Interesting 1956 Letter

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JussBad
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Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by JussBad »

This letter validates the shipping of the early .44 Flattops in November 1956. What about the single-shot Bill talks about coming in 1957 - could it be the Hawkeye that did not come out until 1963? Opinions? This letter came with a 1956 "folder" (catalog) and price list.
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gunman42782
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by gunman42782 »

Very cool!
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flattop44
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by flattop44 »

Great letter and peice of Ruger history. That is interesting that a single shot was mentioned.
FT44
Brass Frame
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by Brass Frame »

Gary, that is a real treasure for dating Ruger's plans to introduce new models. It helps to confirm the list of November shipped .44 Flat Tops! Thank You, Brass Frame/Lee E
johncdougan
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by johncdougan »

“How many were actually made in the first month, November 1956?”
Following is a serial number listing gleaned from factory day books during the research phase for the book RUGER PISTOLS & REVOLVERS: the vintage years. Shortage of space did not allow inclusion in the book. There are 186 numbers listed, it is possible that a couple may have been missed and therefore not listed. For the sake of general discussion it is safe to say there were approximately 190 .44 flat tops made in November starting the 11th through the 29th, 1956. Thanksgiving was on the 22nd so, no work. It appears that production resumed on Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th. The shop was closed on Sunday the 26th. Production again resumed on the 26, 27, 28 & 29th, none were made on Friday the 30th.

67 217 294 346 399 554 817 888
72 218 295 347 400 602 820 890
102* 219 299 351 402 668 824 891
169 223 301 355 405 673 830 895
170 226 302 358 456 676 835 896
171 227 303 365 476 679 836 897
172 228 305 366 478 684 837 904
173 230 306 367 487 693 842 908
174 236 309 368 509 701 847 911
175 245 312 369 511 703 848 914
177 247 316 370 516 707 849 * shipped 8/14/56
179 248 317 378 517 708 855
182 251 320 379 519 712 859
185 254 323 384 521 713 860
187 255 330 385 522 715 863
188 256 331 385 529 717 864
190 260 335 386 531 719 867
195 261 336 387 535 720 870
198 263 337 390 537 722 871
200 266 339 391 542 723 872
204 272 340 393 543 726 876
205 275 342 394 544 729 878
206 277 343 395 546 788 879
208 279 344 396 550 810 881
214 289 345 397 551 811 885
The single-shot XP was a project that was off and on for several years, the earliest drawings are dated Sept. 1951. The existing prototypes were not made until 1955. See RUGER PISTOLS & REVOLVERS; the vintage years, page 143 for the most comprehensive and detailed narrative and photos.
flattop44
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by flattop44 »

John, this is great, sure appreciate you posting this for us. A list to compare the early BKH4s to and help identify Nov. shipped guns.
Thanks, Bill
contender
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by contender »

Excellent info all around!
Brass Frame
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by Brass Frame »

John, I agree with Bill's comments. Your list of November shipped .44 FTs is a great help to all collectors! Thank You.
Brass Frame/Lee E
Doc4429
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by Doc4429 »

Thank you John for the information. Great reference. Particularly for those of us who like the early guns. :)

Bill Cross
chet15
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Re: Interesting 1956 Letter

Post by chet15 »

Everybody notice where that letter is from? Boone, Iowa is about 30 miles away from where I grew up.
Sometime in the early 1980's we ran into a man and his son at the Des Moines gun show who were carrying around an INC. muzzle brake in the box that was brand new.
Made him an offer at the show, but he didn't accept at the time.
After the show they ended up stopping at our shop in Perry where we purchased the muzzle brake.
While there, the father said he also had a couple old catalogs back at his house and that he'd been into Rugers from about the very beginning... purchasing serial number 356 .357 as the first Blackhawk seen in Boone County.
So we ended up going to his house and there purchased a 1951 catalog in the original envelope (which I believe is now pictured in Ruger & His Guns by R.L. Wilson) as well as a 1956 catalog (the rare one with the tri-color Lightweight and .44 flattop pictured) with envelope.
inside that 1956 envelope was the Bill Ruger signed letter you see there, along with a "PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS" decal.
About ten years later I met my wife. My brother-in-law through that marriage was Dave Jones and his father Dave Jones, Sr. who I purchased the catalogs from, and both whom which were at that 1980's Des Moines gun show with the INC. muzzle brake.
Chet15
Last edited by chet15 on Tue Apr 19, 2022 6:28 am, edited 2 times in total.
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