Ruger Single Six New Model (Early Production)

[Patriot]

This Saturday I purchased a .22 caliber Single Six New Model with a
production date of 1976 through the classifieds on NES. There are two
cylinders with it. Supposedly one is a .22LR and the other a .22 Magnum.
Both cylinders have the correct serial number on them.

My problem is this: There are no identifying marks, language, or any other
verbage or signs that would differentiate between them. I have, to no avail,
searched the web and the Ruger site and have come up empty-handed. So
the only differentiation I have found between the two cylinders is that one
has an raised outer rim (lip) around the entire outer rear of the cylinder while
the other is completely flat. I am not describing the space for the rim of the
cartridge on either cylinder. That is machined in the cartidge chamber on
both of them.

I read on another forum that the one with the raised rim is the magnum.
Compounding this problem though is that the seller had this cylinder installed
in the revolver and described it as the standard. On top of this I have read,
and I am not sure how true this is, that under no circumstances should
either cartrdige be used in the other cylinder.



Thanks,

TBP

 

[Len-2A Training]

Best advice I can give you is check out the Ruger website for a manual if you don't have one. Info may be in there to help you.

Regardless, call Ruger on Monday morning and ask your questions and perhaps if they would refinish the 2nd cylinder properly.

 

[Patriot]

More information. I mic'd the cylinders and the one on the right is
~.225 at the front of the cylinder and ~.245 at the rear. The one
on the left is ~.225 at both ends. Anyone know the case dimension
of the .22WMR?

 

[jhrosier]

More information. I mic'd the cylinders and the one on the right is
~.225 at the front of the cylinder and ~.245 at the rear. The one
on the left is ~.225 at both ends. Anyone know the case dimension
of the .22WMR?

...

The one without the annular groove should be the .22 mag.
A sample .22 mag cartridge measures 0.239" in front of the rim (CCI brand).
Measurements of the chambers of two sample cylinders is:
.22 LR = 0.228"
.22 Mag = 0.247"

PM me if you have any other questions. I'm Ruger single action collector and have several of each of the models and age variations.

Jack

 

[Patriot]

Thanks jack,

Then the seller was correct and the thread I read in another group was
incorrect. Gotta be careful about what you read on the net these days.

Regards,

Richard

 

[jhrosier]

There is a lot of opportunity for confusion.
Ruger has been wonderfully inconsistent about the way that cylinders are marked, over the many years of production.
I have Cylinders that are marked, unmarked, fluted and unfluted, in both calibers.
The serial number markings are frequently illegible, being done by hand.
When I sent my favorite stainless Single-Six to the factory to have the missing .22 LR cylinder replaced, I requested a blued cylinder for this exact reason. They refused, at first, then agreed when I brought up the safety issue.
This 6-1/2" stainless Single-Six remains my favorite plinker, in either caliber.

 

[Patriot]

Jack,

I see a lot of cylinders on ebay for sale and they seem to be hotly
bidded. Are cylinders easily interchanged on these revolvers? It
would seem that by Ruger etching the numbers on the cylinders that
match the revolver that they wouldn't be that interchangable, or am
I just being too cautious.

Thanks,

Richard

 

[jhrosier]

Jack,

I see a lot of cylinders on ebay for sale and they seem to be hotly
bidded. Are cylinders easily interchanged on these revolvers? It
would seem that by Ruger etching the numbers on the cylinders that
match the revolver that they wouldn't be that interchangable, or am
I just being too cautious.

Thanks,

Richard

The cylinders are hand fitted to each frame, that's why they are serial numbered.
That being said, they will sometimes interchange with another frame. I wouldn't bet anything valuable either way.
It's probably a 50/50 shot (quessing) that the distance from the recoil shield to the barrel is close enough to use as-is, and somewhat less that the overall length of the cylinder (endshake) is close enough.
The chances that two randomly selected cylinders will both fit the same frame (interchangeable calibers), is just about zero.
A competant gunsmith can make all fit, for a price, by facing both cylinders to the same length, then setting back the barrel to suit.
The proper tolerances for both dimensions is about +/- 0.002", for a field gun and half that for a target gun.
Things sell for a lot of money on Ebay, sometimes to folks with over-active imaginations and fat wallets.