[Bvd1]

I have several security sixes and just noticed the serial numbers on one are smaller than on the others. With my aging eyesight I have a hard time making out the numbers. I have six series made before and after this one and wonder why Ruger used the smaller numbers.

 

[exlogger]

Good morning Bvd1.

I just checked mine and you have a valid point. My 154 series is the only one that is smaller. Is your smaller "print" serial number a 154?

 

[Bvd1]

Yes, 154 prefix serial number.

 

[exlogger]

Interesting find.
Never really noticed it until you pointed it out. Another Security Six mystery.

 

[Smithy]

I thought that I was the only one with eyesight, read the numbers kind of thing. I guess that all of my Ruger's are new enough to have the larger print (since I can read them). I did notice that in the Smith and Wesson world, they had a time of stamping their numbers and moved into a computer directed punch that only punches single point dots in the form of a number or letter. I find those really hard to read. Smithy.

 

[ExArmy11b]

It's just one of those Ruger oddities, like why I have a 1982 production Service Six with a heavier barrel than any of my later " heavy barrel" models......it was like they changed from the light barrel to the heavy, but then made the heavy barrel a little less "heavy" later on. You just never know!

 

[Smithy]

.it was like they changed from the light barrel to the heavy, but then made the heavy barrel a little less "heavy" later on. You just never know!

I ran into the same thing with (I think it was MK I vintage) bull barrels. Like you said, you just never know. Smithy.

 

[ExArmy11b]

Or these supposed Six series guns that have a longer mainspring strut and use a Redhawk spring, I've never seen one and I can't think of a reason to do this but it must have made some sense to Ruger!

 

[Bvd1]

I just looked through the RENE Reference of Ruger Firearms and missed this before. It says the roll die set for the Red Label shotgun was used for the six series with the small serial numbers. Known s/n range 154-04916 to 154-36577 and 154-58068 to 155-01064.
Nice reference book, it has quite a few commerative sixes listed. I would like to find any one of these.

 

[ExArmy11b]

I'll have to check my sixes for small print examples