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YESTERDAY, DEC. 3rd, ONE OF MY LONG TERM QUESTS FINALLY RESULTED IN SUCCESS. IN THE BEGINNING, BACK IN OCTOBER OF 1983, A GOOD FRIEND PURCHASED A MINT AND UNFIRED RUGER T514, SN 75245, FROM LEE NEWTON. ACCOMPANYING THIS PISTOL WAS A LETTER FROM LEE TO THE PURCHASER, ATTESTING TO THE FACT THAT THE FIREARM ORIGINATED FROM THE ESTATE OF THE LATE FRED DAVIS JR.
DAVIS WAS ASSIGNED SN 50 AND 51 IN STURM RUGER'S LOW SN SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM, AND MANY OF HIS RUGER COLLECTION FIREARMS WERE COLORFULLY (RED BACKGROUND) SHOWN ON BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS OF THE FAMOUS BUT SHORT LIVED "GUNFACTS" MAGAZINE, ISSUE 3, JANUARY, 1969. ADDITIONALLY, "GUNFACTS" EDITOR KEN WARNER AND DAVIS CO-AUTHORED AN ACCOMPANYING ARTICLE IN THIS MAGAZINE WHICH FOCUSED ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTRODUCTION AND PRODUCTION OF STURM RUGER FIREARMS. MY FRIEND HAD AGREED THAT I COULD BECOME THE T514'S NEW CUSTODIAN AND I AM SO VERY PLEASED WITH HIS DECISION!
THE PISTOL I OBTAINED IS NOT PICTURED IN THE NOTED MAGAZINE AND ONE CAN BUT ASSUME THAT DAVIS EITHER OBTAINED THE GUN LATER, OR, HE CHOSE TO ONLY PICTURE THE STANDARD AUTO AND THE T678 MODEL, NOTING THE DISCONTINUANCE OF THE T514. THE T514 HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE STEPHEN VOGEL AND KLEIN SN 25XXX RANGES T514 ALREADY LIVING HERE WITH THE HAWKEYE GIRLS.

Mike, Congratulations! A very hard pistol to find and with good provenance.

Mike,
Glad it was it! Now you keep it 30+ years.

While WBR et al disagrees with my position on the T514 model, it remain that this model and it's target barrel should have permanently remained in the Sturm Ruger catalog. The barrel length and sights allow for ease of holstered carry and also sight resolution . Yes, the T514 did rematerialize in the MKII but for two short a time and it is still pursued by both collectors and shooters. Second, if You have not sought and obtained a copy of the noted "Gunfacts" magazine, please consider doing so as it belongs in the library of all Serious(!) Ruger firearm collectors.

Hawkeye28 wrote:While WBR et al disagrees with my position on the T514 model, it remain that this model and it's target barrel should have permanently remained in the Sturm Ruger catalog. The barrel length and sights allow for ease of holstered carry and also sight resolution . Yes, the T514 did rematerialize in the MKII but for too short a time and it is still pursued by both collectors and shooters. Second, if You have not sought and obtained a copy of the noted "Gunfacts" magazine, please consider doing so as it belongs in the library of all Serious(!) Ruger firearm collectors.

Last, I suggest that these early Ruger 22 autos remain under valued and ignored. Do not forget. they are the foundation firearms for the Sturm Ruger Company and accordingly, it's success.

Hawkeye, nice gun.....I have 500051(also 52 & 53) and 300051 which may have been from the DAVIS Collection.....

I have a few of these T514s in the gun room one with the hinged box and one in the 2 piece box then one with no box but has threads on the end of the barrel with the US stamp on the top....gotta love them....RR

Good for you Mike!
A long hunt that finally paid off for you,,,,+1
Terry

Congratulations, Mike!