U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- The Ruger Single Six hearkens back to the popularity of TV Westerns that came with the dawn of television in the households of ordinary Americans in the 1950s. Back then, Ruger was a newcomer to the game–not the giant it is today. Colt stopped producing their legendary Single Action Army Revolver so they could focus on production for World War II contracts. By the time Colt got around to starting production again, Ruger and others showed up with their own single action designs, at the same time when those neat TV shows were generating renewed interest in the guns the cowboys and lawmen carried. Among these new competitors was the Single Six which mated proven, timeless lines with new manufacturing techniques paired with a useful cartridge anyone could shoot–the 22 LR.
The gun sold well, but like those old Colt Single Actions, there was no drop safety to prevent the hammer from setting off a round under the hammer. Old convention states loading five in a six-shooter so that the gun can be carried safely on an empty chamber but Ruger incorporated a transfer bar safety in the 1970s that prevented the firing pin from striking the primer unless the trigger was actually pulled by the user. Though not the first drop safety, this transfer bar setup is one we can see the world over today. This among other changes like switching from screws to pins in the grip frame has come to embody the current itineration available today, the New Single Six.
Ruger Single Six Revolver
My Ruger New Single Six came as a pawn shop find. The gun had some wear on the bluing, mild rust on the hammer, and the enamel finish on the aluminum grip frame was flaked off in places. I am not much of a single action revolver fan but I did cut my handgun teeth on Ruger single actions–not to mention the price was right. So it came home.
In the hand, the first thing you will notice is that the Single Six is a beast of a handgun for a 22. At 35 ounces, it weighs as much as a conventional 357 Magnum handgun. The aluminum grip frame and walnut grips were well formed and reminiscent of the feel of a Colt Single Action.
The Colts are known as naturally pointing guns and the same is true with the Single Six despite the Single Six wearing a thick 5.5-inch barrel and a bulky one-piece cast carbon steel receiver. The high profile adjustable rear notch and front serrated post sight arrangement even out the profile of the gun. The only obvious breakup in the lines of the gun is the top strap of the receiver where the barrel meets the receiver. Otherwise, the Single Six operates like those old Colts with a spring-loaded ejector rod housed under the barrel and a loading gate on the right side of the frame where rounds are loaded and unloaded one at a time until you have your six rounds into the cylinder.
My particular gun came in 22 LR, but the Single Six line has since grown to include nine and ten shot arrangements with carbon steel or stainless steel to choose from, numerous barrel lengths, and cataloged calibers like 17 HMR, 22 Magnum, and 32 H&R Magnum.
On The Range
If you want a trouble free handgun right out of the gate, a good single action revolver like the Single Six is a good choice. The only learning curve the gun really gives is loading and unloading, which happens to be my favorite part of the shooting experience. It loads like those old cowboy guns. The cylinder is freed by opening the loading gate. There is no need to half-cock the hammer to get the cylinder to spin. With the gate open insert one round and rotate the cylinder to the next chamber to repeat until you have six rounds loaded. Unloading empty brass takes some finesse to line up the each chamber with the ejector rod so you can run the rod through and punch out the empties. Even though this is more involved than loading a swing-out cylinder revolver, I never felt I was spending a ton of time loading the gun but I did get to appreciate the experience and I ran myself out of bulk pack boxes quickly.
Like loading, firing the pistol can be done faster than you might think. The gun’s hammer has to be cocked for each shot but the hammer is within easy reach for an average shooter and the checkered hammer spur allows for a firm grip. Thanks to that Peacemaker-like grip, constant cocking didn’t upset my sight picture much at all and I was back on target in no time. It did help that I am working with adjustable sights that pop out to the eye somewhat more than the fixed blade front/notch rear sighting arrangement of a typical single action revolver.
On the range, shooting the New Single Six was pleasant and I was apt to challenge myself by shooting small sixteen-ounce water bottles between thirty-five and fifty yards with some fairly surprising hits thanks to the gun’s point-ability, feel, and a fairly crisp trigger pull. In fact, the lack of movement in that light trigger surprised me and I sometimes threw a few shots, but otherwise, there wasn’t much guesswork.
On paper at twenty-five yards, I could put six rounds into a four-inch group and all rounds in one inch at ten yards firing offhand with Federal Automatch 40 grain lead ammunition. CCI Blaser ammunition performed equally well and Remington 40 grain Golden Bullets came a close third. CCI Stingers with their lighter 30-grain bullets, opened up the groups to about five inches at twenty-five yards.
