My Speed Six or My GP100

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357smallbore

357smallbore

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Fellow gunners. I have a Speed Six and a 4 inch GP. I LOVE EM BOTH. I carry my Speed Six in my EDC rotation. I don't shoot my GP as much as I use to. Its not the newer GP's. This one was born on in 1998. Is it time to let it go? Or keep as a safe queen?
I have so many weapons to shoot, I just don't get that much time to blaze away with my GP.
 
I never grew fond of the newer Rugers. If you intend to keep only 1 then your Six is the smoother gun, the gp is the stronger gun. If it were me I would move the gp and find something else to enjoy for a while.
 
357smallbore

I would definitely hang onto the Speed Six, like forever. The GP100; not as much love for. If it were me and I wasn't using it as much I use to I would try to sell it or trade it on something else that interests me. Like a nice pristine Security Six to go with the Speed Six.
 
The Sixes are nice, Ruger's most attractive revolvers IMO, but the GPs are better shooters. The Sixes really stack on the DA stroke, the DA on the GP is far better, and the GP grip really soaks up the recoil.
 
Only you can know if you should sell it. If it's an older GP100 you might want to hold on to it since it is a nicer gun than the current production revolvers.

I like the Six-Series revolvers and think they are good carry guns. The GP100 is a nice belt carry gun for woods carry and the like.
 
The older production GP100's are great guns. I have both a Security Six and an old GP100, but these would probably be the last two guns in my collection that I would ever consider selling.

If you're dead-set on selling, hold off until after the election. You may just change your mind or you'll probably get premium $$$ for it.
 
I have both as well, and I would not sell either! If you don't need the money, I'd just hang on to them.
Consider them as stock in your investment portfolio
 
I have a 6" GP100 that I bought in the early 1990s that I hardly ever shoot anymore. I definitely have thought of selling it towards something else, but I can't quite let it go of a well built revolver in really good shape. I figure I'll hang on to it until the day I hand it down to a family member. Even if I never shoot it again.
 
Beauty Six, Bayou. I like the custom grips.

Mine looks almost the same, except I have hogue monogrips on it, and it has the red insert front sight. It was made in 1985. I have the original wood grips, but would be interested in some nice wood to dress it up.

OP, you made the right choice. I will not be selling my Security Six either.
 
Ah, please don't get me started on Ruger Security-Sixes and GPs again!
If you want a range gun, the GPs are boat anchors, built to give you extra weight in the barrel but almost useless for camping, hiking and other outdoor activities. The Security-Six, on the other hand (and the Speed-Sixes) are far better for carrying. Both are overbuilt for shooting many hundreds of thousands of rounds, but where Bill Ruger tried to shave off as much weight as he could, his successors added as much weight as they could.

The Speed-Sixes should be selling for much more than they are because, frankly, anyone wanting to sell theirs is crazy. They're like S&W 65/66s, but they'll last forever.

RugerSecurity-SixTrio_6.jpg

Bench_2.jpg
The guns don't have interchangeable barrels,
but this is easily remedied by getting all three
of the Security-Sixes. I also rounded the grips
on my shorter-barreled guns (the Speed-Sixes
already have rounded grips).

RugerSecurity-Six3_inch_RB.jpg
Closer look at the Security-Six with
rounded grip. Some have skinny
barrels and others have bull barrels.

Speed-Six_5.jpg
The Speed-Six in a 3-inch configuration.
These things are built like tanks. This
one was originally made as a .38Spc,
then converted to .357 by having the
chambers reamed.

RugerGrips.jpg
Another thing I don't like is the way
Ruger designed its GP grips. The
Security-Six keeps the shape of the
gun and retains its proper balance.
Picking up the GP is difficult in that
the balance is all towards the front,
which some people like. I don't. I'd
prefer the Smith & Wesson 686 as
I greatly prefer the balance.

 
Last edited:
Turned my Security Six to a RB to.

index.php


Did this maybe 20 years ago! Added Secret Service stocks made by Eagle. They don't make 'em anymore.

Deaf
 
Those are some beautiful Security Six specimens, guys. Congrats on owning some fine firearms!
 
