[Dorrin79]

Ok, so I'm a revolver noob - I've shot them a few times but I don't currently own any.

So I'm poking around on gunbroker earlier and I see a 4" Stainless Ruger Security Six .357mag for $180.

??? :confused: ???

Looking around a bit more, I see that's more or less the going price for them (maybe as high as $225).

So, what's the deal? I've always heard Ruger revolvers are indestructible, and that the Security Six was a good one.

Shouldn't it be, y'know, more expensive?

[JohnBT]

Okay, they have really rotten undersized wooden grips.

Other than that I'm a great fan of the Six line - the later ones anyway because you can't find grips for the earlier ones. The trouble with old well-made guns is that if the asking price is too high the buyer can just go get a similar new gun for the same money and usually will.

And nobody buys revolvers anymore anyway. :what:

John

[Erich]

Well, don't go over to the Ruger forum - they're pretty well regarded there.

Frankly, for a carry gun, I think the -Six series is wonderful. Very light, but very solidly constructed. I used to manage a gun store, and I never saw a Ruger Security/Service/Speed-Six out of time. I understand they can be shot out with hot loads (what can't?), but that's a question of barrel erosion more than anything else. My understanding is that Ruger went to the GP series for ease of manufacture, and only added in the "it's bigger so it must be stronger" claims as marketing. Ask any old-time cop about the early '80s Ruger sales boys shot-putting the Security-Sixes all over the pavement and running them over with police cars and then firing them accurately.

So, I guess I'm the wrong guy to talk you out of it. I think that's a heck of a price for a 4" stainless Security-Six! :)

[tcdrennen]

Buy the Six, get a decent set of Pachmayr grips and don't look back.

My blued Six is the oldest handgun I own, bought new for $240 cash over 20 years ago. $180 for a stainless would be a steal here in Kalifornistan.

[Dorrin79]

thanks for the info -

What's the difference between a Security Six, a Speed Six, and a SP101?

:o I'm such a revolver noob...

[TallPine]

SP101 is a more modern Ruger that only holds 5 rounds. It's smaller that a Security Six and the 6-shot GP100 is larger.

The Speed Six IIRC is the fixed sight version of the Security Six.

I would buy three more S????? Sixes if I could find them for that price. Paid $200 for mine including Pachmayr grips.

[halvey]

No can do. Buy it!

[Erich]

Speed Six also has a round butt. Service Six came (mostly) with fixed sights and sq butt (tho some had adjustable sights), and Security Six has square butt and adjustable sights. They're all just slightly bigger than a K-frame. As was posted above, the SP is a 5-shot that's about the same size as a Colt D-frame 6-shot (very sturdy, the SP).

[9mmepiphany]

how can you put up with that funny tapered barrel and ugly ramp holding the front sight. everytime you shoot it, you'll complain about the sharp edges on the cylinder release and trigger ;)

with a little dremel work (mind as well round off that gripframe while you're at it) and a mainspring swap (for the one out of the 10/22) you'll have tha best combination of size and strenght in a CCW piece

[Michael]

Dorrin79,

Man, what a deal. That's only a few dollars more than I paid for my Security Six in 1979, and I got mine near wholesale because I had to purchase it for an on-duty weapon, thus, got the officer discount. Erich is right -- the Ruger Six line is very solidly constructed, decently balanced, and tough. My dad was a gunsmith and he, likewise, reports that timing on the Ruger Six revolvers is excellent (and difficult to damage, too). Go ahead, pick it up, shoot the fire out of it, and enjoy the little beggar. It will probably last longer than me or you :) .

Sincerely,

Michael

[Sisco]

What was that auction number and when does it end? :D

[JohnBT]

"Ruger went to the GP series for ease of manufacture"

I remember reading an interview with Mr. Ruger in a magazine. He said that if you included the R&D costs and such they probably never made a penny on the -Six line.

I still like to shoot my 4" blue .357 Police Service-Six.

John

[Erich]

Yeah, that interview really sort of drives home the value of these revolvers.

