Single Six # 14

Includes all Pre-1973 Old model Single-Sixes, Blackhawks,
Super Blackhawks, Bearcats, Super Bearcats, Hawkeye
and Black Powder Old Army.
d findley
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Single Six # 14

Post by d findley »

Single Six S/N 14. Original owner Julian Hatcher. For comparison: grip on right from # 14 - Grip left is regular optional 50s ivory. Bottom is "squared off" on #14 panel. Medallion set a little different. I questioned these grips when talking to Walt Sych at an NRA meeting several years ago. Walt started employment at Ruger in 1949. He remembered some special order ivories were made in the shop ("free-hand" 1 pair at a time) without the benefit of a jig used by commercial makers and will no doubt differ.
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Last edited by d findley on Mon Nov 25, 2019 6:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
d findley
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by d findley »

Couldn't get all in one post.
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67stingray
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by 67stingray »

Another really neat piece of history, thanks for sharing.
Bennett
Any day without learning is a day of backing up.
RocDoc
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by RocDoc »

Hope you are working on a new book
flattop44
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by flattop44 »

Sure helps clear up the questions regarding the ivories on #22. #14 is sure a fine looking RSS.
Bill
JAYDAWG
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by JAYDAWG »

WOW.......
My # is 14.
Birthday, sports numbers, even "acquired" a road mileage sign at some point 8-) ect...
AND, did I mention Jay is short for Julian!?!?!
You get my drift......
Yikes.
Bucket list stuff here............
LOVE THIS RSS.
Thank you for posting Mr. Findley!

Cheers,
JAY
I do not "own" these guns, I am but the next caretaker
chet15
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by chet15 »

Donnie:
Never heard you mention the conversation on the ivories with Walt Sych before.
OK. With that then, the ivories on #14 most likely came from the first batch of ivory ordered from Superior Pearl and Horn Corp, 50 pair on 10/20/1953, along with 50 pair of stag on 10/22/53.
The next batch of ivory from Superior were received 5/26/54, so we can pretty much say the #14 ivory were from the original Superior order since #14 was shipped to Hatcher on December 29, 1953. The #22 that is seen in another ROCS thread was shipped to writer Larry Koller in March 1954, so again those ivories would be tied to the first shipment from Superior as the 2nd shipment wasn't received until 5/26/54.
Of the first batch of 50 ivory, 21 pair were returned as being "flawed and returned for credit" as were 35 pair of stag of the original batch of 50, this info courtesy of J.D.'s addendum.
Note that the #14 ivory panels have one panel (or both panels?) that have no bevel on the bottom and the same panel has a huge void in the swell area of the grip, it tapers flat as opposed to the other panel. Seeing pictures of the #22 panels for the first time in June of this year I noticed a big yellow area on the outside of the left panel that was inconsistent with the grain/color of the rest of the panel and later figured that it was some kind of white/yellow substance used to repair the grip... or now, due to the pics of the #14 panel probably "to repair a large natural void in the panel".
So now it looks like somebody at Ruger tried to save some of the panels that were "flawed" in the original batch of 50 ivory.
OK...so, since with the comment from Donnie via Walt Sych, I really think there needs to be some parameters set with original ivory or stag, because if there aren't, every pair of stag and ivory that are out there that have medallions will be considered factory, no matter what the positions of the medallions are... and many of you guys are already doing that. Everybody likes the thought of owning a pair of factory ivory or stag, but this part of our hobby has been completely perverted by the unscrupulous. I am reminded of the three pair of ivory I saw on guns at a collector show in Eastern, Nebraska in the early 1980's, of a collector by the name of Bobby Christensen, who said he had recently purchased the three pair. He let me take each pair off to examine them, each pair looked perfect in every way including medallion position and I thought it was pretty ironic that all three pair had matching numbers, but the three numbers were consecutive. Then I noticed 3 out of the six black eagle medallions were post '66!! I have no doubt that some of you guys now have these grips in your collection, even if the medallions were changed... ALL THREE PAIR WERE FAKE!
In email back and forth with the owner of the #22 in June, I said I did not believe the grips were factory because of the other issues that were present with the grips, no need to mention here, that was before noting Donnie's Sych conversation above.
The catcher is... the #14 grips and the #22 grips both have notable flaws if not manufacturer's problems, and both pair were sent to gun writers, and both pair fit that first group of 50 pair of ivory from Superior that had noted flaws in them, shipped to Ruger "before" the next batch of ivory came from Superior. That is the big difference. So looks like, if the medallions are in different positions and the ivories or stag are "known" to be from this first batch from Superior (not sure how anybody is going to be able to tie a pair of stag or ivory to that first batch unless the gun went to a writer or some such), looks like they are good as gold.
I am not doubting what Walt Sych said to Donnie that a few pair had the medallions done "freehand", but I think this currently has to be tied with a writer's gun, of the first batch of ivory known to have been shipped before the next batch of ivory came in on 5/26/1954 (JD addendum).
I also cannot doubt however my conversation with engineer Chris Cashavelly in 1994 or 1995 who said he is the one who made the apparatus to install and stake the medallions in the grips "AT THE FACTORY", and that he also knew the employee who did those installations who in his own words "was very good at it".
Chet15
Last edited by chet15 on Fri Nov 29, 2019 9:03 am, edited 5 times in total.
ElNumeroUno
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by ElNumeroUno »

I am not aware of any Single Sixes that went to Writers, etc, that were equipped with Stag. There are a handful of Single Sixes sent to notables very early with Ivory. I do not think you can compare these early known revolvers Ivories with the Ivory grips sold as optional later.
El Numero Uno
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chet15
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by chet15 »

Were there other ivory or stag other than what JD listed in his comprehensive listing, from the 4 major suppliers?
How to identify?
We know what the letter prototype Single-Six ivories all look like, have never seen the backs but the meds are all in the same position.
If the ivories on # 7 and 8 Spanish guns have been on those since they were new, these can probably (not 100% sure) be tied to at least the 2nd batch of ivory from superior since the guns weren't received back from Spain until August 20, 1954 after the 2nd batch of ivory had been received from Superior 5/26/54). The only reason I'm thinking this, is the 7 and 8 panels look like the letter prototype panels as far as med position, with no flaws in the panels themselves. For the life of me I cant figure out why Ruger would ship crappy looking panels like they evidently did on #14 and #22 writer's guns, but evidently that's all they had at the time (pre 2nd batch), as evidenced by the 21 sets that were returned for credit. Cant even imagine how those 21 returned pair looked as compared to the 14 and 22 panels!! Superior must have gotten their act together though because the 7 and 8 panels look wonderful! Did the #13 have ivory on it? #15? 13 and 15 should have been shipped early enough, but dont know if they had ivory.
So then there is also the #100 Jerred engraved .357 also verified as being shipped with ivory, and shipped to Jack Behn on 8/27/57. These ivories also have the meds in exactly the same position as the letter prototype Single-Sixes. They can very possibly tied to the 51 pair of ivory received back from Ruger's 4th and final vendor on 8/22/57, House of Treasures.
Lee I remember a story from Munnell a long time ago that Fred Davis, Jr. had a Single-Six, not the #51, that was verified from the factory as being shipped with ivory. Do you recall the gun? As I remember it was an RSS4. That is the only other pair of ivory that I can recall as being tied to a gun that was shipped originally with ivory.

If somebody would like to post the pic of the one #22 panel with the huge flaw repair I can send via email.
Last edited by chet15 on Fri Nov 29, 2019 8:56 am, edited 3 times in total.
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gunman42782
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Re: Single Six # 14

Post by gunman42782 »

Amazing.
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