A Best Buy? For What?
I will usually find things I love and hate about a firearm in the middle of testing. The grip is too small, the safety should not be here, the gun malfunctions with ammunition it should work with. In the case of the Ruger Single Six what you see is what you get. The Six is a proven wheel-gun and it is probably best to chalk up what I say here as my own little referendum on a proven design.
Today, guns are chiefly associated as tools for “protection” or “safety”. This “defensive” mindset is one that constantly frustrates me as I feel it takes the fun out of ownership and some are so concerned with having that hard-hitting self-defense gun that the fundamentals of shooting are neglected–or not counted on at all. In this environment, a good 22 caliber handgun like the Single Six is discounted.
As a good all-around tool, a 22 handgun can do many things besides punching paper. Sure, it isn’t perfect for personal protection, but fifteen hundred rounds in with no malfunctions or failures leads me to think I would take the Six for that task if need be. Leaving the overplayed defensive niche aside, the Single Six can fill numerous roles and do them well–something larger pistols may not be able to.
If you love the great outdoors, you have a good shooting gun that will get you meat in your pot and keep the curious coyotes at bay while you are on the trail, never mind that the Six is a bit on the heavy side for a 22. Thankfully, aftermarket holsters are huge and there is an arrangement to suit any need or want. Closer to home, the Single Six will serve in the typical 22 caliber role of removing pests without undue fuss and noise.
But where I think the Single Six excels best at is as a training aid and fun gun, like it was originally intended–a fun gun built on that timeless and familiar Western design. Truth be told, I forgot I was testing a gun after the first few dozen rounds. Loading and unloading forced me to take my time and my shooting was helped by a naturally pointing gun with a hefty weight, a light trigger pull, an easy hammer, and tall easy-to-read sights. This is gold for teaching new shooters and learning the fundamentals of shooting to include sight alignment, sight picture, trigger control, ect. Once that hammer is back you have one shot and you make it count. Beyond fundamentals, the Ruger is easy to shoot with low noise and recoil like any 22 and shooting tin cans, my eight-inch steel plate, and clay pigeons out to some distance turned shooting from a chore to something fun and to be relished and improved like any skill.
I will admit that the grip and weight of the Single Six can be a lot to bare for young shooters or those with small hands. For this, the tried and true little brother of the Single Six–the Ruger Bearcat–is an excellent alternative.
Even though my Six was a well-abused piece, Ruger’s build quality and the natural feel shone through. It was one hundred percent reliable with no failures of any kind and it shot very well through many range sessions and a few classes as well. It even looked good doing it.
Taken together, the Ruger Single Six may be a product of a different time with a different mindset–a mindset where the gun was just a general tool and in this role it would be hard to outclass. The Ruger Single Six still stands as a solid rimfire offering and one of the best all-around handguns you can buy today.
About Terril Hebert:
Terril Hebert is a firearm writer native to south Louisiana. Under his motto-Guns, Never Politics-he tackles firearm and reloading topics both in print and on his Mark3smle YouTube channel, where he got his start. Terril has a soft spot for ballistics testing, pocket pistols, and French rifles. When he is not burning ammo, he is indulging his unhealthy wildlife photography obsession or working on his latest novel. Scourge of God, published in 2017. See more from Terril on youtube under Mark3smle
I learned to shoot with my Dad’s Single Six when I was nine years old. I inherited this great cowboy pistol after my Dad passed. I’m 70 years old now and it seems like yesterday I was shooting this pistol with my Dad at the Lake Hefner dam in Oklahoma City. I’ll pass this pistol on to my son after I leave this earth.
Great wheel gun, for sure.j
I wanted one for years and a friend wouldn’t sell me his in 2013 (he couldn’t shoot it due to medical conditions) so I bought a Heritage Rough Rider instead. I went to help my 83 year old friend on Monday and as I left, he gave me the Rough Rider and western holster outfit to remember him by. It was made in 1989 and it had shot less than a box of ammo. I have shot a couple of hundred rounds through it and it is flawless and accurate. I plan on my grandson (also my friend’s grandson) getting… Read more »
my very first handgun purchase just out of high school, my dad had to sign for me. it is a stainless super single six with 22lr ans 22magnum cylinders. an extremely accurate and fun to shoot pistol. most accurate handgun ive ever held! still have it and its well cared for and holds a special spot in the safe
I love revolvers. I had a ruger 44. Love it. Just one problem. I wanted it to be double action.
