Ruger NYCPD Speed Six 3" 38 spl GS-83(?)

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stonebuster

stonebuster

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I bought this revolver yesterday. These were special contract for NYCPD with 3" barrels in 38spl only. The standard short barreled Speed Sixes were 2.75" and 357s were more common. The serial number falls into the range of the GS-83 but I need to get it lettered from Ruger to confirm. It wears the NYPD armorers star on the frame confirming it passed inspection. I bought it because there are very few of these GS-83s on the market and this one is in exceptional condition. In the last two weeks I've read everything I could find online about these NYCPD revolvers. If anyone has one or any information about it, please chime in. IMG_0723.JPG IMG_0727 (2).JPG IMG_0719.JPG
 
Nice find.

I was at Rodman's Neck (NYPD range facility) one time when the Ruger rep was there. IIRC he said the only difference in these and other Rugers NYPD used and those sold elsewhere was the cylinders were chambered for 38 special. NYPD regs required revolvers to be 38 special only.

Resist the temptation to modify the cylinder to 357. It wluld hurt the gun. It would hurt collector interest.
 
GRIZ22 said:
Nice find.

I was at Rodman's Neck (NYPD range facility) one time when the Ruger rep was there. IIRC he said the only difference in these and other Rugers NYPD used and those sold elsewhere was the cylinders were chambered for 38 special. NYPD regs required revolvers to be 38 special only.

Resist the temptation to modify the cylinder to 357. It wluld hurt the gun. It would hurt collector interest.
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I'm not tempted to modify the gun which would negate what makes it "special." (iMO) . I may be wrong but I thought all the 3" Speed Sixes were for government contracts. The rest of the short barrels were 2 .75" I could be wrong though because until three weeks ago I knew very little about them.
 
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Nice find. Not sure how much it cost, but it's sure something you don't come across too often.
 
stonebuster said:
I'm not tempted to modify the gun which would negate what makes it "special." (iMO) . I may be wrong but I thought all the 3" Speed Sizes were for government contracts. The rest of the short barrels were 2 .75" I could be wrong though because until three weeks ago I knew very little about them.
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IIRC Ruger made a 3" SS for the Postal Inspectors in 357. I think a small number of these became a production over run and we're sold to the public.
 
94045 said:
This is correct as I understand it.
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Mine has the NYCPD armorer's star so it passed inspection but I wonder if it was ever issued. It doesn't look like it's been carried much if at all. It's finish is matte and all the others I've seen were brushed stainless so that's odd. I have seen a couple USPS SS 357 with the matte finish online. The serial# is very high 162-426xx probably 1988 just before the GP100s & SP101s were issued to NYCPD. I sent Ruger $10 to get it lettered but don't expect to learn much.Thanks for the replies.edit: I just saw a photo of a Speed Six 38spl 2.75 or 3" West Australia stamped with the same looking matte finish as mine. Others have told me the finish wasn't factory but I have seen a few now.
 
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GRIZ22 said:
Nice find.

I was at Rodman's Neck (NYPD range facility) one time when the Ruger rep was there. IIRC he said the only difference in these and other Rugers NYPD used and those sold elsewhere was the cylinders were chambered for 38 special. NYPD regs required revolvers to be 38 special only.

Resist the temptation to modify the cylinder to 357. It wluld hurt the gun. It would hurt collector interest.
Click to expand...



We used to go to Rodman's Neck too, At that time we carried the 2" Colt Detective Special. I had an old model, made in 1958 I think.
 
The NYPD used to sell guns to their members through their Equipment Bureau. You got an annual allowance and bought your own equipment, my agency did the same.

I was also at Rodman's Neck. Although I worked for a state agency in NYC, they had NYC Correction Dept. range officers give us shotgun training there.

