Opinions on Ruger Security Six?

[Marko Kloos]

I'm a Smith & Wesson guy, and don't have any experience with Ruger wheelguns.

Our shop has a brace of Ruger Security Sixes in the case, a blued 4" and a stainless 4" model. I've checked both of them out, and I'm very impressed with the blued one. It has a bit of scuffing on the barrel near the muzzle, but otherwise seems to be in excellent shape. DA trigger pull is very nice, almost on par with the better S&W revolvers I've owned.

Price tag is $229, but I can probably get my hands on it for two bills.

What's the general opinion on the Security Six? Anything I should know about them, or check?

 

[jame]

Accurate, durable, tune up nice & smooth and at $200, an under rated bargain. don't buy just one, buy 'em both!

 

[tcdrennen]

A 4" blue Security Six is the only wheel gun I own (though my partner has a 6" S&W nickled 586 and a 2" 342.)

 

[Mr. Grizzlybear]

Stay clear of any Ruger revolver......big over-rated piece of junk! You would be much happier with the S&W!

 

[tbeb]

I once owned a stainless Ruger GP100 and it was a very good gun. I presently own a stainless Ruger 2 3/4" Speed Six .357 magnum and it is as nice as anyone could want. It's got a sweet 8 lb. double action trigger pull (it has had trigger work). The Security Six is a good gun and a blue one in excellent condition is worth $200 (very good condition-$170). Stainless steel in excellent condition is worth $235 (very good condition-$200). These prices are from the 2003 Gun Traders Guide. Jim March has a good post at the top of the revolver forum on how to check out a revolver. You might want to take a look at that if you haven't already.

 

[Erich]

Good gun at a good price

I used to manage a gun store - I never saw a Ruger -Six series gun that was out of time. Very durable. The triggers aren't as nice as those on S&Ws, but in a smallish .357 (the Security-Six is only slightly larger than the K-frames, fits the same holsters) my primary concern is durability, and the Rugers have it in spades. (My .357 is a Security Six.)

You might run a search over at the Ruger forums; there's been a lot of Security Six chatter over the last couple of months.

Only thing that I can think of that I've seen wrong on Rugers is that sometimes the barrels aren't screwed on to top dead center. Make sure the front sight is perfectly vertical, or else you'll have to mess with the rear sight more than you'd like.

Buy it, that's a great price in today's market (as you'll see if you run that search at the Ruger forums).

 

[Preacherman]

They're great guns, and I'm sorry Ruger stopped making them when they went to the GP series. One point - make sure that the serial number is greater than 151,000. This was the point at which Ruger switched to a heavier barrel and different grip shape. You can get grips, sights, etc. for the post-151,000 guns quite easily, but it's hard (almost impossible!) to find them for the older models.

 

[sm]

I too am a Smith fan...that said

Security Six is great gun! I used to find the 4" versions around here as police trade-ins. Carried lots , shot little, just holster wear. Yep you need one "just because".

 

[Al Thompson]

Other than needing a specific speedloader, they are very comperable to a K frame S&W. I've had one since 1977.

 

[Ala Dan]

Being a Smith & Wesson fan myself; but having
owned 2X Ruger Security-Six'es, I would have
to rate them as a top quality contender; very
comparable to Smith's model 19. I owned two
of the 4" models; one blue, and one in the
stainless steel version. I favored the stainless
Security-Six, and even carried it for quite awhile
as a CCW piece.

The only negative I can say about them, is the
fact that the trigger pull isn't as nice as that of
a S&W model 19. But heck, for two C-notes; I
don't see how you can go wrong!

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

 

[Dienekes]

Excellent guns. I used to train and qualify about 50 LEOs, and the majority used the issue Speed Sixes (same gun, fixed sights & round butt). I went to a personally owned 4" Service Six with Spegel grips in 1981 and used one or another variation for the next 13 years. During that time I wore out the barrels of two of them with 125 JHP ammo; Ruger rebuilt both (one gratis) and I still have and use both guns. As a matter of fact, I have a total of seven around, counting the one my son has for a house and car gun.

Just traded a good Glock 17 for two very nice 4" Security Sixes; one stainless and one blue. I think I got the better of the deal.

Took the Ruger armorer's course in 1990 or so which covered these in addition to the GP-100s. The story was that a demo technique was to fire the gun, throw it down range, retrieve it, throw it back, and reload. After about fifty rounds like this they put the gun under the tires of a pickup, spun the tires to throw the gun hard and far, reloaded it, and fired it some more. By the time this was all over the sights were pretty battered and the gun had a bad case of road rash, but it still went bang reliably.

Only once did I ever see one fail to work. The thumb latch retaining screw had backed out and the latch locked the gun up until we figured it out.