[Dienekes]

Probably the best single utility piece made in the last thirty years. My agency used the Speed Six as standard issue for many years. They are just about idiotproof, and the only piece of equipment that will outlast them is (possibly) an anvil.

I carried one version or another from 1981 onward and still do every day in retirement. Two of them needed rebarrelling (forcing cone erosion, spitting) after thousands of rounds of .357/125 factory ammo.

I think we have seven in the family at the present time, so I no longer snap up any ones I see quite as readily.

Ruger still services them if that is an issue.

[Nick96]

Wish I had never sold my Speed Six, snub barrel. VERY accurate - the most accurate fixed sight revolver I've ever shot - regardless of barrel length. Tight as a drum. The stock grips were too small for me - but I installed a Tyler T-Grip adapter and it worked great without adding bulk. Recoil was no problem at all - though with the short barrel, blast & muzzel flash were attention getters with .125 grain .357's.

[Ala Dan]

Like John told you earlier, the grips are really
small; but a nice set of Pachmayr's makes this one
great firearm. The ole saying, "Let a sleeping dog
ly"; then don't arouse this dealer from a "deep nap",
as $180 is a most excellent price!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[JPM70535]

I'm going to be a voice of dissent and state that I never found the Ruger revolvers, (Security Six and Speed Six) to be worth the prices they sold for.
Every Ruger DA revolver I ever owned suffered from the same shortcomings. a lousy out of the box trigger pull and mediocre accuracy as a result of the lousy trigger. The fact that half the owners manual is embossed on the gun does nothing to improve the poorly designed grip frame.

The earliest model Security Sixs I owned were blued and were the most rust prone guns I have come across. They were so bad that like the old joke about Chevys, " On a qiuet day you could hear them Rust "

I'll pay a little more and buy a S&W, thank you very much

[scbair]

I own a couple of S&Ws (.38s & .357s); I also own a 1976-vintage Security Six and a 1980s vintage Speed Six. While I dearly love my old blued steel M19, and my even older (pre- M10) M&P, if I were to be limited to a couple of revolvers, and never able to replace, I'd go with the Rugers in a heartbeat. No, the actions aren't a smooth, but they do smooth out some with use (I've shot the heck out of the Security six, and it's trigger is noticeably better than the trigger of the "more pristine" Speed Six). They also seem to just go on and on and on, under heavy use. Mine are both keepers!

[JohnBT]

I guess I got the one with the good trigger.

I was shooting on the 50-yd. range one day because the 25-yd. range was crowded and I was actually making some small groups from time to time with match-grade .38 Sp. wadcutters. Okay, I was sitting and shooting with my elbows on the bench, but heck, everybody knows I need all the help I can get. Is there a cheap way to mount a scope on a fixed-sight gun?

Anyway, another member was also waiting and he was shooting a fancy worked over S&W that he shot in competition. After awhile he came over and asked what I was shooting. After checking out the gun he asked who did the trigger and action job. :D

John

[Swamprabbit]

I guess I'll be the only other lone dissenter here and vote against the security six. I have one that I bought for my wife several years ago. She likes it (only shot it 6 times in about 10 years) and won't let me trade it off. The action isn't real good and it shoots way to one side (fixed sights). I believe that the gun may be as tough as a tank but it isn't much for hitting things.

Just my personal experience.

[Erich]

Swamprabbit, you have a Security Six with fixed sights? That could be pretty cool (unless it's just a Service Six) for a collection.

Also, FWIW, I've found my Security Six is much more accurate with full-power magnum ammo than with .38s . . . don't know why. It does great, of course, with 148-gr HBWC over Bullseye, but it will do one-hole groups at 10 yards with magnums . . . but not most other .38 spl loads.

[Smoke]

My brother brought one to the ranch about a month ago. I hadn't seen or held one of these in years.

Had to be a 10-12 pound trigger pull. Maybe more.

His did not impress me. With all that said, I'm not a big dan of DA revolvers anyway.

Smoke.

P.S. My sisters husband brought a Argentina knockoff of a S&W to me awhile back that had a much better trigger than the Ruger S6.

[Dorrin79]

thanks for all the feedback guys.

