Tool Production Number Estimates

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Rugerologist
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Tool Production Number Estimates

Post by Rugerologist »

This question is mainly for Don but anyone here with the knowledge please feel free to chime in. Are there any estimates or known quantities regarding production numbers for any of the Ruger Corp tools? My library and paperwork are all still boxed but I don't recall seeing any of that information before in my literature.
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rpm enterprises
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Re: Tool Production Number Estimates

Post by rpm enterprises »

Not sure if any information is actually known on production numbers but I've collected these tools for a long time. The pistol grip (hand drill) is most common about 4 variations that I know of. Then next I would think the egg beater type drill and there are several variations then the brace bit 1010 two variations unless you think the Seymour Smith counts personally I don't. Then the yankee screwdrivers two models were produced but there is a third variation. Then last but not least is the breast drill. Personally I only know of 5 in private collections in which I have 2 of. From what I've been told is after The Ruger Corp went into receivership remaining unsold tools were tossed.
chet15
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Re: Tool Production Number Estimates

Post by chet15 »

I believe the copies of the invoices for the grip frame shells have appeared here before, and are also pictured in Don Findley's books. If I remember correctly, those invoices show 15,000 left side and 15,000 right side shells being ordered.
Don't know if they used them all or not, but that's probably a good start for quantity.
With every other Ruger Corp tool being at least a bit rarer (the straight drill) to extremely rare (the brace drill and Yankee screwdrivers), we can probably make some good guesses.
With the price of what the breast drill would have been compared to other established makes like Stanley or Miller's Falls, I can't imagine more than a few hundred of those being made. Yankee screwdrivers that are known show them being maybe 3-4 times more common.
Chet15
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