Rescuing a Ruger Single Six

[Tallball]

I rescued this poor thing from an abusive home. Its cruel owner demanded $135 in ransom money. When I got it back to my house I cleaned off the majority of the rust and grime and took this picture. It will need more work. The little plunger assembly that releases the long cylinder pin is missing. I ordered its three separate parts from Brownell's ($20 total).

The bore looked really nice after I cleaned it. The mechanism works smoothly. Later today I will take the grips off and see how everything looks inside there.

 

[Tallball]

You can see that it is missing most of its finish in places. I figure I will get all of the rust and dirt off with fine steel wool, then cold blue the bare parts.

I bought it as a plinker, so it doesn't have to look beautiful as far as I'm concerned. If I can end up with a properly functioning Single Six for under $200, ugly is just fine.

 

[critter]

They are tough as can be. Should be ok and may very well make you a great shooter. After you find out that it is, you MAY want to refinish. Some of the spray-on bake-on finishes look pretty good and can be had very reasonably.

 

[Barry the Bear]

Poor girl she's shivering!!! Hope you get her up and shooting in no time.

 

[weblance]

Its a shame to see what that Single Six was subjected to, but its nice someone will give it some badly needed love.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I can't believe how some people take care of their guns.

I knew a guy when I still lived in PA that his father bought him a brand new 22lr rifle, so he takes it out in the woods to waste some ammo.

When he was done he leaned it up against a tree and just left it there for the next time he felt like shooting it.

It was there for weeks until it finally disappeared, don't know who finally took it and didn't really care. The idiot didn't deserve it.

 

[tallpaul]

you should send it to ruger... you may be pleasantly surprised at the cost to renew it....

 

[Red Cent]

Bead blast rusty guns.

 

[Red Cent]

 

[PJSprog]

As long as it shoots, I think you can't beat that deal. Plus, you have the added knowledge that you rescued it and gave it a decent home. Well played, sir.

 

[bannockburn]

Tallball

You are to be commended Sir for your fine and noble rescue work! If it were mine I think I would consider having it bead blasted then hard chrome plated. It deserves some sort of refinishing reward for all of the neglect and abuse it had to suffer with it's previous owner.

 

[MartinS]

A little oil and lots of use.

 

[Tallball]

We don't have much, but we can offer her a home. She will be cared for. We will make sure she always has plenty to eat. And she will have lots of brothers and sisters to play with.

 

[MartinS]

That'll do it.

 

[Waveski]

a friend of mine inherited a Ruger Standard in poor cosmetic condition. He sent it to Ruger for a tune-up and Re-blue. It now looks NEW - Beautiful , and they charged a mere $80!!!

Rubbed out with oil (maybe some fine scotch pad action) or re-blued ; either way you are good.

 

[RaceM]

Looks like something those Cajun boys pop gators with. Glad it's found a good home.

 

[Confederate]

I agree with the suggestion of sending it back to Ruger. Sometimes they get in a real charitable mood, especially if they know it wasn't you that abused the gun. But as to the post suggesting it was like a poodle shivering from the abuse, nah. Most Rugers are more like wild cats. A little mangy in patches, but still tough enough to bring in the meat. Well, except for that guy's SP-101 that blew up on him! But that's the exception.

Because .22 rimfires don't have corrosive components, the gunpowder residue actually can preserve the bore, so most of the damage is on the outside. But if it were my gun, I would keep the barrel like it is rather than trying to cold blue it. And unless there's a lot of pitting, I'd lean towards having the gun hard chromed. Mahovsky's did a Beretta 70S .22lr for me and it's one of my favorite handguns.

I'd like to see Ruger produce a lighter version of the Single-Six, but I love my stainless model. Before the ammo shortage, I was buying up .22lr and .22wmr left and right. I've yet to actually shoot a .22 wmr, but despite the extra $$$, it turned out buying some was a good idea. The Single-Six is one of the funniest guns to shoot.

 

[Armybrat]

Good on Tallball for rescuing that little abused waif!

Yeah, I'd send it in to Ruger to see what they could do for the action & missing parts.

The hard chrome finish is a good idea too.

Gratuitous picture of my SS - bought it new in 1959, and it still shoots great:

 

[2ndAmendmentNut]

If you are going to refinish it yourself I would highly recommend a slow rust blue finish. Rust blue is far more durable than modern hot bluing, and looks much better than cold blue.

Before:


After:

 

[PJSprog]

Wow. That turned out quite nice, 2ANut.

 

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Thanks. Here is a link with more pictures and a detailed explanation of the process.


http://http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/409787-slow-rust-blue.html

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

I'll chime in with the others, I was thinking the same thing. As already mentioned Ruger has been known to refinish some of their severely abused guns that had a hard life for little to next to nothing. Especially if it has a interesting story that goes along with it.

If I was lucky enough to pick something like that Single up I'd give Ruger's CS a call and talk to them. You might be pleasantly surprised. Whatever you decide to do I wish you good luck with it.