If I got a revolver (whether a Ruger or otherwise) and it needed trigger work - how much would said trigger work run me?

[magsnubby]

I bought my Security Six in 1977. Had a action job done, replaced the grips with Pacmayers and shot about a rounds zillion through it. It was my go everywhere gun. I'll never part with it. The cheapest action job is to dry fire it about 500 to 1,000 times and change the trigger and hammer springs. Wolf (www.gunsprings.com) has springs listed for the Security Six.

[ID_shooting]

I could tell you not to buy it but then mine would get mad at me and stop shooting straight and quit being 100% relaible.

I did the dry fire for 3 evenings straight and then the folf sprint kit, 3.5 lb pull in SA mode and 10 in DA mode.

Mine is one of the guns that I will never part with.

Mine is a service six BTW

[ChuckB]

Listen to magsnubby. The springs are user replaceable, especially the hammer spring. Try replacing the hammer spring alone, and see how much that helps. Mine has a 4" barrel and I boughtit used this year.
I changed the rear sight to a ghost ring, and it's a heck of a pistol.

Chuck

[sturmruger]

For that kind of money I would definetly buy another one. I love my Security Six and wouldn't trade it for anything. Around here trigger work will cost you about $45.

[JohnBT]

This thread got me curious about my gun, so I just measured my '85 PSSix with a Lyman digital guage. The average of six pulls each way was:

SA = 2# 11.2 oz. - less than 2.75 pounds

DA = 6# 3.0 oz. - less than 6.25 pounds

I bought a spring kit a couple of years ago thinking it would reduce the factory trigger pull. What did I know - this is the only one I've shot. It didn't help at all. :o

John

[Grayrock]

Here is another thread for you.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=69388

And one of mine:
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=848819

[Eskimo Jim]

Dorrin,
No!!! I just won't do it!! I just can't do it!!!

You can burn my house, kick my dog, eat my dinner but I still won't talk you out of a Ruger!!!

Good luck.

-Jim

PS You can triple dog dare me too, and I still wouldn't do it!!!

:neener: :neener:

[Dorrin79]

well guys - you have failed me. ;)

My gun fund is empty, but I think I'm going to have to come up with $200 and buy one of those pretty 4" stainless .357s

My first revolver! I'm so excited!

Thanks for nothing :neener:

(seriously - appreciate all the feedback. It's gotten to the point where I vet every gun i am even considering here... Thanks THR!)

[Mark whiz]

I have a Security Six I picked up used about 10yrs ago...............originally made in 1972 I believe. It's one nice pistol.....................VERY accurate and sturdy. It'll shoot well any bullet you throw at it - wouldn't give it up for the world. :D

[Len_in_Phoenix]

BUY IT!


I have two Security Sixes at the moment. One is a 4 inch blued recent model, the other is a 150 series (the one nobody makes grips for anymore :banghead: ) with a 2 3/4" barrel and fixed sights. I thought it was a Speed Six when I saw it in the display case, but it very plainly says "Security Six" on the side.

They're both fun to shoot and have always worked flawlessly. The snubbie was obviously set up to shoot fast 158 grain loads at the factory. Every other load I've tried in it shoots low, but hot 158's hit exactly on POA at 10 yards. The 4" has adjustable sights, so POA/POI isn't a problem.

Buy it..........your great grandchildren will like shooting it. :D



Len in PHoenix

[bpisler]

I've never owned a security 6 i did
not like.The triggers aren't the best but they're crappy either and they can be worked on.Strong for their size and accurate with the right loads.The biggest drawback for me is finding grips that fit my hands.

[scotjute]

Because ... you should buy a new Ruger instead!
(oh by the way, what town was that pawn shop in? )

[moxie]

We wouldn't sell our security six for a thousand dollars. We've put quite a few thousand rounds through it, .38 special and .357 mag. It's 100% reliable and real accurate. We prefer the rubber Hogue monogrip over the Pachmayr.

[Haycreek]

I prefer the"six" models to the new ones .

