Ruger Security Six 2.75" for woods defense?

[David E]

Interesting history on the Security Six. It appears the fix sighted version was the forerunner to their own Service Six. Thanks for pointing out that little known fact.

But I think we can agree that if it has adjustable sights, it can only be a Security Six. (barring factory mistakes or after market tinkering)

 

[Jonah71]

Some of the 150- series Security Sixs have fixed sights.

They sure do. I recently traded away one of them (mfg. 1972 I think). Excuse me while I kick myself again.

 

[gearhead]

I bought a 4" blue 150 series Security Six with fixed sights back in the spring. Oddly enough, it's several ounces lighter than my 2 3/4" stainless later-series Security Six.

 

[sixgunner455]

Not a thing wrong with a 2.5"-3" (or longer) .357 for a woods gun. I've got a S&W Model 13, 3" I use for that.

 

[Confederate]

A lot of people sell the .357 short. In my opinion, it's the best manstopper of any handgun, including the .44 magnum. I'm also a fan of the Ruger "Six" as it's easy to carry and point. Shooting it is another matter! But many shooters have proven time and again that it can be done.

Carrying a shotgun on the trail is, on the other hand, something I won't do. It's a fine weapon to have when needed, but unless it's an automatic, repeat shots are problematic.

I recently read an account of a man who saved his wife/fiancee from a large black bear with a 4-inch locking knife. She was cooking and he was a short distance away engaged in other matters. He took some bruises and scrapes, but he won the battle. Rangers tracked the bear down and shot it the next day, but it was an interesting read.

S&W started the .357 out on the wrong foot, putting it on the large N frame. But the Highway Patrol was impressed to see that it could penetrate cars and blow holes in tires. They later put it in the K frame and that was a real winner. I still think it should be in production. Ruger followed suit by producing the Security-Six, Police Service-Six and Speed-Six.



The beautiful Model 66 was difficult to find for under retail
price for years. The earlier models were gorgeous, but it was
replaced by the larger L frame.

The Speed-Six is one of the most underrated guns ever made, in my view. It was fast and light for the day. It's still the one I'd carry in the mountains if'n I lived near any. I found this Speed-Six, chambered for .38 Special, years ago for almost nothing. My gun smith reamed the chambers out for .357 and his work was so precise that this is one of my most accurate handguns.



I have a nice leather holster that clips behind my belt and sits on the right side within easy reach. Another thing I like is that it has a true 3-inch barrel. The weight and balance are incredible.



Years ago, an anti-gunner wrote an article in an outdoor magazine complaining of what would happen if people were allowed to carry handguns on this country's trails. Friendly "hellos" exchanged between hikers would instantly be replaced by suspicion and distrust. Naturally, this was proven totally false twenty years later. It makes me wonder if they ever get tired of being wrong.

.

 

[ORHunter79]

Well I got the security six. And let me tell you I'm already in love with this gun. It feels like a true chunk of steel. I'll post pictures as soon as I get a chance. I can see now why Ruger security six owners won't sell or regret selling if they had them. Guess I'll be passing this one down to my kids one day.

 

[Deaf Smith]

ORHunter,

Congrats! You will really enjoy it.

I have a Speed Six, 2 3/4 inch bbl in .38 spl. I use Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWHPs. I have personally chrono'ed them at 1100 fps from my Speed Six.

Yes Eleven hundred feet per second. Now that is a good load! Not much below the 158gr at 1250 that a .357 magnum fires from a 4 inch!

And Buffalo Bore makes a 158gr magnum load that tops 1300 fps from a 3 inch! OUCH!!

My Speed Six is on the right in this photo with Secret Service Grips.

So your Speed Six is plenty for hiking. But as you have posted, a 12 gauge is a good idea in bear country to!

Deaf

 

[Confederate]

Actually, Deaf's Speed-Six is on the left. I wish I could hand load (I used to years ago, but stopped when it got hard to find primers and such).

I bought my Speed-Six in .38 Spc. because I couldn't find it in .357. I also got it at a giveaway price, as few people wanted them at the time.

 

[ORHunter79]

Ok. Here is my "new" security six, born in 1979.

Came with original box and papers. Came with Pachmayr and Herret's grips.

I'm happy!!!

 

[MillCreek]

That looks great! My woods gun for many years was a stainless 2.75" Security Six with 158 grain JHPs. I carried it for many decades of hiking, biking, XC skiing and snowshoeing in western Washington. It is now my bedside gun and I now carry a 3" SP-101 in the woods. For me, concealment in the woods was important, since I don't open carry in order not to alarm the populace or my less-firearms-friendly companions.

