[Keith Smith]

Found this guy on the internet last night and just had to have it... Serial number 3343! It was shipped Mar 1950.

 

[jimbo1096]

I believe maybe I was looking at that one too. Good for you Keith, I would loveto have one like that. It has a good home.

 

[Calvin Wiles]

Great addition to your collection. Congratulations!

 

[rugerguy]

Keith, that is a fine looking type II Red Eagle. Less time than you think also, bet that was made within the companies first 6 months of business. Should call records and get the ship date.....they atarted in October of 1949 and yours should be around 'spring time' of 1950............

nice grips, with the grip screw 'escutcheons around the screws. Looks like it has the twopiece plastic medallion also.......

the type II is the the change-over to the "supported" recoil guide in the top , front of the bolt. You can see the small cutout in your picture, at the top of the bolt, in the ejection port.
Very nice example and yes, a "keeper", as you know, these are my wifes "favorites over all these years.

Were you able to get the box? Will have to keep your eyes open to try and find the early, hinged red box. I was able to locate one (the last one Laura needed) for her collection a couple of weeks ago at the Maumee Valley gun collectors show.

Good for you............


Here's what the box looks like............

 

[Keith Smith]

I bought several of the gray hard cases to keep my RST & Marks in. As of now, I am not too interested in the original boxes. Maybe one day I will, but for now I have too many more RST & Marks I need to buy to spend money on the boxes. The next one I want to get is the KMK-10.

 

[gunman42782]

That is one of the Holy Grails of Ruger collecting! Congratulations on an outstanding find!

 

[Keith Smith]

Yeah, I can't believe is has a 3xxx serial! I am going to write Ruger and get a ship date on it

 

[Keith Smith]

Jimbo, I got this one off AuctionArms, is that where you were looking?

 

[REB]

Congratulations, Nice find!

 

[RNettles]

Nice find... A part of History for sure!

 

[Ron Honner]

Nice red eagle Keith! The pistol that started it all for Bill Ruger. This collecting stuff is contagious.

 

[Keith Smith]

I got a call from Ruger this morning, and they looked up the ship date for this pistol, and it was shipped 03/1950. She said the first pistol shipped was serial number 27 and it was shipped 11/1949. This makes my pistol shipped within 5 months of the first pistol being shipped.

Pistols with a serial 1-26 were model guns, and were given away as product sample to investors. I am going to try and get one of these "model" guns

 

[jimbo1096]

Good deal Keith. I had seen that one on one of the gun auction sites, and then lost where it was. I forgot to put it on my watch list. I'm pretty sure that was the same one. I was in the middle of negotiating another deal and couldn't commit to two. I'm glad someone got it from the RugerForum. I did't realize it was that old either. I must have been pretty foggy about then!
Good luck on the model gun quest.

 

[Keith Smith]

I was actually looking for a Red Eagle in the $400 range when I ran across this one starting at $379 with a Buy-It-Now $450. I would of put a $400 'bid' on it, and hope I don't get outbid, but with a serial this low, I knew there would be other eyes on it. So I did the safe thing, and did the Buy-It-Now to ensure I secured it. I spent $50 more than I wanted, but for a serial this low, it was well worth the extra $50!

I sent off my money order and FFL today so I should have it by the end of the week. Now the hard question... Should I shoot it?

 

[ratgunner]

I would,but not alot.

 

[jimbo1096]

I would definately shoot it. Not as an everyday gun, but as long as it is well maintained it wouldn't hurt a thing. I don't believe you will ever lose any money for sure. Just don't drop it on the ground! I would keep it out of a holster and in a gun sack while transporting, just my suggestion. Have fun, shoot it and enjoy, that's part of owning one.

 

[Spitn Lead]

Nice find , i would shoot it once in awhile , have fun with it!
SL

 

[bowhunter]

Keith, I've never "owned" a gun I wouldn't shoot, but then that's just me! I've bought, sold, and traded hundreds of guns over the years and shot just about all of them at one time or another. I owned a very nice Broomhandle Mauser once that most people would have "locked" up in a vault! I enjoyed shooting that gun as much as any gun I ever owned. When you die, someone else will own "your" guns and probably will shoot them all. Enjoy them while they are "yours" and shoot them!.............Dick

 

[Bearlaker]

Wow! Congratulations!

 

[Snuffy]

That is a great looking pistol there, I bet its worth a great deal of money.