Have a single six that went underwater during Hurricane Katrina. A rusty piece of metal. Sent it back to Ruger. Came back 8 weeks later completely repaired and reblued. No charge. Ruger is number one in my book.
My first handgun was a “Super” Single-Six Convertible with a 6 1/2″ barrel which I purchased new in 1968. The “Super” designated adjustable sights. Man, I loved that gun. Unfortunately, family responsibilities interfered and I foolishly sold it about 10 years later. After the kids were grown and gone I got back into guns and one of my first had to be another single-six. It cost about 7 times what the first one did and had cheap plastic grips (which I replaced with walnut) but still has that same feel of solid quality which I’ve come to expect from Ruger.… Read more »
I had a stainless steel single-six in the late 90’s. Unfortunately had some difficult times & had to sell it. Recently, while browsing a local gun shop, I spotted a used one identical the one I had. Of course I couldn’t let it pass, had to bring it home. I never liked the feel of the walnut grips so I changed to a Pachmayr grip (just like my old one). It came with the original hard case, extra mag cylinder, & paper work. Turns out the gun is 10 years old, but still shoots like brand new. I always take… Read more »
My father bought 4 Ruger Single Six in the late 70s. A 22/22mag.,a 357mag. Old Style, (we got the free conversion & put a Pachmyr grip on it) a 44mag. Blackhawk and a 44mag. blackpowder Blackhawk. He taught me how to shoot with each of those beauties, graduating up in caliber as my skills improved. The 357 was smooth as butter and the blackpowder always drew a crowd at the range. I cherished our times there and credit my dad’s teaching and Bill Ruger for making me an expert shot.( according to the medals I earned in the Marine Corps… Read more »
I inherited a 3-screw .22 Mag w/ a 5-1/2″ bbl. and bought a 1976 manufactured .22 LR/.22 Mag convertible with a 6-1/2″ bbl. Both of them are a lot of fun to shoot. I called Ruger about the .22 mag and asked them about a conversion cylinder for it. At the time, they quoted me $60, fitted to the pistol. Then the nice lady said because it was a 3-screw, they would have to do the conversion if I sent it in. I asked her what that entailed and she told me, but said all the old parts are returned… Read more »
So… if “…the Single Six line has since grown to include nine and ten shot arrangements…” as the author says. Can I get a new nine or ten shot cylinder for my old .22 Single Six?
It wouldn’t work, the mechanics of the pistol are calibrated for a specific number of rounds cylinder. Even the single six convertible will only work with a six round lr or a six round mag cylinder.
By bringing out the Single-Six, Bill Ruger made a vast improvement over the Colt SAA design with the incorporation of a coiled hammer spring. The flat hammer spring of the Colt is fairly prone to breakage and led to the demise of more than a few gunfighters
I own a single six,a blackhawk in 45 colt. Both are 3 screw unconverted.both have the best trigger action of any hand cannon ever.ive owned many too.no neither is for sale,great review too
I am not the ‘Ron’ who posted previously but I bought my .22 Ruger covert,new around 1983. Great fun gun.
I also have a 1971 3 screw. The grips are interchangeable. But I’ll say this…there is no way they weigh the same or even close. Carry them on your hip and feel it.
Ron 1
I tried a SS but sold it. It wasn’t particularly accurate especially with magnum ammo. It didn’t feel as good as the Colt frontier scout either. The loading method was hard to get used to.
The 3/4 frame of the Colt is too small but I can live with that.
The Colt Frontier Scout is notorious for being inaccurate. That is why Colt discontinued same.
I have to say that that is not my experience. I have both the Single Six, and the Colt Frontier. The Colt is amazing in that it points so naturally and is extremely accurate, almost to the point that it is hitting targets, with little help from me. The Ruger is a fine gun, but is only a pistol, and in my experience, does not compare. I have many other single actions, but the Colt is my favorite by far.
Bought my 1st single 6 blued 6.5″ barrel convertible in approx 1974 & my 2nd covertable 5.5″ stainless steel in the 1990s .
Of course this lead to 3 Blackhawks 357mag and 45colt/45acp . I love these revolvers !!!
Mines still going as strong as the day she was produced in 1957,still has three screws no pins or transfer bar safety.
GMB, A Ruger is like the old Timex, it takes a lickin and keeps on tickin.
Author: Brent Wayne Sample
Comment:
Y’all need to get 32 h r. Great round for small game
And good training round.
At the time I bought my .22 convert. I had a Winchester ..22 mag (still do) I figured it’s a good idea to have two guns that will shoot the same cal. (still do) (lived in Jersey at the time) 1982-3,But as I recall,.32’s were pretty much being down played.
