Brief History

Bill Ruger introduced the first Single-Six in 1953 in the aftermath of World War II and the Western Boom. John Wayne reached his peak during this period, and there was great demand for Single Action Army-type revolvers. Colt had ceased production of the legendary Single Action Army during the second world war and had no intentions of bringing it back.

Ruger decided to fill the void, first with the Single-Six, and a few years later with the Blackhawk.

While these looked the part, the hallmark for Ruger revolvers has always been durability. The Single-Six looks more like the Colt than any of the revolvers that came after and even features the classic three screws in the frame and four clicks from the hammer. This mechanism was tried and true, resulting in a smooth trigger pull and distinct audible cues. Ruger used coil springs that were much more durable than Colt’s delicate leaf springs.

Early versions had notable differences, but in a pinch looked the part for TV and movies. The first versions had a flatter loading gate that was later rounded to more closely match the Colt aesthetic.

About 10 years into production, Ruger offered the convertible package that included both a .22 LR cylinder and .22 Magnum, like the model I have in for review. The convertible package became one of the Single-Six’s most attractive features and helped cement Ruger’s reputation for practical value.

Ruger introduced the transfer bar system in 1973 to prevent accidental discharges if the revolver were dropped. Earlier models relied on the traditional practice of carrying the hammer over an empty chamber, making the revolver effectively a five-shooter when carried safely.

Initial Thoughts

I’m familiar with the Ruger lineups, having owned several of my own over the years. I’ve always felt the brand delivers incredible value for your money, though some of the offerings can feel second fiddle to the original – like Ruger single actions compared to the Colt standard.

What I found upon opening the box was an old model Ruger Single-Six. Based on the serial number, it’s from 1970. For a gun that is 56 years old, it’s aged amazingly well. The gun has a classic even blue, with some wear and a turn line from what was likely years of use. I did notice some softer edges around the fixed rear sights and typical spots from a holster. Overall, the gun is in great shape.

Before I dug into some of the research, I had been doing my own recon for my next single action. I was deep into the clones as a shootable version of the Colt Single Action I already own. The first thing I did with this model was slowly pull back the hammer. I can tell you that these days prioritizing safety is a good thing, but it’s hard to explain the satisfaction the four-click noise brings. It just feels more legit.

While I won’t be keeping this one, I did consider it. The gun is slightly smaller dimensionally than the big-bore guns, much like the 7/8-scale New Frontier is to the Colt lineup. This makes more sense, as it is a smaller caliber and can easily be carried afield for the day when plinking or small game might present itself. Despite its smaller size, it has quite the heft to it and nearly deletes all the recoil when at the range.

Range Review

I brought a decent selection of CCI Quiet, Federal 36-grain box ammo and some CCI .22 Magnum rounds for some range testing. Though I was only loading six at a time, I emptied the 50-round cases rather quickly and shot who-knows-how-many rounds from the box ammo. Single-action shooting can be a tiresome, but overall it’s an absolute blast.

The fixed sights are entirely serviceable, though they are harder to pick up in low light and demand more concentration at longer distances than modern adjustable sights. I kept most of the shooting to 10 yards and in, though I did put a few cylinders through at 15 yards. Throughout testing, I experienced no malfunctions and no stuck cases. The gun has essentially no recoil, which added to the fun.

The magnums heat up a little faster due to the pressures involved, so the ejector was a little sticky after a few rounds. What was fun, though, was doing some modified Bill Drills where I was shooting as fast as I could and then unloading and reloading while imagining myself behind a barrel for cover at the OK Corral.

Pulling the trigger to the second click notch, opening the loading gate and hearing the audible click as you rotate to each new open chamber is cathartic these days, but must have been incredibly chaotic in the past. It is apparent as you load and unload just how good we have it nowadays for actual defense and combat. I can’t fully imagine what this would have been like while in real peril, but suffice to say, those who got good at this likely won the gunfights.

Parting Shots

More than 50 years after it left the factory, the old model Ruger Single-Six remains one of the finest rimfire revolvers ever built. It combines classic Single Action Army styling with Ruger’s reputation for durability, all while delivering an affordable and enjoyable shooting experience.

Every click of the action, every case ejected from the cylinder, and every group fired downrange feels connected to the Wild West era. The fact that this 1970 revolver still functions as well as it does today speaks volumes about Ruger’s craftsmanship. While I won’t be keeping this one, it certainly reinforced my desire to add a classic .22 single action to my own collection.