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  #1  
Old 06-25-2017, 03:07 AM
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Default Shot a Security Six.....

Friend has a Ruger stainless steel Security Six he let me shoot the other day. I was impressed by its looks and feel and it shot great (except it needs some cushier grips). That's a great gun from the Ruger people. Why did they stop making them???
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Old 06-25-2017, 03:29 AM
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According to Bill Ruger, he wasn't able to make enough profit on them and still hold the same price levels.

Also, S&W had introduced the L-frame guns, and he felt he needed a larger gun to compete. The GP-100 was the answer, and has a superior front locking system.

The bottom line was that the Security series was too costly to make for what Ruger felt they could charge. That's their official explanation.
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Old 06-25-2017, 05:09 AM
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The Security Six was one of Rugers better efforts. I had one that was somewhat cosmetically challenged years back. A pawn shop rescue that I paid $125 for. A spring kit, some polishing, some new grips, and a lot of cold blue went into the makeover. The result wasn't super pretty, but it shot very well. I recorded a personal best at the range with that old gun, knocking down five plates in well under three seconds. Sold it for $275 as I recall. Probably should have kept it. It was Rugers answer to the K frame, though the similar sized Ruger was probably a little stronger and didn't have forcing cone issues. The action, even when tuned, was not equal to a Smith, but could be improved to the point of being acceptable pretty easily.
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Old 06-25-2017, 05:16 AM
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I have a 4" Speed Six (the fixed sight version). It is chambered for .357 and has a more robust forcing cone compared to the S&W K-frames. I suspect that after S&W came out with the L-frame, Ruger felt they had no choice but to beef up the Six series to the GP100. Essentially, they just bulked up the cylinder so both the GP100 and the 686 used the same speed loaders and made a couple changes in the internals that made it easier to work on.
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Old 06-25-2017, 06:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rwsmith View Post
Why did they stop making them???
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Originally Posted by Texas Star View Post
According to Bill Ruger, he wasn't able to make enough profit on them and still hold the same price levels.

Also, S&W had introduced the L-frame guns, and he felt he needed a larger gun to compete. The GP-100 was the answer, and has a superior front locking system.

The bottom line was that the Security series was too costly to make for what Ruger felt they could charge. That's their official explanation.
Interesting. I'd heard that before. Never knew for sure if it was an urban legend or the truth or something in-between. By the time the S6 was discontinued, I was already several years into my 25-year long post-divorce sabbatical from the shooting sports. By the time I woke up, the S6 was long gone and the GP-100 had taken over.

How is it (or was it) that the S6 was not economic to make but the GP-100 was? What am I missing here?
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Old 06-25-2017, 06:27 AM
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Originally Posted by TTSH View Post
Interesting. I'd heard that before. Never knew for sure if it was an urban legend or the truth or something in-between. By the time the S6 was discontinued, I was already several years into my 25-year long post-divorce sabbatical from the shooting sports. By the time I woke up, the S6 was long gone and the GP-100 had taken over.

How is it (or was it) that the S6 was not economic to make but the GP-100 was? What am I missing here?

I, too, wonder why the GP is cheaper to make, and it uses a more expensive front lock, making it the Ruger equivalent to S&W's old Triple Lock! And I prefer the full frame of the older design to the GP's grip tenon.
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Old 06-25-2017, 06:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Ashlander View Post
I have a 4" Speed Six (the fixed sight version). It is chambered for .357 and has a more robust forcing cone compared to the S&W K-frames. I suspect that after S&W came out with the L-frame, Ruger felt they had no choice but to beef up the Six series to the GP100. Essentially, they just bulked up the cylinder so both the GP100 and the 686 used the same speed loaders and made a couple changes in the internals that made it easier to work on.

You're forgetting that complex crane lock. That was a bit of genius. Not since the Triple Lock S&W have we seen such a crane lock.
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Old 06-25-2017, 06:44 AM
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The Ruger Security-Six is, quite simply, one of the best double action revolvers ever made. That's my opinion, okay? You can disassemble it and put it back together without using one single tool. It feels solid in your hand when you're shooting it. An extremely sturdy gun.

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Old 06-25-2017, 07:17 AM
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Always regretted not picking up a 2 3/4 Speed Six..... at the time they seemed clunky compared to a K-frame Smith

Funny can't even remember the last time I even saw any Six for sale in a LGS?