Lot’s have happened since then. (.32’s) I’m still happy with my choice, but sometimes I do wonder . But, not gonna go out and buy a .32.
Y’all need to get 32 h r. Great round for small game
And good training round.
Author: Mike in a Truck
Comment:
I bought the Ruger Super Single Six back in ’83. Working for Range Control at Ft Drum N.Y.
Names change I guess. In the 60’s it was Camp Drum. Ya been to Watertown?
Why soitanly. Around WW1 it was known as Camp Drum.No kidding I saw pictures of calvary-on horses!A “camp” as used in the Army is not a dedicated full time post.Rather utilized by Reserves and National Guard.Once a permanent full time active duty garrison is activated it becomes a “fort”.True story-during WW2 German POW’s were imprisoned there.Range Maintenance building at the time was the old cell blocks.We kept our targets, sabbs ( tank target pop ups) and gritts ( ground Infantry attack target pop ups) in those old cells.Theres a ghost story also but Im afraid to tell it! Up in… Read more »
Thanks for the info Mike. Interesting. I spent some time up there too. FO section. Nothing quite so hairy though. Never saw any ghosts or the like. I didn’t know about camp to fort. Thanks.
I bought the Ruger Super Single Six back in ’83. Working for Range Control at Ft Drum N.Y. it rode in a El Paso Saddelry tanker holster.With the .22 Mag cylinder installed it was very comforting on those lonley 12 hour shifts at remote Range Forward on radio watch.In the late 90’s my niece who grew up shooting that SSS was attending college.It seems that a Spring Heel Jack sort of character was molesting the coeds that lived off campus in rental houses.He never raped any of the girls-just crawled into bed with them and feel em up, then laughs… Read more »
I’ve had my Single Six for 30 years now, it was made in ’75 and just sent it in for the magnum cylinder conversion. What a great shooter this gun is. Lots of fun at the range and a great teaching tool for children or first timers. Love it.
@RoyD; Nah gave that up, to much paperwork and was getting hard to chase them down when they skipped town!!!!!
I must confess I do own another manufacture, a Heritage Rough Rider, I like it and carry it on the lawn mower for shooting rats and snakes, but my true love is with the Ruger Single Sixes. I own 3 of them 2 Blues and a Stainless, all three are great to shoot and the only thing that I did to them was I put fiber optics on them just something to adjust for aging eyes, I hate wearing glasses, also put substitute Pearl Grips on the stainless one just a little dress up. Great starter guns for anyone and… Read more »
Just curious, willy d, you wouldn’t happen to be a “New Orleans Pimp” would you?
The person I got mine from had put a set of those “pearl” grips on it and I put the wood ones back on. Now if they had been ivory…….
my very first handgun purchase was a super single six just out of high school. my dad had to sign for me to get it. I shot thousands of rounds of Winchester wildcats.practicing , the cheapest I get but at the time until I could routinely shoot 5 rounds into a tight group less than 1/2″ offhand standing at 25 yrds even sending more than one thru the same hole often enough to make enemies at a local turkey shoot held annually.one extremely sore loser just refused to accept that this teenager was such a good shot he couldn beat… Read more »
My brother-in-law used his Single Six at a turkey shoot. The tightest 3-shot group won. He put two holes in paper that were almost touching, but the judges could not find the third and disqualified him. We both pointed out the third shot went through one of the other two holes. How could someone have two holes almost touching, then completely miss the target with the third???
The judges couldn’t see it that way, so his DQ stood. He was also the only one shooting a .22. Everyone else was shooting everything from .38Sp to .45 Colt.
I have to confess that I bought the Ruger 50th Anniversary Super Single Six in 2003. It’s a gorgeous revolver, beautiful wood grip, gold roll-mark on the barrel, 22LR and 22Mag cylinders. It has never been fired, but has been maintained in perfect order. I was always going to trade it in on something else, but that didn’t happen. Just looking at it convinces me to keep it. So, what I’ve decided to do some day, weather here in Upstate NY cooperating, is take it out and shoot it. I’ve a friend nearby with 10 acres and no restrictions on… Read more »
Sounds like a great first gun to learn with and not spend a lot of money on ammunition doing it. I thought it was a great review. Thank you for doing it!
I still own my Single Six that I bought in 1956 and have shot multiple thousands of rounds through it. It is one of my all-time favorite handguns!