I used to sail on the LI Sound, sometimes not far from there. When they were having range days it sounded like a war was going on. lol

As beautiful as that area was, right off City Is., I would not have wanted to live there because of the noise. It's where they also brought illegal bombs to explode.
 
stonebuster said:
Mine has the NYCPD armorer's star so it passed inspection but I wonder if it was ever issued. It doesn't look like it's been carried much if at all. It's finish is matte and all the others I've seen were brushed stainless so that's odd. I have seen a couple USPS SS 357 with the matte finish online. The serial# is very high 162-426xx probably 1988 just before the GP100s & SP101s were issued to NYCPD. I sent Ruger $10 to get it lettered but don't expect to learn much.Thanks for the replies.edit: I just saw a photo of a Speed Six 38spl 2.75 or 3" West Australia stamped with the same looking matte finish as mine. Others have told me the finish wasn't factory but I have seen a few now.
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It might never have been issued. The job made the switch to 9MM literally 3 days before a 2500 member recruit class went in. So the Equipment Section had a boatload or NYPD Rugers and Smiths that were not going to be needed so they sold them to distributors.


The Six guns were replaced by the GPNY and SPNY so any Service Six Guns couldn’t be bought by cops so they got some to distributors too.

I remember guys selling their wheel guns for $100. Wish I had kept mine and bought a few others. To think a Ruger Service Six would even go for the price they are going for today!
 
Homerboy said:
I remember guys selling their wheel guns for $100. Wish I had kept mine and bought a few others. !
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By the time my agency finally decided to transition to Glocks, the LE market for revolvers was almost non existent. I sold a very nice Chief Special to a probation officer for $25.
 
Homerboy said:
It might never have been issued. The job made the switch to 9MM literally 3 days before a 2500 member recruit class went in. So the Equipment Section had a boatload or NYPD Rugers and Smiths that were not going to be needed so they sold them to distributors.


The Six guns were replaced by the GPNY and SPNY so any Service Six Guns couldn’t be bought by cops so they got some to distributors too.

I remember guys selling their wheel guns for $100. Wish I had kept mine and bought a few others. To think a Ruger Service Six would even go for the price they are going for today!
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This first hand information is just what I was hoping for and very much appreciated. I've had an issue that's kept me house bound and using the time researching this gun. Approximately what year did NYPD sell off the six series Rugers to distributors and were the ones sold to distributors stamped with the star as the issued guns were?
 
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stonebuster said:
I bought this revolver yesterday. These were special contract for NYCPD with 3" barrels in 38spl only. The standard short barreled Speed Sixes were 2.75" and 357s were more common. The serial number falls into the range of the GS-83 but I need to get it lettered from Ruger to confirm. It wears the NYPD armorers star on the frame confirming it passed inspection. I bought it because there are very few of these GS-83s on the market and this one is in exceptional condition. In the last two weeks I've read everything I could find online about these NYCPD revolvers. If anyone has one or any information about it, please chime in.View attachment 888035 View attachment 888036 View attachment 888037
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Nice revolver and some neat history to go with it. Enjoy your new handgun!
 
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It's official, it's a GS-83 stated in the letter from Ruger I got today. Produced June 1988 and shipped to Davidson Greensboro, NC six months later Dec.1988. I does have the NYCPD armorer's star on the frame so it had to have passed inspection by a NYCPD armorer. A former NYCPD officer from those years stated Ruger sold the guns to the Equipment Dept who then sold them to the officers after they had chosen their weapon. So, they were never really "issued" by the dept. Not knowing what number of which weapons would be chosen they must have had to overstock. Smiths were much more often chosen so guns like mine ended up on the shelf for a while and then sold to distributors like Davidson. At least, that's my theory. Anyone got an other ideas?
 
I'm not sure how that worked back then.

1. Ruger sold the Gun to Equipment Department with the agreement to buy back any unsold guns. This would explain the Star but not why this is not part of the official history.

2. Ruger assigned the guns to the Equipment Department until they sold at which time they paid for them and unsold inventory returned Ruger. This would seem more probable with no history of being sold to the Equipment Department but it seems strange they would mark the gun prior to sale when.it was still Ruger's Property.

3. It was an over-run shipped directly to Davidson and the Star was added later to try to increase collector value.

4. Some as yet unknown strange happenstance.
 
stonebuster said:
Well at least I know it's a GS-83 special contract NYCPD produced in 1988. That might have to do.
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I'm not arguing for any of above just throwing stuff out there. It just seems odd that it wouldn't show shipping to New York but then maybe Ruger has a policy of only showing final dispensation.
 
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