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Old 06-25-2017, 07:53 AM
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I was recently wanting a M-28 S&W .357 and couldn't find any at a decent price but I saw a near mint condition 4" stainless SS for sale so I picked it up for $400. It has the original wood grips and was made in 1979 and is a great shooter with a nice SA/DA trigger pull but I prefer the DA pull of a Smith. I still want a M-28 and would probably sell the SS to get one.
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Old 06-25-2017, 08:39 AM
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I've had a couple of security sixes. They were nice but I just never cared for them much so they went to new homes. This is the last one that I owned.

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Old 06-25-2017, 08:51 AM
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I've owned several Six-series revolvers over the years. At one time I bought them because they were less expensive than the Smith & Wesson's I really wanted but were about $50.00 less expensive (Memory, so that may not be exact). That $50.00 or whatever it was was a big deal to me back then.

I don't feel I missed out on much with those Rugers though. They were darn fine guns. There is one at my LGS now, but I've got four S&W 38/357's so I can't justify another one. I figure I'll let someone else have it.
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Old 06-25-2017, 09:03 AM
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Just to be picky, the SERVICE Six was the fixed sight version.

The SPEED Six was a Round Butt Service Six with a 2 3/4" barrel.
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Old 06-25-2017, 09:08 AM
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mines a round butted Service Six with XS tritium dot front sight
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Service Six.jpg (87.3 KB, 83 views)

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Old 06-25-2017, 09:16 AM
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My first centerfire revolver. I was a young'un working at an LGS when the Security Sixes came out in SS, about 1975-6. I put a 4" on layaway (my Dad had to actually 'buy' it, I was too young).
We sold ALOT of the SS versions since the S&W M66 was nearly impossible to come by at the time.
In our area, the very first thing you did to a Security Six was toss the original grips and replace with Herrett Shooting Star walnut grips.
The store was a big Bianchi dealer, so a #5B was part of the package.

Next came handloading and I found it really liked upper-end .38 hardcast LSWC's.
Ended up trading it for a M28 6" because I was so young and dumb that I was wanting to enter nuclear-range handload territory.

Think the GP-100 was first marketed as an 'improvement' to the S6 design. Yes, the lockup is a great design, but IMO, the rest of the gun is as sleek and aesthetic as an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.
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Old 06-25-2017, 09:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TTSH View Post
Interesting. I'd heard that before. Never knew for sure if it was an urban legend or the truth or something in-between. By the time the S6 was discontinued, I was already several years into my 25-year long post-divorce sabbatical from the shooting sports. By the time I woke up, the S6 was long gone and the GP-100 had taken over.

How is it (or was it) that the S6 was not economic to make but the GP-100 was? What am I missing here?
I suspect it became an issue of anesthetics trends vs manufacture costs at some point. Much like the K frame took a back seat to the new "bigger and badder" L frame (with underlug) at it's introduction , I think Ruger fell in step with the GP100 to keep market share against the 686.
Marketing 101 tells us that ANY product (guns, cars, appliances, cloths...) should change over time to give the customers hungry and coming back for that little something different or cool. There are exceptions but they are few in comparison.

FWIW, I found this one some 10 years back at a LGS (for $250 as I recall).
It was a great shooter and a good looking gun but it got thoughtlessly traded off for a S&W at some point. One of the few traded guns that I miss. I haven't seen other since.

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Old 06-25-2017, 09:25 AM
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Originally Posted by BAM-BAM View Post
Always regretted not picking up a 2 3/4 Speed Six..... at the time they seemed clunky compared to a K-frame Smith

Funny can't even remember the last time I even saw any Six for sale in a LGS?
I saw a speed six short barrel at my favorite discount gun store, I intended to go up and check it out on Monday morning, the best time to haggle on used guns.

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Who has a 4" Security Six HB in blue, with Hogue grips, white insert front sight.
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Old 06-25-2017, 09:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Alpo View Post
Just to be picky, the SERVICE Six was the fixed sight version.

