Ruger Standard .22 Auto

[gyvel]

Guy showed me a 6" Ruger Standard in the 200,000 serial range that was Parkerized. I looked it over very carefully, and even field stripped it.

A few small parts (sear pin, trigger pin, etc.) are still blued as is the bolt stop pin. Even the factory staked pins for the bolt stop pin, and mainspring housing latch are still blued.

The bolt is Parkerized except where it is polished bright where it shows at the ejection port

Whomever did the job took great pains, as it certainly doesn't look like a bubba job. And it definitely doesn't look like it was done yesterday, either, as the gun has some wear on it, and a considerable amount of crud built up inside.

Overall this is either a factory job or done by a very talented, meticulous craftsman.

My question is: Did Ruger ever Parkerize any of the Standards back in the 60s for any possible special orders?

Edit: It's not "US" marked.

 

[James K]

Never say never, but AFAIK, no Ruger pistols were factory Parkerized. The military contract (U.S. marked) guns had the standard blue.

If I am wrong, I will be happy to be educated.

Jim

 

[gyvel]

I'm with you, Jim. My common sense tells me that the Ruger I looked at has been refinished, but it's such a good job with meticulous attention to detail.

Regarding US marked parked guns, the Ruger forums claim that only guns that went to armorers for refurb were parked; As originally purchased by the gov't, they were all blued just like any other Ruger.

At any rate, this is not a US gun, just a regular early 6" bbl. Standard.

It just puzzles me to see Parkerized components with blued factory staked pins installed.

All I can say is: Whomever did it, did one hell of a job.

 

[James K]

People do or have done some strange things. And then there is the old "See it is Parkerized which means it was carried by General Patton, who got it from his old friend Robert E. Lee, and it is only $2000....."

Jim

 

[gyvel]

No stories with this one. Just a fantastic job.

Actually, the guy offered it to me for $150.00.

Other than not being blue, it's a pretty nice gun.

 

[SW40F]

If you like it, $150 for a Ruger .22 that functions well is not a bad price at all, no matter what condition...

Like it, buy it, shoot it, smile at it!

 

[lunger]

Agreed any Ruger 22 for a buck and half I would jump on

 

[gyvel]

I ended up passing on it. If it had been a 4 3/4 barrel gun, I think I would have taken it, but I'm not all that thrilled with 6" Standards.

I have to say, though, whomever Parkerized it was very meticulous about his work.

 

[AK103K]

Having very small parts not blued isnt really all that strange, especially if whoever did the park job, was new at doing it, or didnt have the right set up to do the small parts.

My buddy got me into parking things when he took up the challenge, and there was a learning curve (once we got over that, nothing was safe! ). Most things came out great, even right off, but not knowing how, or really wanting to deal with things like small pins, we elected to leave them alone rather than risk losing them. We figured it out later on though (a metal coffee can with a hole in the top for the bead nozzle works wonders).

Its not just the novices that let things slip, even big name gunsmiths dont always get it right. I had a 1911 hard chromed by EGW back in the 90's, and it came back with the barrel, and a couple of the internals still "blue".

Ive also had a couple of rifles parkerized by local smiths before I got into it, and had some small parts/screws that were missed, and came back blue.

Parkerizing is actually very easy to do, once youre set up for it, and you normally get a very nice job, even with very minimal equipment.

 

[gyvel]

Having very small parts not blued isnt really all that strange, especially if whoever did the park job, was new at doing it, or didnt have the right set up to do the small parts.

I've also done Parkerizing, and you're right: It's not very complicated.

What floored me is that even factory staked pins were blue as though the major component had been Parkerized before assembly, specifically the hammer spring housing. Also the bolt, after Parkerizing, had the area polished that shows at the ejection port. Someone really paid very close attention to detail when they did it.

Overall, I was sorely tempted, but I already have a (blued) 6", and would have rather had another 4 3/4.

 

[AK103K]

Did the park show marks from the staking? It doesnt seem that you could stake it without leaving some.

As far as the port portion of the barrel, Ive done that on a couple of guns as well (as well as some blued guns), as some seem to end up with wear there anyway, and it ends up looking not so great. A little emery fixes that right up, and is easy to touch up down the road.

 

[gyvel]

Did the park show marks from the staking? It doesnt seem that you could stake it without leaving some.

The staked pins were still blue, as though the hammer spring housing was Parkerized BEFORE it was assembled.

Other easily removable pins and parts I could understand not being Parkerized, but those staked pins are a mystery.