RED Label Engraving

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jccredlabel
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 5:04 pm

RED Label Engraving

Post by jccredlabel »

My collecting interest has now targeted the Engraved Ruger Red Labels. The short story is my first is a 2005 20 gauge with the grouse.

The second is Ruger Hand Engraved 20 gauge photo like can be seen in the 2005 Ruger Catalog. After some research John J Adams Jr. has been identified as the the engraver. It was further discovered that fewer than 400 of these were made.

The third is 1999 50th Anniversary Engraved 20 gauge with a Pheasant.

From a letter from CEO M.Fifer It has been gleaned that Automated Finishing produced the Ruger Engraved Red Labels, I presume they also produced the 50th Anniversary Engraved since the scroll work is the same pattern. I think it is interesting that different game birds were used to differentiate the two offerings in 20 gauge.

I would sure like to hear from some Ruger Retiree or some of you Ruger Gurus If you can add to this story. This seems like information that should be preserved if/while while it is still available.
67stingray
Posts: 825
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:35 pm
Location: Iron City, TN

Re: RED Label Engraving

Post by 67stingray »

That's a cool set to collect, glad you shared your interest in them, not me but I'm sure some of the group will have some great info. Show us some pics, we like pics.
Bennett
Any day without learning is a day of backing up.
Watertender
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Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2015 3:42 pm

Re: RED Label Engraving

Post by Watertender »

SPAS15 is our British Red Label Man. He is a great guy and will be interested in your collection.
Some people sit on $.05 of knowledge like it is the treasure of Egypt. I will teach anyone $.10 worth just to prove a point...
jccredlabel
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 5:04 pm

Re: RED Label Engraving

Post by jccredlabel »

Mary sent me a note that her Husband and her Son engraved a total of 382 red labels
401-* = 50
411-* = 190
420-* = 70
430-* = 72

Sadly her note did not specify which were A, B or C grade(s) I have reached out to see if these were designed by some one else and adopted by Ruger as A, B, C patterns or patterns that the Adams Engravers developed them selves? I hope some day this information will be preserved for the sake of history.
jccredlabel
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 5:04 pm

Re: RED Label Engraving

Post by jccredlabel »

Mary sent me a note that her Husband and her Son engraved a total of 382 red labels
401-* = 50
411-* = 190
420-* = 70
430-* = 72

Sadly her note did not specify which were A, B or C grade(s) I have reached out to see if these were designed by some one else and adopted by Ruger as A, B, C patterns or patterns that the Adams Engravers developed them selves? I hope some day this information will be preserved for the sake of history.
jccredlabel
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 5:04 pm

Re: RED Label Engraving

Post by jccredlabel »

After reading the catalog and the Ruger book by R.L.Wilson. The question occurred, were the designs engraved by the Adams, their designs or patterns provided by Ruger?

It seemed like a good reason to follow up with their office manager. Mrs. Adams, Mary sent me a reply a day ago.

It turns out the scroll designs, like my shotgun, were designed by the Adams. The nick and dot border design was designed by someone at Ruger..

With a little luck maybe we can learn who that might have been?
SPAS 15
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2017 12:31 pm
Location: U.K., yes we can have guns

Re: RED Label Engraving

Post by SPAS 15 »

You are correct Watertender i would be very interested.

Although my original idea for getting a Red Label was the fact that they came with plain receivers but all I could find at the time was an All Weather with a gold pheasant engraving but I was not disappointed.
Last edited by SPAS 15 on Thu Aug 22, 2019 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
chet15
Posts: 734
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:28 am

Re: RED Label Engraving

Post by chet15 »

jccredlabel:
From the Reference of Ruger Firearms...

Hand engraved series 28 Gauge. Known s/n range 420-00205 to 420-00702. Production quantities: KRL-2826A = 27; KRL-2827A = 24; KRL-2826B = 19; KRL-2827B = 1 or 2; KRL-2826C = 1; KRL-2827C = 1 or 2 (known s/n 420-00205). A total of 73 or 75 engraved .28 Gauge Red Labels were produced.

Hand-engraved series 20 Gauge. Known s/n range 401-02158 to 401-02415. Production quantities: KRL-2029B = 40; KRL-2030B = 11; KRL-2029C = 3 or 4 (known s/n 's 401-02158, 401-02158 (which is the prototype) and 401-02165; note: s/n 401-02333 was shipped as a "C" pattern gun although it is actually of the "B" pattern); and KRL-2030C = 1.
Only 55 or 56 .20 Gauge Red Labels in the Engraved series were produced.

Hand-engraved series 12 Gauge Red Label. Known s/n range 411-02158 to 411-05519. Production quantities: KRL-1227A = 18; KRL-1226B = 44; KRL-1227B = 88 or 89; KRL-1236B = 1; KRL-1226C = 10 (known s/n's 411-03675, 411-03862, 411-04540, 411-04561 and 411-04565); and KRL-1227C = 6 (known s/n 411-04185). Only 167 or 168 12 Gauge Red Labels in the engraved series were produced. All models are extremely rare. Note: The prototype KRL-1227B pattern gun (s/n 411-03245) is known to have been shipped through normal distribution channels.

Engraved series Woodside shotgun. A total of 81 were produced (known s/n range 430-00207 to 430-01524). Quantities: KWS-1226A = 44; KWS-1227A = 17; KWS-1226B = 8; KWS-1227B = 6; KWS-1226C = 1 (known s/n 430-00239); and KWS-1227C = 5 (known s/n's 430-00824, 430-01247 and 430-01524). Only 81 engraved Woodside shoguns in the Engraved were produced.

Any of the shotguns above may have been engraved by John J. Adams, Sr., John J. Adams, Jr., Carmine Lombardy, Alvin White, Andrew Bourbon and Jon Ashford on order of the Ruger factory. Any of these models are extremely rare. Although these were supposed to have a Circassian Walnut buttstock and forearm, only the earliest guns were shipped with such wood. Later guns shipped will be found to have a Circassian buttstock and black Walnut forearm or both pieces cut from black Walnut.

These notes came from John Adams not too long after these guns were completed.

Chet15
chet15
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Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:28 am

Re: RED Label Engraving

Post by chet15 »

The above info is much updated in the February 2021 issue of Red Eagle News Exchange.
Chet15
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