The SPEED Six was a Round Butt Service Six with a 2 3/4" barrel.
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Old 06-25-2017, 09:27 AM
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When I was much younger, a friend had a Security Six which I'd shot quite a few times. I always liked them, but was too focused on S&Ws at the time. Then, all of a sudden, they were gone!
I've always regretted not buying one when they were readily available.
A few years back, I stumbled across this one. There was a guy walking around with it at a gun show. Price was reasonable, so I jumped on it! No regrets at all and if I can find another with the shorter barrel, I grab it too.
I've always believed that the biggest mistake Ruger ever made was discontinuing these fine revolvers.

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Old 06-25-2017, 10:58 AM
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Just to be picky, the SERVICE Six was the fixed sight version.

The SPEED Six was a Round Butt Service Six with a 2 3/4" barrel.
I get the names mixed-up myself. In one of my 35 year old "pre-spreadsheet" typed inventories, I listed my Speed Six as a Security Six. Good thing I noted the model number: GS-32.

Despite being a hard-core S&W revolver collector at the time, the Speed-Six was good enough that I went on to purchase a Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum in lieu of an S&W Model 29... but I later came to regret that decision dearly once barrels started flying off the Ruger Redhawks at an alarming pace... ... with Ruger refusing to do a recall.

Took me a long time to get over that mistake and to consider buying Ruger products again.
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Old 06-25-2017, 11:39 AM
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NYS finely got around to allowing me to purchas/own a hand gun in 1972. Wante a S&W 19, but in that time frame, Cops used revolvers, they were hard to find..

My LGS had one of the first S.S. in stock (4'') and reluctantly I bought it. Well that sure turned out to be not a mistake.

He gave me a good price and since I first got it put a lot of rounds through it, many of the full power .357. Gun today is as strong as it was when I first got it. I did a trigger job on it and changed the grips a year after I got it and its earned its place in my safe. FWIW it will take the same holster as a Smith 19-15!
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Old 06-25-2017, 12:03 PM
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My first Ruger purchase was a Security Six, four inch SS with the original grips a little over a year ago. It was on consignment at a show, and was not on display but put behind the dealer on a table. Saw something shiny, asked what it was, and how much they wanted...fastest $380 I every pulled from my wallet. 1979 manufacture, and as close to NIB condition as could be. Got me on the Ruger route, have gotten a GP100 SS in .327 Federal Mag and two older Single sixes, one .22 and one .22 WMR. .22LR was converted to transfer bar safety, but all original parts were returned. Still have more Smiths than Rugers. I like them all! I ain't no gun snob...well okay, no High-Points in the collection as of yet.
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Old 06-25-2017, 01:17 PM
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Testimony to the esteem owners hold for these guns is how rarely you see them on the used market. People who have them hang on to them. Managed to get one from my LGS last November and he said that was the only one he'd had available for close to the years.
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Old 06-25-2017, 01:33 PM
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Default Yeah, that was disconcerting....

Quote:
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I get the names mixed-up myself. In one of my 35 year old "pre-spreadsheet" typed inventories, I listed my Speed Six as a Security Six. Good thing I noted the model number: GS-32.

Despite being a hard-core S&W revolver collector at the time, the Speed-Six was good enough that I went on to purchase a Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum in lieu of an S&W Model 29... but I later came to regret that decision dearly once barrels started flying off the Ruger Redhawks at an alarming pace... ... with Ruger refusing to do a recall.

Took me a long time to get over that mistake and to consider buying Ruger products again.
AND EMBARRASSING. Ruger traced the problem to the change of lubricant used when tightening the barrel, so it wasn't REALLY a mechanical defect with the gun.
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Old 06-25-2017, 02:03 PM
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Thanks for the barrel info, I'll use that one in further discussions about quality or lack thereof

I saw two in a gunshop last week, S6's that is, a 6 inch stainless one was tagged at 750 and I forgot what the other was tagged. Those guns have been sitting since my last visit a few weeks ago. 750, really?

My one and only. It's "minty"

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Old 06-25-2017, 02:04 PM
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Mentioning a Ruger Security Six on this forum requires an Act of Penance.
OK, I'll confess-I have had my 6" Stainless since 1976. VERY accurate. An aftermarket spring set-Bullseye or Trapper, forget which-took care of a too heavy trigger pull while retaining 100% reliability, Pachmayr grips replaced the factory woods and provide full shooting comfort.
IMHO the Security Six is like the Dan Wesson-a lot of people belittle them, but you see few for sale because those who have them keep them.

