying more DA revolvers. Loading gates looked like a pain, and to an extent they are, but the Single Six is a good gun. I won't need one of those Heritage Single actions now. If it is any conciliation, I moved from Ohio decades ago.
 
There's just something special about SA revolvers. I have a 5 inch Single Six .22LR that I love, but I just picked up a 10-shot, 3.5 inch barrel Uberti-made Cimarron Model P Jr. .22 LR that's an equal joy to shoot. My Ruger New Vaquero Montado .357 magnum is my favorite backcountry carry SA revolver. Modern revolvers modeled after old school classics simply rock for many of us.
 
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I’d say you’ve shot a lot of autoloaders in the past. What’s the rush? Slowdown and enjoy the process.

I wouldn’t trade my Rugers. My stainless convertible cost me $189 new, that’s how long Ive had it. I also have a beautiful original low SN Bearcat that I bought in the 70’s and have a new one with adjustable sights. I really love the heritage behind single action revolvers. They were designed in a time when we transitioned from single shot percussion pistols and cap and ball revolvers. In that time the single action metallic cartridge revolver was lightning fast to load and unload vs cap and ball revolvers.

Just slow down and enjoy the process. It’ll make you a better marksman.
 
SA Revolvers are about Enjoying your shooting , not a race to see how fast you can mag dump your way through a brick of ammo .

My 3 screw Convertable spends most of its time with the LR cylinder, my SS NM most of the time with the WMR . But that randomly worked out that way, and could just as easily flip flop . Also have a 1963 Bearcat, that had been with the original owner 1963- 2018 ( I knew them , he passed away , she sold a few of the guns to our mutual FFL friend, then she passed about two months later ). Came with 1963 Buchiemer holster, 1963 synthetic MOP grips, and 1963 engraving of her name on the butt . I don't feel too bad, because the engraving is what made it affordable for me . Trying to decide between black fingernail polish, and black electrical tape .

********

Ruger insists on factory fitting replacement/ additional cylinders . But my experience, and the cumulative experience of the people on the Ruger collector fora , is that 80% of cylinders will drop in to 80% of the relevant frames .
 
The single six does force you to slow down. It can be unsettling at first but it grows on you. That said, at least on my older unmodified model, thumbing the the hammer back while the loading gate is open brings the cylinder hole in line with the ejector. Doing this repeatedly with the right hand while operating the ejector with the left, does speed things up considerably.
hth
 
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I had a Single Six a couple years ago. I bought it from the local Gander Mountain. If I remember correctly, it dated to 1956. It didn't have a magnum cylinder and had been back to Ruger for the update. I got it for $300.00. Local price trends at the time were $300 for a .22LR only and $400 for one with a .22 Magnum cylinder included.

I had it for a bit but decided to let it go because it didn't have a magnum cylinder. I sold it to the son of a friend of mine for the $300 I paid for it.



Fast forward a few months and I got a phone call from the store when they were going out of business.
"Hi, this is Brian with Gander Mountain.... Our records show you bought a Ruger Single Six..... We are cleaning out the vault and found a bag of hardware and an extra cylinder......."

Yup, they found the magnum cylinder and all of the original lockwork out of the gun. It seems that the store had taken the gun in on trade in original condition and they had sent it in for the update before putting it out for sale. Somehow, everything got separated from the gun when they sold it.

So, I sold the gun because it didn't have a magnum cylinder, only to get the magnum cylinder given to me months later.
I still haven't replaced it and still lack a single-action .22. Maybe it's time to start looking for a replacement - a 4" barrel this time. :D


I did the right thing and gave the stuff to the kid that I sold the gun to. I only charged him a cup of coffee. :D :cool:


The gun and the "bag of hardware":
 

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hoc9sw said:
I'm a transplant Texan, so the lack of a single six was hereditary..
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I'm a transplanted Texan but a lifelong southerner and it took me a while to warm up to SA revolvers. 2 Ruger Bisleys in 44 Special and 45 Colt. One day I'll find a Bisley Single Six and buy it. Despite more than 35 years in Texas I can't warm up to a traditional SA grip frame.

Hate to admit it as a lifelong S&W revolver fan but if I really have to hit with a handgun at long range my 45 Colt Bisley is as close to magic in my hands as any handgun. That assumes all day to unlimber it and leisurely take aim. My 627 (No dash) is a very close second and a whole faster to get running.
 
I bought mine in 1969. The serial number is for a standard model but it came with the mag cylinder. I left the mag cylinder in the red bag it came in for years out in the garage and rust ruined it. But I still have part of the first box of magnum ammo I bought for it. Found out I could kill cans just fine with .22LR.
 

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