Rare Rugers

DOUGLAS D

DOUGLAS D

CGN frequent flyer
Uber Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
114   0   0
Location
Alberta
No wish to hijack the other thread but it's an interesting topic ..at least it is to me.
There are no doubt many very limited or perhaps even "one off" Rugers out there. I think old Bill liked to play with the collectors of this world.
I've owned a few rare or semi rare ones that I wish I'd kept.
A pair of tang safety RSI's in 22-250 and 250 Savage come to mind.

I've managed to hang onto a .257 Roberts in the round top although it's more of a safe queen than anything.

Gorsline Sports in Olds Alberta used to have a tang safety 77RS in 284 Winchester hanging behind the counter back in the late 70's.
I've never seen another since then and have no idea where that one ended up.

Anyone else have a couple rare ones squirreled away or wish you'd kept?
77's..Number 1's...Number 3's...Blackhawks ...Bearcats ..all welcome
 
I've owned/ own a number of Super Blackhawks in 357 Maximum in both 7.5 and 10.5" barrels.

An uncatalouged # 3 in 30-06 the collectors association has confirmed 3 in existence. Not sure if this one as it was sold it 35 years ago.

# 1 S in 38-55
#1A Stainless in 6.5x55
Lyman Commerative 1 of 1000 Cased 4570 with number matching scope and all accessories.
1S in 475 Linebough

Early tang safety 358 Winchester with Sights

.
1022 Canadians both checkerd and uncheckerd.

Single Six liteweight aluminum frame and cylinder.

As well their are a number of recent releases of less then 250 in various #1s

357
 
Last edited:
Yup, Ruger is a strange company... it was a "hands on, passion project" for Bill... there were a couple "go to" guys in the factory that were put on special projects to whip-up one-offs... one of them worked in the parts department up until a couple years ago and was probably the best resource for unique pieces to come out of the factory without documentation... in one conversation we had, I encouraged him to write a book, or partner with a writer on a book, it will be a shame to lose all of the info he possesses and his mind was like a steel trap. I won't reiterate "that rifle" from the other thread in this thread, but other oddities that I have come across are many with wildly out of sequence serial numbers, which Ruger is known for doing. A current RSM .375 H&H with a No.1 serial number, a friend has an Express in 6.5X55 (never made according to all records), I had a 17" M77RS .358 (never made according to all records), I had a three rifle set of M77R MKII rifles with sequential serial numbers in .257, 6.5X55 and 7X57, which I am told never happens... those went to a trading partner in Texas for serious consideration. I know of a set of African "training" rifles in .223, .257 Robert's and 6.5X55 complete with barrel band swivels, factory iron sights and double crossbolts... they belong to a friend in Wisconsin, the .223 with single crossbolt was a catalogued run, but with double crossbolts and the Robert's and Swede are unknown to anyone that I have talked to and certainly no literature on them. It is an interesting topic, and I would interested to hear what others have come across in their travels and trading.
 
I have a very few Rugers, a little on the rare side. A short while back, I acquired a Lipsey Ruger RSI in 7x57 which will fit well as my Vancouver Island 'wet coast' go to rifle, starting this season. Also in the gun safe, is an old 44 Ruger Flattop with a set of original Ruger staghorn grips. And, when the opportunity presented itself, I acquired a mint Ruger Single Six, an early flat loading gate model.
 
Original Stag Grips are certainly rare.

Early Flatops and Flatgates probably rate as rare in Canada, uncommon in the US.

A picture of the Flattop with the Stag grips would be a delight.

I once owned a 5 didjit serial number FT in 357

Years ago I was at a Vegas gun show, a vendor there had a table full of 4 and 5 digit FT for sale. These were his duplicates........ Shows how small the amounts were that made it north.

357
 
hoytcanon said:
Yup, Ruger is a strange company... it was a "hands on, passion project" for Bill... there were a couple "go to" guys in the factory that were put on special projects to whip-up one-offs... one of them worked in the parts department up until a couple years ago and was probably the best resource for unique pieces to come out of the factory without documentation... in one conversation we had, I encouraged him to write a book, or partner with a writer on a book, it will be a shame to lose all of the info he possesses and his mind was like a steel trap. I won't reiterate "that rifle" from the other thread in this thread, but other oddities that I have come across are many with wildly out of sequence serial numbers, which Ruger is known for doing. A current RSM .375 H&H with a No.1 serial number, a friend has an Express in 6.5X55 (never made according to all records), I had a 17" M77RS .358 (never made according to all records), I had a three rifle set of M77R MKII rifles with sequential serial numbers in .257, 6.5X55 and 7X57, which I am told never happens... those went to a trading partner in Texas for serious consideration. I know of a set of African "training" rifles in .223, .257 Robert's and 6.5X55 complete with barrel band swivels, factory iron sights and double crossbolts... they belong to a friend in Wisconsin, the .223 with single crossbolt was a catalogued run, but with double crossbolts and the Robert's and Swede are unknown to anyone that I have talked to and certainly no literature on them. It is an interesting topic, and I would interested to hear what others have come across in their travels and trading.
Click to expand...