I have both a Speed Six and a GP100 that was a 4" bbl. and faced your situation. I had thought about selling it but it has
a very nice tuned action. Finally, I decided I would have the barrel cut to 2.75" which it is in the process of being done.
This is being done locally. If you desire this Dave Clements does this and even retains the stock interchangeable front
sight system. His prices seem very reasonable. The end result is a revolver that is about 4 oz. heavier than the Speed Six.
 
When S&W decided to strengthen its line of K-frame revolvers, Ruger foolishly followed suit by trying to do the same. But does this photo show a gun that needs to be strengthened? Is this a gun that seems fragile or too dainty for sustained firing of full power loads?

Not to me!

Ruger_SS_Assembly_2.jpg
Many gun hacks heralded the new GP
as a major improvement over the Security-Six
because they're in the back pockets of the
advertisers. Not one stood up for earlier
Ruger line. Not one complained about the
weight or balance of the new guns. And
hunters pretty much wrote off the new
6-inch version.

Ruger announced a new version of the GP with a lighter barrel, but several of my friends tried to find them but couldn't. And one found a 6-inch version, but the balance and weight, he said, were still distracting. But he said it's an improvement over the lugged version.


RugerFBISS_1.jpg
This 6-inch model was an FBI Academy
Anniversary commemorative version. I
bought a few for an astoundingly great
price (with wood display cases), but the
insides were covered in rust. Instead of
returning them for a refund, I sent them
back to Ruger and a few weeks later
they came back to me clean as a whistle.
This gun is nearly perfect for outdoor use.
Light, fast, accurate and weather resistant,
it's also a powerhouse for its size and weight.


RugerSecurity-SixDuo_RB_2.jpg
By using a simple electric grinder, I was
able to convert them to round butts. It would
have been great if Ruger had made them all
like this, as round butts can always be fitted
with square butt grips.

 
Last edited:
Never ever, ever, ever sell a Ruger Six Series. Unless it's to me.

My Security Six and GP100 would probably be the LAST guns I ever gave up.
 
I only have one.
Issued to me in the 70's and allowed to buy when I retired. Carried a lot, shot a lot, an old friend for 44 years.
Going to my grand daughter when Im gone, cause she is a better shot and a lot tougher than my grand son.
 
I see a lot of these guns for sale in terrible condition. They're really beat up. For those of you who have one of these guns, I agree. Don't ever let 'em go.

By the way, for those of you with both the old "Six" series and the GP series, are the rear sights compatible to your knowledge? If so, the Millett sights really are a great addition.
 
Confederate said:
I see a lot of these guns for sale in terrible condition. They're really beat up. For those of you who have one of these guns, I agree. Don't ever let 'em go.

By the way, for those of you with both the old "Six" series and the GP series, are the rear sights compatible to your knowledge? If so, the Millett sights really are a great addition.
Click to expand...

I find the Security Six and GP-100 sights compatible. Bowen makes a real sturdy steel one and their email said they are compatible.

They said to me,

"Have to admit I cannot keep straight the Sec. Six models. If yours is a
later gun it should have the new-style sight with the hump on the bottom of
the sight-body tang towards the front. The old-style sights have a flat
bottom tang with the usual swoop up at the front end of the body. If the
former, our NMF click-adjustable and the Rough Country model sights will
work. If the latter, then we have only the OMF click-adjustable sight for
it. Unfortunately, both are in short supply though we have a new machine
shop which is putting out parts as fast as it can. With some luck, we should
have both types of sights in good supply this spring."

http://parts.bowenclassicarms.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2

Deaf
 
Ubermeier said:
Beauty Six, Bayou. I like the custom grips.

Mine looks almost the same, except I have hogue monogrips on it, and it has the red insert front sight. It was made in 1985. I have the original wood grips, but would be interested in some nice wood to dress it up.

OP, you made the right choice. I will not be selling my Security Six either.
Click to expand...
He mentioned Speed Six rather than Security Six. Perhaps you meant you have both. I prefer to carry the GP100 over my Security Six, because the grip frame with the right grip choice results in a significantly more concealable gun. My Security Six has custom Herretts to help, but that added $150 to the cost of the gun. Really good fitting holsters with strong cant to hide the grip better are not easy or cheap to source either. I find the GP100 (.357 Magnum) handles heavier loads more to my liking than the Sec Six.

The Speed Six is a different animal with its round butt frame and design to be carried concealed. If I had one, it would probably be in my carry rotation, assuming I found grips I like. I wonder about that, with these older guns having limited to none support.
 
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