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Don...do you know why the RCA stopped providing letters like the one dated in 1991. An actual manufacturing date and a shipping date are more interesting than just the month and year shipped?

Bill

Would it help if an appropriate administrator of this forum forwarded this thread to the Ruger CEO so he can read this chain of comments regarding Ruger letters of authenticity? I read through them again and none contain any inappropriate comments. I've displayed my Rugers only once, and when I was designing my display, I was disappointed that I couldn't get letters containing more information. Signed letters with lots of information attract a greater interest from the viewing public.
Don

Just a thought here, a letter, such as the old RCA letters, model #, serial #, production and ship date, for a lesser fee. More detailed, such as the Smith, Winchester and Colt Type letters, describing everything possible, that Ruger would have record of for a fee in line with the aforementioned Manufacturers. I have a lot of Maxi's that I would love to get detailed letters on.....Especially subscription type guns that would include who they shipped to..........that may be an issue..............JMHO. Jack

When Steve Vogel was alive RCA had access to the records. That stopped when with the passing of Mr. Vogel. RCA had a lady (Nancy) who would go to the Factory and retrieve information. In the old days if you knew who your gun was shipped to the Factory would confirm that information. Factory letters were free. Individuals took advantage and that was changed. An employee told me she worked a week on one persons letters. This person didn't own any of the guns he was trying to letter.

Letters from Colt Archive Properties, LLC are a minimum of $75. S&W letters of authenticity issued by Roy Jinks are $75, but only $65 for members of the S&W Collectors Association and/or S&W Historical Foundation. Copies of invoices (1947-1966) are $35. I do Foundation Letters for S&Ws shipped from 1920-1941 and provide copies of any documents (correspondence, orders, invoices, etc.) I find. Cost is $45 for the letter for a member of the Foundation and $65 for a non-member. Each copy of a document is $5. There is no charge for the search.

If letters were $75, a historian position could possibly be funded annually. However, letters provided would have to be similar to what S&W and Colt provide. For example, I have a BKH30 that was shipped in July 1959. From an article in the RENE, I learned it was in the first shipment of .357 Magnum Blackhawks with this barrel length. A factory letter could provide the date the revolver was made, the date it was shipped, where it was shipped, and also state it was in the first shipment of .357 Magnum Blackhawks with a 10-inch barrel. That would be a letter well worth $75 or more.

I realize this is ground that has been well covered in the past without success in convincing Ruger executives to change their position on information provided in factory letters, but it never hurts to continue to discuss the issue as it is important to the future of Ruger collecting.

Bill

Bill, amen and well stated. The old RCA certificates were as close to any of the letters from Colt and S&W as we Ruger collectors have ever seen. I wish we still had Steve Vogel to help us! Our ROCS president has been in direct discussion with Ruger executives about this request, but they seem unwilling to supply the information required. I seem to remember that BKH-30 and glad that you still own it! Brass Frame/Lee E

Wow, what a great conversation! Don, I'm going to send a formal letter to Mr. Killoy. In it, I'm going to include some photographs of my collection, a short bio about me, and my reasons for my specific request. It can't hurt. Do you think the Lacey Place Address ATTN: Christopher Killoy would find its way to him?

I believe that address will get your letter to him. You might tell him what you have heard about requesting a regular $10 letter. Maybe he will not refer you to that. Good luck.