The Old Model pre-1973 .22 Ruger Super Single Six “convertible” revolver was a fine a .22 handgun as one could
own. Yet with a 6.5″ barrel they were rather heavy at 36 oz. unloaded. Yet despite this, they were a great gun.
WHY should Ruger have made a “CLONE” of the colt? The Ruger is by far superior in manufacturing and design
“Long Hammer Fall” ??? What the heck; it is NOT “long” and is easy to use as proven by usage by my grand daughter with her Bearcat and my son with his single six. I have both and Old Model and a New Model and the hammer pull is completely acceptable.
GO ahead use your clone copies of the Colt; I’ll stick with the Rugers firing either 22lr or 22 Mag .
Nicely written article without a doubt, but it struck a discordant note with me personally. Firstly- consider this. Yes, the gun is certainly a quality product. I purchased one back in 1981 complete with .22 magnum extra cylinder and never had a single problem with it. But after a bit, sold it because I wanted a single action .22 that more closley resembled the single action Colt’s I grew up shooting. Ruger, in my opinion, missed the boat with the design of this gun. It would have been just as easy to clone a Colt lookalike. Face it- the nostalgia… Read more »
Picture me with my tongue stuck out going BZZZZZZZZZ over your nonsense. I have an OLD MODEL (3 screws) with a 5 1/2 inch barrel that shoots BOTH 22LR and 22 Mag that I bought at a gun sale at a local gun club and it’s a real sweet heart; The other one is a NEW MODEL (2 screws) with a 9 1/2 inch barrel and a 1.3 x scope that is a real TACK driver at any distance firing 22LR or 22 Mag. My grand daughter owns a Ruger Bearcat and my son has a NM Ruger 5 1/2… Read more »
To each their own. I love my Ruger .22 lr .22mag convert too. I also have a .357 3 ‘screw’ Ruger.
BUT, your NEW MODEL w/transfer bar has ‘pins’ not ‘screws’. Easy mistake.
But clones are pretty cool though. And believe it or not, A lot of ‘repro’s’ of Historical clones are worth more than some of the originals. Don’t be so jumpy.
WHICH ‘repro’s’ are worth more than some of the originals? I call TOTAL B.S. on that whopper.
Have to admit I’m waiting for an answer on that one. I believe his plate of crow is awaiting….
By bringing out the Single-Six, Bill Ruger made a vast improvement over the Colt SAA design with the incorporation of a coiled hammer spring. The flat hammer spring of the Colt is fairly prone to breakage and led to the demise of more than a few gunfighters
@Philip Conrad, Maybe there were pantent infringment issues involved with manufacturing a “clone” at that time. As I recall Ruger was looking to make a successful business, at that time, and Sturm was looking to make a successful investment, at that time. Maybe neither of them had time to wait-out Colt’s patents.
Can these older .22s stand up to newer, more high velocity .22LR ammunition, like the CCI Stinger @ 1640 fps? I note that the ammunition in the article’s picture is Federal and is 1200 fps.
Yes, they can. There; I fixed it for you.
I acquired a Single-Six Convertible from a friend 20-25 years ago. It is an old three screw model that hasn’t been messed with. I remember we debated for over a year about $25.00. I find the .22 Magnum more comfortable to shoot, and it’s certainly more versatile on game. But perhaps one of the greatest assets of the gun is the comfort of holding it. To me it feels like a Colt SAA, something I can’t say about the foreign made SAA copies. Not surprisingly I still own it. And FYI, the transfer bar was first installed for sale by… Read more »
I bought the Colt Peacemaker in .22 cal, it didn’t come with the .22 mag cylinder til later… I will pick up a Ruger Single Six here soon. The single action guns are indestructable ! Love them !
My first handgun, which I bought in Oct 1968, was a H&R 949 and it was a great gun. In the years following I always wanted a Single Six. About ten years ago I finally got a Stainless Super Single Six. My grandsons will enjoy that gun as much as I do.
I purchased one 3 years ago with two cylinders .22lr and .22 Mag . It is fair and excellent training tool to explain single action firearm.
good review, professionally done. koodos.
I bought mine in 1982. It came with the .22 mag cylinder. Still have it also, My ‘fun’ gun. Lotta rounds through it!
Lot’s of natural wear on now. Love it.
Bought one in 1968 $96.00 still own it , in A1 condition Never considered selling it..
I bought mine new in ’72 for $70 when I was just getting into shooting. It included the 22 mag cylinder that I doubt has had 50 rounds through it. I’ve never had the transfer bar conversion, as I want to keep original, and it’s oonly used at a target range.