ruger mark pistols
is there any difference between a " 1 of 5000" ltd edition signature series and rst-4s, limited edition " 1 of 5000", i have seen both for sale and various places at different prices and they both look the same. My father has one nib all papers 3 boxes and he just thought it was signature series " 1 of 5000" ss with William Ruger engraved signature on top. Thanks for any help to settle this difference of opinion. is it true the rst series were the earlier standards or mark I?
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I am not familiar with the RST-4 limited edition, I have never heard the signature series called that. The "1 of 5,000" signature edition was brought out in 1982 as the last of the Mark 1 series. Many references mistakenly list it as a Mark II since it was made after the end of the Mark I run but it is a Mark 1, not a Mark II and it is the only stainless Mark I made by Ruger.
The last standard Mark I pistols made for commercial sales were run off on the last day of the year in 1981 and to mark the end of the era, a limited run of 5,000 commmemorative Standard pistols was made in January of 1982. Bill Rugers signature is on the top of the receiver along with the caption "1 of 5,000" on the barrel. The pistols were the first Ruger Autos to be made of stainless steel and bore the old style red falcon emblem on the grip rather than the black medallion. Each gun was sold in the same wooden "salt cod" style box that the original Ruger pistols were shipped in. So, your 3 boxes (red and black inside a wooden slide top box inside a cardboard shipping cover is correct.
Value on the unfired, NIB signature edition is usually about twice what a NIB Mark 1, blued would be. I have seen one of these commemoratives that had been used and fired, it sold for around the same price as any other Mark II. If I recall correctly, the serial number should be "17-xxxx" with the xxxx being in the range from 0001 to 5,000.
Dan R0
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