 

[ORHunter79]

Any advice on on a good heavy woods load (factory)? I don't reload yet.

 

[Tony_the_tiger]

Corbon 200 gr @1100 Ft/s
Buffalo Bore 180 gr @ 1400 ft/s

 

[ORHunter79]

Tony the tiger,

Thanks.

 

[skidder]

You gain velocity with a longer barrel. From 6" to 2" you lose an average of 400 fps (this can be rounded off to 100 fps per 1"). I understand a 6" is not always possible (I carry a 2.25 sp101 in many cases), but if you can swing a 6" it will give you an advantage in velocity and accuracy.

When I'm hiking, I pack a 5.5" Redhawk or a 6" Security Six. From a 6" to 2.75" it averages out to 325 fps. So to answer the OP's original question a 2.75 can be too short for a 357 in a hiking situation (depending on the wildlife).

 

[ORHunter79]

Deaf smith,

Where can I get those grips?

 

[David E]

You gain velocity with a longer barrel. From 6" to 2" you lose an average of 400 fps (this can be rounded off to 100 fps per 1").

Not necessarily. There are other variables in play besides mere barrel length.

Sometimes, a 4" barreled gun chronos faster than a 6"

The only way to know is to chrono your loads from your gun.

 

[skidder]

David E-- You are correct, that is why a said "average". There are variables like cylinder gap, powder speed, and bullets used that can change this average. It is a scientific fact that if you took a hacksaw to your 6" revolver and sawed 1" off at a time your velocity would decrease accordingly (more-so with a with a slower powder).

That is why you get a bigger fireball out of a snub when shooting a stout load. Now David, I am not going to get my hacksaw out and start chopping up my Security Six to prove this to you, but the data is out there if you want to look it up (wow, that's 10 minutes of my like I will never have back).

 

[David E]

If you hack off an inch of barrel at a time it'll reduce the velocity, since you're only changing one gun variable. I thought that was painfully obvious to everyone...

My points were a 4" barreled gun may generate more velocity than another gun with a 6" barrel and that the old "100 fps per inch" doesn't always apply.

But as even you point out, powder choice can minimize how much velocity is lost. Even with slow powders, the velocity lost may not be as much as speculated.

Chronographing will end the speculation.

The shorter barrel will have a louder bark than a longer one, so ear protection is always a good idea.

 

[BossHogg]

During hunting season many states have barrel length restrictions. Just be aware of that.

 

[David E]

Not a consideration in a thread with "woods defense" in the title.

 

[420Stainless]

Don't know anything about defense against cougars and such, but I do know that a 2-3/4" Security Six is one of the handiest and nicest shooting revolvers around. I have one and wouldn't trade it for double the street value (unless I thought I could find and buy two of them ).

 

[Deaf Smith]

Deaf smith,

Where can I get those grips?

OR,

Those are Secret Service grips (and yes the Ruger is on the right!)

Close up they look like this:

And the Ruger in THIS photo IS on the right also!

I have Eagle Secret Service grips on S&W J, K, and Ls as well as Ruger Speed Six and this 2 3/4 inch Security Six I turned into a round butt revolver (using old Speed Six grips as a template to take off the excess metal.)

Deaf

 

[ORHunter79]

Just an update. Nothing "scientific". I took out 3 old big 3" phone books. Stacked em up and shot at them with a 158 gr Federal American Eagle JSP.

Results were impressive. Complete pass through with all six shots, that's 9" of dry paper. Those JSPs went through them like butter and are lodged in some tree now.

My buddy shot them with his 1911, the 230gr FMJs and they stopped about 2/3 of the way through the first phone book.

Conclusion: I feel VERY confident with this fine firearm, even though it has a 2.75" barrel, to take down a angry cat or black bear.

Thanks for all the advice. No regrets here.

 

[PabloJ]

New guy here. Never had a revolver so please give me your opinions.

I'm about to pick one of these up as a woods defense gun. (Trade for a Glock 26)

What are your opinions of this revolver as far a reliability and value?

Is the 2.75" barrel too short for the 357 mag?

What ammo should I use for the woods?

I was looking at: http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_27&products_id=337

Or is there better suited ammo for the 2.75?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I would pay big bucks and get S&W 329PD and use either .44Special or .44Mag loads depending on what could be encountered. I don't mind heavy recoil but I do know heavy guns suck on long hikes.

 

[ORHunter79]

Nothing scientific, but here is a vid I made of the Ruger Security Six in Action against "hostile" soda bottles. (and the Benelli and Springfield xd9m)

http://youtu.be/j3d2aFfYuFE