RugerSociety.com

Does anybody know anything about this? According to some paperwork packed with it, Ruger owned the company "Yankee Mechanics Inc." located at 1 lacey place in Southport Conn

I guess I need to host some pics someplace to post them here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HkvIWb ... p=sharing

Appears unused

Few more pics

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a3Bc80 ... sp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DCWtHI ... sp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b8E28A ... sp=sharing

Here is a copy of their brochure.

Very interesting paper work.
Sent you a PM with question.
Terry

Hello guys,

Yankee Mechanics, Inc. was owned by Bill Lett, a childhood and life long friend of Bill Ruger. In 1962-63 Sturm, Ruger & Co. bought the failing company. At the same time Steve Vogel came to work at Ruger and his first assignment was to organize Yankee and start making it profitable. Before long Vogel submitted a proposal and bid to the U.S. military, and it would sustain the company and put it on a road to prosperity. Alas, at the last minute the deal fell through, and Yankee gasp it's last breath.

Lett needed something to do; Bill Ruger urged him to set up a shop and make wood grips for his revolvers, Ruger probably financed all or part of the cost. Lett began to provide XR3RED panels in late 1962 and Bearcat panels a little later.

The Clydesdale Winch Hoists are fairly rare, one that is still in the accessory steel case is very rare. The steel case has "A Subsidiary of Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc." and the familiar Ruger eagle painted on it. These winches or a West Texas "come-along" saw a lot of use, those that I have seen look pretty shabby (and greasy). The one in my collection looked pretty bad too, but, it cleaned up and is just fine now. The case is very good.

John

This one has not seen daylight in a long time. I will take more pics this afternoon.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19t9QVx ... sp=sharing

John,
Thank you for that info.
Learned more about these winch's from your post than I have in years of digging on my own.

Terry

Thanks John. I never heard of these winches, or of that company. As they say, you learn something new everyday!

Guys,

I made a mistake on my previous post. Steve Vogel came to work at Ruger in 1973, not 1963.

I did some digging through my Yankee material and thought the following might be of interest to you. There were 3 models and each one was serial numbered. Although Yankee was all but belly up by the time Vogel came into the picture, they continued to sell some winches that were on hand at least up till 1980. My winch is a Mod. B serial No. B01230. Following is the breakdown on the models;

Model A 3/4 ton capacity 30' 5/16" cable $133.25
Model B 1 1/2 ton capacity 60' 3/8" cable $153.75
Model B-3 1 1/2 - 3 ton capacity 60' 3/8" cable $169.25
Model C-1 fitted steel case for all models $20.50

John

More pics

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E-x-Od ... sp=sharing

Back side:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F4SW5B ... sp=sharing

Dad had a sense of humor. It was packed away in an old dynamite box:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bcUWTG ... sp=sharing