Nice! I’ve only had one rsm and one express both are nice but the express does way more for me than the rsm’s
 
I've owned several American Liberty models from 1976. Not rare considering an entire years production is stamped that way but usually very nice wood in the number 1's.
Have managed to hold onto a sweet little 77R in 7X57 from 1976 which is one of my favorites.
Has anyone ever seen the Mkll Express in 25-06?
Rumored to exist but somewhat of a unicorn.
 
357Maximum said:
I've owned/ own a number of Super Blackhawks in 357 Maximum in both 7.5 and 10.5" barrels.

An uncatalouged # 3 in 30-06 the collectors association has confirmed 3 in existence. Not sure if this one as it was sold it 35 years ago.

# 1 S in 38-55
#1A Stainless in 6.5x55
.
1022 Canadians both checkerd and uncheckerd.

Single Six liteweight aluminum frame and cylinder.

As well their are a number of recent releases of less then 250 in various #1s

357
Click to expand...

^Lots of oddballs listed. I’ve heard the 30-06 #3’s mentioned but I never knew if it was true or not. That’s one a guy should have held onto.
 
357Maximum said:
Original Stag Grips are certainly rare.

Early Flatops and Flatgates probably rate as rare in Canada, uncommon in the US.

A picture of the Flattop with the Stag grips would be a delight.

I once owned a 5 didjit serial number FT in 357

Years ago I was at a Vegas gun show, a vendor there had a table full of 4 and 5 digit FT for sale. These were his duplicates........ Shows how small the amounts were that made it north.

357
Click to expand...

PM on the way as we speak.
 
I’ve never owned the truly oddballs as discussed as all were production, but each of these I shouldn’t have sold and are rare,

-Ruger Mark 10, 10” MK II .22 pistol, stainless
-.250 Savage stainless / walnut No.1A
-Couple Ruger Gold Label SxSs (still have one)
-Catalog grade No.1S .218 Bee, absurdly good walnut and I’m a snob on the wood
-Ruger Express .300 Win, serial number was 12345 after the prefix (if I’m a digit short a guy like Hoyt will know, going by memory but it was a perfect count up)

Now I want a stainless Red Label, badly.
 
double gun said:
Nice! I’ve only had one rsm and one express both are nice but the express does way more for me than the rsm’s
Click to expand...

I have a very nice Express in .30/06, but have had several others over the years, in .25/06, .270 and .300 WM... I agree, they are terrific rifles... I might have to get rid of the Express .30/06, because it renders all of my rationalization for owning any other rifle null and void. ;)
 
hoytcanon said:
I have a very nice Express in .30/06, but have had several others over the years, in .25/06, .270 and .300 WM... I agree, they are terrific rifles... I might have to get rid of the Express .30/06, because it renders all of my rationalization for owning any other rifle null and void. ;)
Click to expand...

Aha!! They do exist then!
I got my 30mm rings from Snap Shot last month and finally got the 300 Win Mag sighted in.
A 25-06 would be icing on the cake.
 
Hey Douglas D,you mentioned Gorrs Sportsline,I grew up in Olds, Lyle was a good guy,when I was young I would hang out there and drool over the rifles,can-am's and ski-doo's.Is Lyle still around.
 
Hey bubba.
Lyle's place was always my first stop whenever I hit town back then.
If I recall correctly I bought my first B-78 off Lyle and later on a 8mm Rem. Mag and a couple Ruger #1's.
Lost count of how many pairs of those Bushnell yellow shooting glasses we bought there and wore as safety glasses at work.
I hope Lyle has had a long successful retirement.
 
Ardent said:
I’ve never owned the truly oddballs as discussed as all were production, but each of these I shouldn’t have sold and are rare,

-Ruger Mark 10, 10” MK II .22 pistol, stainless
-.250 Savage stainless / walnut No.1A
-Couple Ruger Gold Label SxSs (still have one)
-Catalog grade No.1S .218 Bee, absurdly good walnut and I’m a snob on the wood
-Ruger Express .300 Win, serial number was 12345 after the prefix (if I’m a digit short a guy like Hoyt will know, going by memory but it was a perfect count up)

Now I want a stainless Red Label, badly.
Click to expand...

Your mention of a Red Label brought to mind the one tucked away in a back corner of the safe. I have a 20ga but mine is the blued model.
 
The Red Label sporting version is a sweet O/U. Brileys straight from the factory and 30 inch barrels.
Another example of a not so common gun as I don't think it sold in big enough numbers to stay in production.
Even if you don't use it for sporting clays it makes a dandy field gun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom