GP100 of Security Six?

[gharsh]

Which one would be your choice? I'm in the market for a .357 and like the Rugers. I've actually owned both in the past and have since traded them for other things and would like to have one back. I like the four inch models and seem to be getting hung up on the fact that the Security Sixes are no longer made. Any thoughts?

 

[MCgunner]

The GP100 is quite a bit stronger, but pays for it in weight. The design is stronger, though, latching the crane and such. I had a Security Six, a little heavier than a M66 Smith, maybe. Good design, lighter and easier to carry than the GP 100. I fired a lot of hot stuff in it and it was pretty loose when I traded it.

 

[Dienekes]

I have used (and carried) Service/Security Sixes since 1980 as an LEO/Armorer and now a CCW. My agency had a bunch of them. Took the Armorer's course from Ruger around 1990 or so. I also own a very slick GP-100.

Probably the most significant point for me is that the Security Six guns are daily drivers, whereas the GP is a safe queen. Under very heavy use with .357 125 JHP factory loads the Sixes will eventually suffer forcing cone erosion. I replaced two barrels due to this. Don't know if the GP will react the same way but I suspect it would as extra metal doesn't preclude erosion. I don't use this load as much nowadays as I don't have cases of it lying around now.

Ruger developed the GP as an easier weapon to manufacture and to compete against the L frame S&Ws for the police market--with more beef and weight than the Sixes which in turn minimizes recoil. Unfortunately the police market went to semiautos instead and the GP became a sporting piece instead.

My take on it is that the older Sixes are a better casual, day in and day out carry piece and equal in durability to the GP if you don't run unlimited amounts of very, very hot 125 gr. ammo through them. They are simpler than the GPs and any holster that fits the K frame S&W fits them--including the GI flap holster which is great in the field. My personal favorites are the 4" lighter (not bull) barrels; either blue or stainless is ok with me. Last time I counted I had about 7 Sixes, one of which is a .38 Spl. There are still quite a few around at reasonable prices and Ruger overhauls and refinishes them reasonably also. I have probably sent in about ten of them over the years and been very pleased.

The GP is a lot of gun--about half a pound heavier--and I think best suited as a deliberate plinking/hunting piece. Recoil is much reduced because of the weight and cushioned grips. Those grips fit me personally better than anything this side of custom. For CCW it is on the big side and the grips drag on clothing which is not good.

There used to be a fixed sighted, 4" GP with a slightly smaller grip that felt a lot like a Six. Nice gun. Never owned one but always thought that if the Sixes all went away I could learn to love that version.

I like all good guns and that includes K frame S&Ws. But I think these Rugers will take a lot more use and abuse. Some people think that dropping the Six series guns was a mistake on Ruger's part and I am inclined to agree.

 

[sfhogman]

I own both, and prefer the feel and slickness of the GP100 trigger. I also prefer the GP100 grips- a lot. The GP goes to the range much more often than the Six. If I had to carry one or the other, I think it would be the Six.

Having said that, I'm sure glad I have both. I'd never sell either one.

Jeff

 

[LeonCarr]

Get one of each. I am always looking for six inch half-lug GPs and six inch Security Sixes. Both the Six series and the GPs are good guns.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Majic]

I would take a Security Six any day of the week over a GP-100.

 

[RON in PA]

The grip on the GP100 may be the best standard factory grip on a revolver. One of the main reasons that Ruger went to the GP100 is that like the Smith K frame .357s, the Security Six series were trashed by the 125 grain loads. If all you want to do is shoot 38s there is nothing wrong with a Security Six and there are Service Sixs chambered for 38 special only.

 

[tomkatz]

There used to be a fixed sighted, 4" GP with a slightly smaller grip that felt a lot like a Six. Nice gun. Never owned one but always thought that if the Sixes all went away I could learn to love that version

AFAIK they still make that version, half lug barrel too....I have a 3 inch blued one that is sweet. I also have the full lug 4 incher. I sold my 4 inch security six and regret it very much.
Any of the rugers are great guns for the money, IMO you can't go wrong here.
.....tom

 

[slick6]

Security-Six was not trashed as easily as K-frames w/125gr.!

Ron in PA:

It's not quite true that the Ruger Security-Six was trashed as easily as an S&W Model 19 k-frame in shooting a constant diet of 125 grain .357 magnum ammo! The K-frame would fall to the wayside, long before the Security-Six would fold under the same contiuous shooting of these "Hot" 125 grain .357's! The Security Six was much stronger! Not as strong as an GP100-but superior to the S&W K-frames for sure! History has proven this! Bill Ruger had designed the Security Six from the ground up to withstand the constant firing of .357 magnum's! The S&W Model 19 was a beefed up .38 special caliber revolver-that was designed for the practice shooting with .38 special's and then occassional shooting of the .357 magnum's-or, whenever duty called for Police to require the use of the .357 magnum's! This is not to say that the Model 19(And other K-frame .357 revolvers!)were weak(But, only that they could not withstand the pounding that the Security Six could while enduring the constant shooting of the .357 magnum's)for as long!

It was a requirement for S&W to upgrade from the K-frame to the stronger L-frame! However, the Ruger Security Six was plenty strong enough to do the job firing the .357's-however, Bill Ruger felt that he needed to offer a competetive revolver to be marketed directly against the newly introduced, S&W L-frames(But not because of any weakness in the Security-Six, as a "Necessity" for doing this!)! I have several K-frame & L-frames and Security-Sixes and One GP-100! I like them all-but, I like the size and easier handling of both the K-frames and the Security Sixes better than both the larger L-frames and GP100's! All of these revolvers have their own inherent advantages-but(Overall)I'll pick the Security Six any day of the week, as my own personal preference! To each his own!

 

[gharsh]

Good discussion. When I was shooting these, either the GP or the Six, I was reloading my own stuff and using .357 cases, but loading to .38 pressures. This helped keep down the fouling in the cyclinder. I don't plan on shooting the "heavy" stuff much, if at all. Maybe just once in a while. I agree that any Ruger, autos included, are good guns for the money. Also, I've never had to use them, but I've heard great things about their customer support also. I think I'm leaning towards one of the Security Sixes. Mostly for the fact that they are no longer produced and when the funds allow, I can always pick up a GP in the future.

Thanks for the direction.

 

[MCgunner]

Dienekes' post reminded me of the recoil of that security six I had, worst of any medium frame .357 I've ever fired, worse than an SP101! Part of it was weight and light barrel, but that thing sat really high in the hand and it rolled back violently with hot loads. I put a nylon Hogue grip on it (before Hogue came out with the rubber ones) and the sharp edge of the grip cut the palm of my hand! I had to take a knife and smooth out the sharp edge of that grip. It was not a pleasant gun to fire with hot loads.

Still, the security six is the handier of the two and I, for one, wish Ruger would bring it back as an alternative to the GP. The SP101 is the Ruger I'm looking at for future purchase, though. It's handier than either one and handles recoil better than the Security Six. Wish I could at LEAST get the .357 with windage adjustables on it, though. The fixed sights put me off in a .357 because danged few of 'em hit anywhere close with hot loads to where they hit with a light .38. On my current Taurus, all I have to do is raise the rear sight six clicks for .38, drop it back for .357.

 

[f4t9r]

GP100

 

[Moonclip]

You guys are wearing out sec sixes! I like the security six type guns for a general all around 357mag and the GP100 for something that is going to get a lot of hot ammo used in it all the time and for purposes like hunting or home defense or such. A 2 3/4" Ruger speed six for example is somewhat smaller than even a 3" GP 100 and better for some applications.

 

[slopemeno]

McGunner-
the hot setup with Security Sixes from that era was to roundbutt them to Speed-Six grip frame countours, and use Pachmayer Compac grips. It made the gun ride a lot lower in your hand and the 1/8" or so of rubber over the backstrap helped with recoil. It also reduced the size of the grip overall so you werent contantly banging it into stuff when it was carried in a holster.