Ruger Service Six in .38, Is +P safe to shoot?

[TnShooter83]

I have a Ruger Service Six Serial number
says it was made in 1988. It is .38 special.
Is it safe to shoot +P ammunition out of it?

 

[only1asterisk]

Without a doubt, so long as it is in safe condition to be shot at all.

David

 

[Sistema1927]

The Ruger Six models are built like tanks.

 

[PotatoJudge]

Is there any reason the gun couldn't handle 357 mag pressures? Not that I'm advocating the loading 38 to that level, for the obvious reasons.

 

[slick6]

Well, as far as the strength of your .38 Service-Six is concerned, it is actually just as strong as the .357 Service-Six-since Bill Ruger made both guns out of the same strength materials and utilized the same heat treatment! The only thing that he did differently, was just to chamber these guns in their different respective calibers-and that's all! Both guns are very strong! .38+P's will be a "Picnic" in your Service-Six!

 

[Confederate]

Not only can they handle +Ps, they can handle full throttle .357 magnums if you have the chambers reamed. I had that done to my 3-inch Speed-Six and they shoot magnum rounds with no problem.

The Service- and Speed-Sixes have solid frames, just like single action guns. This makes them much stronger than most double actions even larger than they are.

What's more, at their weight, they can't be beat.

 

[shuto]

speed six

i have speed six in .38 cal that i love. how much will it cost to have the chambers reamed out to .357? would the ruger factory do this? thanks for any input. joe

 

[GRIZ22]

The only thing that he did differently, was just to chamber these guns in their different respective calibers-and that's all! Both guns are very strong! .38+P's will be a "Picnic" in your Service-Six!

I heard this from a NYPD armorer after they allowed the Rugers for service. Ruger didn't do anything diffrent than the 357s except cut the chambers toi 38spl for agencies like NYPD who allowed guns chambered for 357 only.

Sending it to Ruger is undoubtedly the only way to get it rechambered to 357. Give customer service a call and they can tell you if they'll rechamber your cylinder or just replace it. The cost shouldn't be that much.

 

[Reddbecca]

The Service Six is a .357 Magnum gun, just given a shorter cylinder and fixed sights. Maybe a thinner topstrap too, not sure.

 

[Confederate]

Nope, top straps are identical, too.

The factory doesn't always ream the chambers to exacting specs like a good gunsmith would. It cost me $40 a while back to have the job done. At the time I had two revolvers and the gunsmith was so good that both guns turned out to be super accurate.

You might check out Brownell's and see if they don't sell some reamers, if you're good at that stuff. It shouldn't take much to do the job.

 

[prescobd]

Speed Six

I have a 3" Ruger Speed Six in .38 Spl and picked up a .357 Mag cylinder off an auction site. I just last Sunday swapped the .38 cylinder for the .357 cylinder. I haven't yet fired it with the magnum cyclinder. If I remember correctly, I paid about $40 for the cyclinder.

 

[Confederate]

Ummm, please make sure the chambers line up with the barrel. As I recall, some fitting may be in order.

 

[shuto]

speed six

confederate, thanks. i'd like to get this revolver up to i'ts full potential.