[slick6]

ERICH:

No, the Service Six only had the fixed sights! There were some early "Fixed sighted" Security-Sixes that were later renamed the Service Six-and looked exactly like a Service Six(EXCEPT for being marked as Security Sixes!)and, this is probably the reason that you had thought there were also some adjustable sighted Service Sixes(Since the early Security Sixes were produced with both the fixed and the adjustable sights!)? After the fixed sighted Security sixes were renamed the Service Sixes-then(EXCEPT for some special rare, Ruger overseas contracts!)the Security Sixes were all made with just the adjustable sights!

[MachIVshooter]

But it. $250 is fair market value; $180 is a steal.

My first handgun was a 4" Security stainless. I have pounded it with thousands of rounds, mostly my own handloads. About 8 months ago I cracked the forcing cone running 158 grainers out at 1513 FPS. This was not a new load to the gun, just finally enough of them. Eventually I will rebarrel it, but for now I just filed the bottom of the cone so the cylinder would swing out and I continue to use it. They are great guns.

[Jim PHL]

Guy probably bought it while this thread was alive and sold it last week for the $250.:scrutiny:

[dogngun]

I wonder if he ever bought it.
What a deal ! Prices on the Sixes seem to go up every month now.

Mark

PS Speed Six 2 3/4" under my pillow.

[StrikeEagle]

My first handgun was a 4" Security stainless. I have pounded it with thousands of rounds, mostly my own handloads. About 8 months ago I cracked the forcing cone running 158 grainers out at 1513 FPS. This was not a new load to the gun, just finally enough of them. Eventually I will rebarrel it, but for now I just filed the bottom of the cone so the cylinder would swing out and I continue to use it. They are great guns.


I wonder if Ruger still has replacement barrels... or who will you get to do the work?

How many hot rounds do you estimate you've put through the piece?

[slick6]

Ruger still has most "Six series" revolver replacement parts in their inventory. Since they had cast zillions of these parts in their own casting Company, this made it possible for Ruger to continue servicing these revolvers! They continue to service these today! You would just need to contact Ruger for possible service-and, in the event they are unable to supply any certain parts, they will send you back a letter, indicating as such! If otherwise-then, Ruger will fix your revolver!:what: :)

[JMusic]

I have one that is an Ohio State Patrol Commenatrive model. Six in. barrel stainless with the Ohio Trooper insignea on the side. I had the pleasure of meeting the Trooper who barttered the deal on these. Mine is in a presentation box, sweet. They are robust hard to go wrong with them especially for the price.
Jim

[one45auto]

Some of these posts make me realize just how fortunate I am. I picked up a used Ruger Police Service-Six almost ten years ago, a stainless model with a four-inch barrel. The following month I found a set of original wooden grips (complete with Ruger inserts) at a gun show. The trigger on that gun is smooth as butter, it fits my hand like a glove, and it shoots straight as an arrow. I wouldn't part with mine for anything. :)

[capnrik]

I have a Ruger Service Six in my safe. It is a .38 Special, blue with a 4 inch barrel. The trigger is terrible. I bought the gun brand new for a Christmas present for my father. I gave it to him on Christmas Eve, probably in the early '80s, but I dont remember exactly. He needed a revolver, and that was the best I could afford at the time.

He passed away 21 years ago, and I got the gun back.

You couldn't buy it from me for $5,000.00, but I wouldn't give you $50.00 for another one just like it.

I'm a Colt's guy when it comes to .38/.357 wheel guns, and they are generally expensive, but there ought to be a stainless S&W 686 out there that is affordable.

I owned a 4" 586 years ago, and it was a fine gun.

Traded it for a ham radio amplifier! :neener:

[Logan5]

+1 on the Tyler T grip, as I find my Security Six with factory wood grips squirms around in my big sweaty mitts without one. It's not unbearable, but it's close. Other than that, it's a great little gun. Trigger is pretty much average DA and SA, but that's pretty good for the price point.

[CajunBass]

Another vote for the Tylers T grip.

I'm always tickled at how so many people get all bothered by the roll marking on the Ruger barrel. BIG DEAL. I don't know how many Ruger's I've had over the years, but I have never really paid it any attention. I buy guns to shoot, not to look at.