single six acuracy

[woods]

     I am looking at purcasing a sigle six soon and would like a general opinion pole of acuracy you get from yours and the type of ammo. I'm looking for 25 yard acuracy from your sigle action and what cylinder 22 lr or 22 mag. I have two friends that currently own one both get about 2 1/2" groups at 25 yards with the 22 lr neither one uses the mag cylinder so don't know what it will print. One has the 7 1/2" barrel the other has 5 1/2" barrel. This single six will probably end up on my son's hip for a graduation present.

woods

[Blackhawk44]

Try a number of different brands of ammo.  Once you find the one your gun favors, buy several bricks.  Usually the various loose packs at Wally World are not the greatest for accuracy.  On average, solids are more accurate than hollow points and standard velocity is more accurate than high speeds.  Once you find the favored round I believe that you can expect benchrest groups well under your friend's 2 1/2 inch range.  My 35 year old stainless 4.6" will beat 2" handily with mags and LR's will do a good bit better.  My older eyes favor the shorter barrels and I like their handiness.   

[Ken ONeill]

I have found that I can test from Federal Champion, WW Super X 37 gr. hollowpoints , and WW Super X 40 gr. to select one that has grouped well out of every Single Six I've owned (6). None would group worse than 1 1/2" @ 25 yds for a cylinder full. A couple would group much better. Many other types of ammo may do as well or better from the next Single Six you or I test...it comes down to checking.
Generally, my Mag. cylinders haven't done quite as well, but have probably averaged 1 1/4-11/2"

[troy_mclure]

i just picked up a used 5.5" i shot 100 federal lightning real quick today.

i was hitting 6" plates free hand at 25yds no prob.

[cybin]

I have owned 2 Ruger single sixs and neither shot very well in my opinion. I also own 2 of the ruger semi auto's that will shoot rings around the single six--I guess it boils down to what you consider acceptable. I on occasion like to shoot squirrels with my .22 hand guns. I wouldn't try it with the single sixs I owned. I have read and heard people brag on their single sixs, but they didn't do much for me.

The most accurate .22 revolver that I have ever shot was a Smith&Wesson K.22, and the second most accurate revolver was a cheap German made .22, that frankly must have been one in a million, becouse I knew several people who owned the same make and model, who couldn't hit the side of a barn from the inside shooting out.

If I just had to go with a .22 revolver, I would go with a Smith&Wesson.

cybin

[Racer X]

I did this same poll awhile back and there were many replies. I have a 5-1/2" stainless and it will do 2" at 15 yards off a rest, maybe a little better with match ammo. From what I've heard, it's a crap shoot whether you get a good one or not.

[salvo]

I have two Single Sixes, mine shoot just like Ken ONeill's post above, except 22 mag also shoots as good as LR.
I think if you take the time to find the ammo they like, most will easily shoot 1 1/2" -2" @ 25 yds.

[blhof]

I'm another lucky Single six owner, as mine has done >1" groups at 15yds with match ammo and easily takes tree rats at 25+yds with Wally World ammo.  The mag cylinder has taken prairie dogs at 50+yds.  I bought mine used for the starting bid price becausde it had a scope on it and apparently no one bid.  I had already bought an adjustable sight for it at a gun show, but the scope is dead on out to 25yds with the LR and is within 1" out to 75yds. and I've been able to clang the gong at 200yds at the outdoor range.  I can only do it on a calm day with a spotter to listen and watch for any movement.

[jk3006]

My Bisley (no mag cylinder) shoots 2 inches or less at 25 yards with the Federal bulk pack 36 grain stuff. 

[dpe.ahoy]

I have 2 of the stainless 5 1/2", only one has the 22 LR cylinder.  The mags shoot a little better out of both, the LR cylinder will fit either, but LR or mag, rabbits are taken regularly with head shots.  DP

[bluecow]

never shot paper groups with mine but it seems to hit what i point it at.  ive had this gun for 30 yrs. and think that maybe i should and ajust the sights, then i go back to it hits what i point it at so why?

[blhof]

That's the way I feel about the scope that came on mine; it shoots to where I point and was that way when I bought it, so I guess I'll leave it on.

[Travis Morgan]

The mag conversion versions won't shoot as well as the others because they're rifle for the larger, harder jacketed bullet of the .22 mag..

[texagun]

The mag conversion versions won't shoot as well as the others because they're rifle for the larger, harder jacketed bullet of the .22 mag..

Where did you get your information?

[kynardsj]

My stainless single six started life as a 5 1/2 inch but I had it cut to a 4 5/8 because I liked the looks of it. I've had it for over 10 years now and it is extremely accurate with Wally World bulk pack Federals or Remington Yellow Jackets. With the magnum cylinder in it's not so accurate.

[texagun]

My stainless single six started life as a 5 1/2 inch but I had it cut to a 4 5/8 because I liked the looks of it. I've had it for over 10 years now and it is extremely accurate with Wally World bulk pack Federals or Remington Yellow Jackets. With the magnum cylinder in it's not so accurate.

