Author Topic: Found a $150 Single Six.  (Read 1262 times)

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Offline Steve P

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Found a $150 Single Six.
« on: March 23, 2009, 03:57:53 PM »
Found a cheap single six on one of the web sites.  Turned out to be a lot worse than I thought it would be.  Let the buyer beware on some of these auctions. 

If anyone sees Ruger single action handguns for a super price, please let me know, or post the info here on Gray Beards.

Steve :)
"Life is a play before an audience of One.  When your play is over, will your audience stand and applaude, or stay seated and cry?"  SP 2002

Offline Steve P

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2009, 04:02:38 PM »
The only thing nice about this gun was the Herret Grips that came on it.  Someone must have destroyed what ever was already on there. 

I took off the Herret grips and put on one of the standard grips.  Also took out an old tooth brush and did some clean-up.  Took most of the weekend, but ended up with a nice looking shooter. 

Steve :)
"Life is a play before an audience of One.  When your play is over, will your audience stand and applaude, or stay seated and cry?"  SP 2002

Offline Redhawk1

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2009, 04:23:16 PM »
I think I would invest in a new finishing job.
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Offline Steve P

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2009, 04:54:07 PM »
My camera takes lousy photos (or maybe I do!).  Gun has been refinished from top to bottom.  Matte Stainless frame, trigger, and barrel.  Dark blue sights, ejector housing, pins, cylinder, trigger, and grip frame.  I haven't finished putting the rear sight on and have to clean up or refinish the original wood grips.  I'll try to post a better photo. 

Steve :)
"Life is a play before an audience of One.  When your play is over, will your audience stand and applaude, or stay seated and cry?"  SP 2002

Offline huntswithdogs

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2009, 03:23:06 AM »
Steve,
What kind of front sight is that? I'd like something like it on my Blackhawk.

It looks a lot better than it did to start with! Good job.


HWD

Offline Steve P

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2009, 03:56:29 AM »
That is the stock Patridge style sight that comes on the Ruger Mark II semi-autos.  You can only install it on the Ruger guns that have the screwed on front sight.  There are other similar sights on the market, and even this one probably, that can be sweated on by a gun smith. 

Steve :)
"Life is a play before an audience of One.  When your play is over, will your audience stand and applaude, or stay seated and cry?"  SP 2002

Offline Brett

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2009, 02:50:48 PM »
Very nice restoration Steve.  Did you bead blast the frame before refinishing?  Did you do the work yourself?
How bout some more details? 
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Offline Steve P

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2009, 08:40:24 AM »
I stripped the gun down to where I only had the frame, barrel, and firing pin together.  All of the other parts were removed.  I then brushed each rusty part with Naval Jelly to remove the rust.  Brush on, wait 10 minutes, rinse in warm water, blow dry with heat gun.  Took a few hours, but got the rust off of all of the parts. 

Then came the tougher part.  Emery clothe and elbow grease on the majority of the gun.  A lot of time if you blast a gun and you are not careful you can really screw up the original pressed or rolled in writing.  I used lots of emery cloth and a wooden paint stirring stick to keep all of my surfaces square.   I would work an area until I had a smooth surface and no pitting.  There were a few deeper spots near the writing that took a little touch-up, but most of it came out looking really good. 

I finished the frame, barrel, hammer, and loading gate with KG Finishes Gun-Kote in "Brushed Stainless".  I used a Birchwood Casey blue on the blue parts, and a touch-up pen on the aluminum.  The cold bluing just doesn't work good for me and I am not happy with the looks of the aluminum so I ordered some Matte Black finish from KG and will use it on the grip frame, extractor, extractor housing, etc.  Once you bake on this finish, it is like permanent!  This is what Pac-Nor uses on their barrels and Navy Seals use on their entire gun. 

Tooks lots of time, a few spare parts I had, and about $5 worth of emery paper, Naval Jelly, and Gun-Kote.  Gun is now probably worth double of what I paid for it.

Steve :)
"Life is a play before an audience of One.  When your play is over, will your audience stand and applaude, or stay seated and cry?"  SP 2002

Offline Brett

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2009, 03:13:35 PM »
It looks awesome Steve.  I'll have to keep KG's Gun-Kote in mind.
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Offline zoner

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #9 on: March 30, 2009, 01:22:37 PM »
good job...that gun looked so bad i'd have been scared to buy it.....i love the look of that front sight

Offline WNY_Whitetailer

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Re: Found a $150 Single Six.
« Reply #10 on: April 19, 2009, 07:11:02 PM »
So...That $150 was worth it after all...Nice job on that little blaster.  I love mine.
Patience comes with age and You can't teach common sense