I have a very nice, very smooth GP-100 that I rarely use, whereas my Security Six is a daily driver. IMHO Ruger made a mistake dropping it as they are tank tough, handy, and all the gun most of us need.

I almost have enough of them, but they are sort of like potato chips.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I'd buy one.

I carried the Security Six for years.

 

[Roger Williams]

Stay clear of any Ruger revolver......big over-rated piece of junk! You would be much happier with the S&W!

Don't you mean steer clear of those fragile Smiths? J/K.

I think you would be very happy with the Security Six. They are really well built guns. If you get one with a good trigger, they're keepers. I saw one locally and the only thing that held me back was the $350 price tag! If I could get one for $200, I'd jump on it with both feet!

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Security 6 VS Smith Airweight 1977

At a civilian range I was visiting I and another man were rapid firing. He had a Smith Airweight. A round was popped without powder and the bullet lodged in the barrel so the cylinder could turn and firing rapidly a live round came behind it and the top strap of his Smith blew off taking the top three cylinders with it. Pieces of them stuck in the walls and ceiling of his booth luckily no injuries. A few minutes later the same thing happened to me in my Ruger and the lead from the second bullet squeezed up under the top strap and over the front of the cylinders freezing the weapon. I later took a knife and dug all the lead out and with a cleaning rod got the lead out of the Ruger barrel and there was no damage to the Ruger at all.

I think the Smith must have been a J frame Smith. It sure looked awful and I got the contract for all the ammo for the range after those bad loads. I was a commercial reloader and the range was The Range Inc. in Van Nuys California in 1977.

 

[Grayrock]

Mine was my 1st gun purchase ever. I still have it and like it a lot. Sights are a bit worn, but it's a great gun. Had some kind of trigger job- you just touch the trigger and it fires.

 

[OGR]

my 2 cents

Every time the guys get to talking about what they used to have and what they wish they'd never traded off, one officer in particular always moans about giving up his service six. For two bills, I'd nab it up..

 

[pignock]

I've got a 4" stainless Service Six and I love it. If I remember correctly, I paid about $250 (used) for mine out the door. Sounds like a good deal to me.

I'm still looking for a 3" stainless Speed Six to complement it.


Keith

 

[ID_shooting]

I love my service six, I will never replace it with another 357 wheelie. mine was a desk sergeant's special, (no bluing left on it but the internals looked virgin) I paid $250.00 for mine but I had em toss in a plain uncle mikes holster and a wolff spring kit. I left the DA at 8 pounts, but the SA is a very crisp and consistant 2.5 pounds, BTW, off hand, SA, 15 yds = a 1.2 in group with cheap .38 spl CCI blazers.

MY words, BUY IT! you wont be sorry

 

[tc300mag1]

Very good guns. Have never ahd a prolem out of the one we have

 

[tech]

I would jump on it. I have 2 a 4" and 2 3/4" both dead on accurate. The more you shoot it the better the trigger will get.

Mike

 

[BryanP]

Marko, if I hadn't recently left the job that paid me to drive to Knoxville at least once a month I'd be asking you where that shop is located so I could come grab one on my next trip up. As it is I'm still tempted to ask, even if the gas would add $25 to the price. Buy it.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

For two bills I'd be all over that Security Six like white on rice.

RON in PA had one back in the 80s. After much dry and live firing, and a Wolff spring kit it had a very nice, smooth trigger.

 

[Cactus]

You would be crazy if you didn't get it for only $200! Where else are you going to find a quality .357 in that condition for that price? Even if the trigger is a little rough, any decent 'smith should be able to smooth it up just fine.

In the end you would have a quality .357 as compact and smooth as a M-19 S&W, yet far stronger for less money.

 

[Lone Star]

It has been my experience that the cylinder crane fit is a little loose in these guns, also the GP-100. (Fore-and-aft movement).

Cylinder bolt cuts in the cylinder are also more variable than in Colts and Smiths. Sometimes, you can tip the barrel down, and the cylinder actually moves forward enough to affect the barrel-cylinder gap.

I also don't like the rough finish inside the cylinder window. Just not as refined as S&W's, and reminds me that I'm holding a gun made of cast parts.

I've owned both a Security-Six and a GP-100 and sold both to replace them with S&W's.

Nonetheless, if I found a good Ruger with everything made as it SHOULD be, I'd buy another Security-Six, probably a stainless six-incher.

The guns will shoot as well as will Colts and Smiths, but the trigger pull makes it harder to achieve that degree of accuracy with them.

Lone Star

 

[Tamara]

I sure wish Ruger still made 'em. Downright svelte when compared to their GP-100 replacement. Security Six, Speed Six, Service Six... Neat ol' guns.