I've been quite pleased with my old Convertible too. I find it to be quite accurate with both cylinders.  I'm just wondering where Travis got his information.

[Graybeard]

Prolly the same place him and Swampman get all their info....they pull it out of their aaaahhhh never mind. 

[texagun]

You are prolly right..............

I've had 3 of them over the years....gave 2 to my sons, and I still have one.  All were suitably accurate with both cylinders.

[AtlLaw]

You know, I haven't shot my single six with either cylinder in I can't remember how long...    Guess it's about time I dug it out.  Once again GBO reminds me of fun things I need to do!     'sides, I want to compare accuracy.   

[Keith L]

Mine is better with the LR cylinder, but is still OK with the mag.  It seems more ammo sensitive with the mag and right now I can't remember which brand works best. 

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive owned a bunch of them through the years and none have been real tack drivers. Ive had some that shot 1.5 inch with there best loads and thats about it. Most were in the 2 inch or a little more area with the ammo they liked best. As to 22 mags its just as much of a crap shoot. Ive had single sixes and still have one that shoots 22 mags better then lrs. the one i have know shoots 22 mags into about an inch at 25 yards which is the most accurate a single six has ever shot for me. It sprays 22 lrs though. I keep that one just because it does so well with mags. Id say though that generally they shoot lrs a bit better then mags but not by a whole lot. Id have to guess the reason most think they do is they cant afford to buy 10 differnt boxes of differnt ammo to try in there guns to see what shot the best. I love single sixes but buy them knowing there not target guns  but guns made to roll  beer cans at camp and to pot a little small game occasionaly.

[Travis Morgan]

My stainless single six started life as a 5 1/2 inch but I had it cut to a 4 5/8 because I liked the looks of it. I've had it for over 10 years now and it is extremely accurate with Wally World bulk pack Federals or Remington Yellow Jackets. With the magnum cylinder in it's not so accurate.

I've been quite pleased with my old Convertible too. I find it to be quite accurate with both cylinders.  I'm just wondering where Travis got his information.

   Slugging barrels after this was a topic of discussion elsewhere, and talking to the Ruger techs back when they had more good ones.

[texagun]

   Slugging barrels after this was a topic of discussion elsewhere, and talking to the Ruger techs back when they had more good ones.

Huh?

[Ken ONeill]

It is a fact that the flatgates and pre-convertible Single-Six's were designed to have slightly tighter bore dimensions than the Single- Six's that came later and were designed to accomodate both LR's and slightly larger diameter magnum bullets. However, that was a LONG time ago (pre-early '60's), and "designed to" doesn't necessarily mean that all those tolerances were as closely held as intended, although my own flatgate was quite accurate.
 I'm told that all the non-convertible New Models, like the 1973 "Star" models actually have the larger bore diameter convertble dimensioned barrels, although they were fitted only with .22 LR cylinders. My own 1973 9 1/2" "Star" model still shoots like blazes and is a veteran of many Metallic Silhouette matches and championships... barrel dimension aside.
There's no question that duds can get out of any factory, and in my mind at least, there's no question that a Mk. I, II, or III will likely be a bit more accurate than a Single-Six...but testing ammo is the way to optimize performance, and not doing it is foolish, assuming the owner knows how to shoot well.

[Hank08]

If you want to know how well any handgun shoots get a Ransom rest and lots of brands of ammo.  That will tell you how it shoots then you shoot it and find out how you and the handgun shoots, probably be different.  Ruger single sixs aren't target guns but will still outshoot most of the shooters using them.  Does the bore diameter make a difference?  Not on my FA .22/.22mag. It's super accurate with either cylinder, making me think, while it might be important ,other things are more important than the bore diameter. At present I have 3 Ruger 22/22mags and 1 .22 mag. they don't shoot like the FA but they are plenty good for small game and pop cans.  I've had many of them in the last 50 yrs.  They all shot about 1 1/2" to 2" at 25 yds. with standard ammo.
H08

[vdubluv]

My first handgun was/is a single six convertable. It's blued,6.5 inch, made in 1975. I've shot thousands of 22 lr and maybe 100 mags. I used to bench test alot of different loads and found American Eagle 38hp high velocity(40/400 round box/brick) would group consistently under an inch. I've since  not found that ammo (or way overpriced) but it's still easy to keep about any ammo at an inch or so. Routinely shooting shotgun shells at 35-40 yards used to be a normal thing before I got "into" so many other guns. All I did to that gun since I got it used for $165 is replace the rear sight blade with the narrow notch one. I've owned ALOT of mark 2 Rugers and NONE were as consistantly accurate as "old reliable" Except one ugly rusty, worn, 4.5" mark 2 I paid $150 OTD at a pawn shop came close. I once adapted an old Bushmell phantom 1.3 scope to the single-6 and it would do one ragged hole easy till the homemade mount came loose again . It's a keeper.     Well, let me tell ya about my security 6...