
It would be 25 years before Colt returned to the single-action market, and by that time Ruger would be well positioned as the leader in the field. Based on the popularity of Westerns on the TV screen and in motion pictures, Ruger decided to develop an updated and improved version of the single-action revolver. In fact, an official announcement from Colt several years earlier had stated there would not be a post-war Colt SAA.

Colt had ceased production of the Single Action Army at the beginning of World War II and there was no indication that it would be back anytime soon. Find Out More About Ruger Firearmsīill Ruger, who had always been a fan of the classic Colt, saw an opportunity. By far the most frequently seen models were single-action revolvers, most of them patterned after the Colt Single Action Army. A common thread in these shows was the type of handguns used by both good guys and bad guys. Black and white TV screens were lighting up America’s living rooms every night, and some of the most popular programs were Westerns. The new medium of television was growing rapidly. Bill Ruger’s company was profitable and becoming well established in the industry, and he was anxious to expand his product line.


For its first several years, the Single Six had what was known as a “flat loading gate” on the side of the receiver.
