Speed Six/Service Six

[9mmepiphany]

Didn't somebody used to make custom 5 shot .44 specials on Ruger "six" frames?

it was call the .44 ASP and was designed to ride on the coattails of the Seventrees ASP which was the first production sub-compact S&W M39.

i thought it was marketed by a compant named Armorment Systems (ssoomething), but they didn't build it...i'm thinking it was put together by Mag-Na-Port, but i'm likely wrong

 

[MADDOG]

The Six series cost a lot of money to manufacture. Bill Ruger said he never made any money on the Six's. If you find a good one, buy it and your grandchildren will enjoy trying to wear it out.

 

[tekarra]

gwnorth,
Nice pair of revolvers!

 

[19-3Ben]

Ok, so here's another question for you.

The trigger on my 19-3 is the sweetest trigger I've ever felt on a gun (including my SP101 from Gemini Customs).

How does the Sec/serv/speed six trigger compare to that of the k-frame Smiths?

 

[Cosmoline]

They are heavier, but you can change the spring weight easily. I find they get better and smoother with use.

 

[19-3Ben]

Yeah I knew about changing spring weight, but weight only one factor in the trigger-pull.

The 19-3 is flawlessly smooth in DA, and as crisp in SA as any good hunting rifle I've ever shot.

I don't expect the Six's (or for that matter, any gun) to have a trigger that smooth. But do you think they were at least close?

 

[Cosmoline]

There's no question that they feel different. Rugers, Colts & S&W's all have a distinct trigger feel. I would have to say that S&W's are smoother and feel lighter, but Ruger feels more solid if that makes sense. Ruger SA on the Sixes is excellent. But on balance I'd say Smith has the best trigger of the bunch.

Where the Sixes really shine, though, is firing full house magnum loads. Once you get the grip and stock combination you like, these revolvers really rock and roll smoothly. Much better than a K frame magnum.

 

[delta53]

speed six

is my honey I have many other so called high end pistols but if i could only have one it would be my speed six you can bang nails then shoot if you had to, Great gun with any ammo

 

[Blue Brick]

I love mine.

 

[Rexster]

Quote: "The trigger on my 19-3 is the sweetest trigger I've ever felt on a gun (including my SP101 from Gemini Customs). How does the Sec/serv/speed six trigger compare to that of the k-frame Smiths?"


Don't expect a DA Six to have as smooth of a trigger as a K-frame! Rugers have a more "mechanical" feel to them, though later ones tend to be smoother than earlier ones. A smooth-faced trigger is a good indicator of a later gun; earlier ones were serrated. It is really best to cherry-pick Ruger sixguns for good triggers. Just to be clear, I am a fan of Ruger revolvers, and like S&W, too.

 

[btg3]

If triggers were the only consideration, Rugers would place a distant 3rd place after Smiths and Colt DAs. I have some older examples of each and the Ruger has appeal for reasons other than the trigger feel, not least of which is affordability.

 

[bhp9mm]

i have a stainless speed six in 9mm i like it alot

 

[slick6]

Ruger never offered a 2" barrel on any of the Six Series revolvers. The shortest barrel length was 2.75".

 

[ArchAngelCD]

That's true, the Six-Series short barrels were 2.75" long. BTW, that length allowed Ruger to put a full length extractor rod on their revolvers, very nice!!

 

[Bass Ackwardz]

I will admit I am not a revolver guy, but after seeing a few Speed Sixes at my LGS and the price I get on firearms from them, I bought 2, one for me and one for the wife as a Valentines Day present. She loves hers and I really like mine. They arent safe queens by any measure and I am thinking about having them bead blasted, but they are shooters. Stainless and built like tanks. My 7 year old is already drooling knowing she wont be able to wear them out in her lifetime.

Bass

 

[Elmer]

The Service six and Security Six are both square butt and the Speed Six is round butt kind of. The grips are different at any rate. The speed six may only come in the 2 3/4" barrel length. I know the Security and Service Sixes come in it.

The Speed Six was made in 2 3/4", 4" and in limited numbers, 3". The difference in the grip between the round butt Speed Six and the square butt Service Six is very small, and Ruger was known to convert Service Sixes to round butt configuration for police orders. I have one that was shipped to a PD as a Speed Six, but is marked Service Six.

I also have one of the ASP converted 44 Specials, but when I bought it, it had lockup problems and I've never gotten around to getting it fixed.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

There is also a "High Back" and a "Low Back" model Security-Six.

They also made some "Low Back" Speed Six guns from 1972-1974. Here's a pic of my "Low Back" Speed Six. I have no issue with the low back as it refers to gripping the gun and recoil.

Original low back round butt grips for the Speed Six are certainly hard to find...I do know that!

 

[Confederate]

The shortest barrel length was 2.75"

Thank goodness! I've never seen the use of a 2-inch barrel on any gun.

The ejectors on these guns aren't full-length, though, which initially was criticized by gun hacks. That is, until they realized that Bill Ruger did it intentionally. When training people for combat situations, the shorter stroke keeps cartridge cases from being caught under the extaction star while being ejected. Thus it has a better system (in my view) than the S&Ws.

I was initially concerned about Ruger cutting out a small section of some of their forcing cones, but from what I've been able to learn, it hasn't been a problem like it was on the Smiths. One fellow who's worked on my guns says the density of the steel in Ruger's forcing cones is greater than that of the Smiths. I've seen cracked forcing cones in some stainless Rugers, but none had the notch at the bottom -- and I suspect the ones I did see were badly abused.

Ruger kept a close eye on their stainless quality -- certainly better than the Smiths. (I saw two 681s where the stainless was so soft that the front sights wore down to nubs just from holster wear!) Now you could get soft stainless and not ever know.

Although I love my 686 6-inch, I'll take my 6-inch Ruger any day for hiking or camping.

 

[oldgoat46]

The speed six has fixed sights

 

[rugerman]

If memory serves me right speed six round butt fixed sights, service six square butt fixed sights, and security six square butt adjustable sights. Various barrel lengths and probiblay some special configurations (like my speed six that has a square butt).