Ruger's Single Six Convertible

The very first new handgun I purchased was an Old Model Ruger Super Single Six Convertible. Ordered through the Ellsworth AFB BX circa 1968, it cost approximately $65. Nice gun; blued, adjustable sights, 6.5″ barrel, 22 LR and .22 Magnum cylinders. I believe the barrel length was 6.5″. The gun felt balanced, shot well and most of the time found its way into my tackle box for fishing expeditions to Deerfield Lake or Victoria Dam… both of which I am sure are now covered over by a glacier or relocated through shifting tectonic plates.

 

The Convertible gun was stigmatized by gun writers of the day as being inaccurate with the .22 LR cylinder in place. Ruger cut their .22 LR barrel grooves to  0.222″ diameter, however, the .22 Magnum was cut to 0.224″, so the barrel on the convertible was cut 0.224″ to accommodate the magnum round thereby, in theory, reducing the grip on the .22 LR bullet.

However, with lots of squirrels and rabbits offering silent testimony and, as a practical matter, .almost all 22 LR bullets have an 0.224″ driving band and .22 Magnum jacketed bullets almost all measure 0.223″.

 

 

 

 

The differences between the old and new models are numerous, the transfer bar not the least of them, but they actually heft and handle pretty much the same.

 

One trait this new model shared with the early model was the cylinder of preference based on circumstance. When the gun is fresh and new and all things are possible, the magnum cylinder goes in and never comes out. After shelling out (pun not intended, but I’ll take it) 6x the price for magnum ammo compared to long rifle ammo for a few weeks, that long rifle cylinder begins to look pretty good and stays in when it is time for practice shooting. Small game hunting and field carry? It always seems right to be loaded up with magnum ammunition.

 

 

The first thought that entered my mind… no, after the fond memory of a nifty 85-15 grilled cheese burger I made for lunch, was that the Single Six was much easier to shoot than I had remembered. This groups below were shot from a good solid handgun rest, with patience, at twenty five yards.

 

 

Sometimes I read threads of posts on message boards where there will be a drum beat about how these guns can’t shoot 6″ at 15 yards. I’ve never seen anyone post “I am a lousy shot with a six gun. The best I have done is… ”  which may be a more accurate statement. It takes a lot of practice, or a very good rest to make a fair assessment of a handgun. The Single Six, in my experience, is as good as the guy who pulls the trigger.

 

 

I went ahead and clocked the ammo I was shooting to see what level of performance could be expected from a 5.5″ barrel. 22 LR ammo rated at 1255 fps shot 1079 fps. Winchester 40 grain ammo rated at 1910 fps shot 1331 fps. CCI TNT Green 30 grain HP rated at 2050 fps shot 1372 fps. Yup, pretty good for a handgun and something I’d use for small game and varmints, maybe up to coyote if inside 50 yards… which may never happen in real life.

 

Probably more important than the guns usefulness as a small game hunter or something to carry on the tractor is the guns usefulness as a general single action trainer. Shooting lots of .22 LR and .22 Magnum ammunition through this gun paid off as improvement in my .45 Colt and .44 Magnum single action shooting. Sometimes taking out the muzzle blast and recoil leave a lot more focus for sighting and the coordination required for accurate shot placement.

 

 

 

 

The New Model Single Six Convertible is a substantial improvement over the Old Model in enhanced design, quality of materials, finish and reliability. The Ruger is rugged in construction, lock up is precise and solid. Combined with a good adjustable sight system, the gun is made for accurate shooting.

 

The .22 Magnum remains a good cartridge, not overly expensive and holding a significant ballistic edge over the .22 LR. It makes for a good light trail gun. Best of all, it is a fun gun to shoot for recreational target practice and perfect for training young single action shooters.

 

 

I think it’s a good gun to have around and it sells at a reasonable price. Our RealGuns Member’s price is approximately $478 which buys stainless 5.5″ or 6.5″ barrel, adjustable sights and convertible cylinders. A comparable .22 LR only gun runs about $90 less. In my personal estimation it is more rewarding to shoot than an autoloader and there is a lot of opportunity for shooting skill development with the gun’s single action operation. For those who like to tinker, there are sights, trigger enhancements and, of course, almost any type of grip and owner would like.