Ruger Single-Six
Sturm, Ruger & Co. · Revolver · Discontinued · 1953
Also known as: Old Model Single-Six, Three-Screw Single-Six
Overview
The Ruger Single-Six is a single-action rimfire revolver chambered in .22 Long Rifle, introduced by Sturm, Ruger & Co. in 1953. Inspired by the Colt Single Action Army that Colt had dropped from production, Bill Ruger designed an affordable Old West-style six-gun built with modern investment-cast steel and an aluminum-alloy grip frame. It feeds from a fixed six-round cylinder loaded one round at a time through a side gate, and is cocked manually for each shot. Wildly popular from its launch, the original "Old Model" three-screw design ran until 1973, when it was replaced by the transfer-bar-equipped New Model Single-Six.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 935 g (33.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 279 mm (10.98") |
| Barrel Length | 140 mm (5.51") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 330 m/s (1083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 141 J (104 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Aluminum Alloy |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Hard Rubber |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Fixed Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch, Loading Gate
- Features: Fixed Front Sight, Windage Adjustable Rear Sight, Fixed Cylinder Loading Gate, Convertible 22wmr Cylinder Option
Variants
- Ruger Single-Six Convertible — Convertible Cylinder
Production
Estimated total produced: 500,000 · Production years: 1953-1973
Roughly half a million 'Three Screw' Old Model Single-Sixes were produced before the 1973 New Model redesign; about 100 reached dealers in 1953, ~10,000 in 1954 and ~20,000 in 1955.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: William B. Ruger
Discontinued: 1973
Notes
Pre-1973 "Old Model" guns lack a transfer-bar safety and should be carried with the hammer over an empty chamber; Ruger offered free factory retrofits of the transfer bar to owners after 1973. A .22 WMR cylinder option appeared in 1959 and convertible models with interchangeable .22 LR / .22 WMR cylinders followed in 1962.
Background
Bill Ruger bet that nostalgia for the Old West, fueled by 1950s film and television Westerns, would create demand for an affordable single-action six-gun after Colt halted Single Action Army production. The Single-Six launched in 1953 at $57.50 and immediately sold faster than Ruger could build them, helping establish the company as a major American firearms maker.