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Old 06-25-2017, 02:10 PM
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Thanks for the barrel info, I'll use that one in further discussions about quality or lack thereof
Not to detour this thread any more than necessary but I think it was a low point in Ruger's history that there was no Redhawk recall. Now I'm afraid to shoot the damn thing ever since being told that they are no longer making good on the bad guns.

++++++++++

Correction: Ruger apparently *is* still interested in making good on the defective early Redhawks. See my new post (#56) below.

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Old 06-25-2017, 02:12 PM
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Not to detour this thread any more than necessary but I think it was a low point in Ruger's history that there was no Redhawk recall. Now I'm afraid to shoot the damn thing ever since being told that they are no longer making good on the bad guns.
At worst you have a desirable snubby.
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Old 06-25-2017, 02:16 PM
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Friend has a Ruger stainless steel Security Six he let me shoot the other day. I was impressed by its looks and feel and it shot great (except it needs some cushier grips). That's a great gun from the Ruger people. Why did they stop making them???
"Impressed by its looks"??? Now that's a chin scratcher...
Ruger makes the ugliest guns on the market.

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Old 06-25-2017, 02:17 PM
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I, too, wonder why the GP is cheaper to make, and it uses a more expensive front lock, making it the Ruger equivalent to S&W's old Triple Lock! And I prefer the full frame of the older design to the GP's grip tenon.
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Old 06-25-2017, 02:40 PM
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My first Ruger was a .38spcl 4" stainless Speed Six.





I may eventually get a different Six Series with adjustable sights, but for now this one will do. Especially since it functions perfectly after making it into .357magnum.
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Old 06-25-2017, 02:53 PM
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my sis in-law still totes a police service 6 in 2 1/2" edc... shes pretty tough, and sturdy shall we say. i used to go to a shop in culifornia many years back. had indoor range and a rental security 6. rattled, key holed rounds, and couldn't hit a thing at 25 yds. asked the owner why he kept it and was told it had been a range gun its whole life. best estimates of round count was well in excess of 500,000- 550,000. still went bang!
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Old 06-25-2017, 03:01 PM
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S&W was smart to continue to make some K frame models. If Ruger does not compete in this market they will lose business to Smiths.

I passed on a SS snub, just not into snubs. I foresee a new model 66 four inch sometime in my future. That will be sale Ruger loses because they do not want to compete in that market.
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Old 06-25-2017, 03:21 PM
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Originally Posted by blue71 View Post
My first Ruger was a .38spcl 4" stainless Speed Six.





I may eventually get a different Six Series with adjustable sights, but for now this one will do. Especially since it functions perfectly after making it into .357magnum.
I do like the clean lines of the Speed Six better.
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Old 06-25-2017, 03:23 PM
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I've had my blued 4" Security Six in .357 for a couple years now. It has an early manufacturing date 71-72 if I remember correctly. It's absolutely beautiful and very accurate with everything from powder puff 38's to full house magnums. I roll my own and this is always my testing platform.

I picked it up at Cabelas for $450, I think. I have zero intentions of selling or trading it, any time, ever. It came with the factory grips but I'm currently running some modified Mustang's.

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Old 06-25-2017, 03:58 PM
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The Security Six handle and my hand just didn't get along. Even when it was new, the feeling was it was stouter than a Smith K-Frame, but it just didn't have that certain je ne sais quoi.


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Originally Posted by Texas Star View Post
I, too, wonder why the GP is cheaper to make, and it uses a more expensive front lock, making it the Ruger equivalent to S&W's old Triple Lock! And I prefer the full frame of the older design to the GP's grip tenon.
While we're sniping nits, the GP-100 doesn't have a front lock-up on the ejector rod, so it's still only two points. Still, I'd bet that given enough time and powerful ammo, the Triple-Lock would shoot loose before the Ruger. Most of us appreciate TLs for the quality of the craftsmanship, not because they're better on a practical basis than other types.
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Old 06-25-2017, 04:49 PM
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My first stainless 357.Was a fixed sight ruger ss service six in 1977.I had been looking for a sw model 66 but they were impossible to find.Police officers in the area were buying them as fast as they showed up.Traded It for a ss security six because I wanted adjustable sights.Started law enforcement with that gun.I have since gifted it to my son and it now is his desert gun when hunting or prospecting.
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Old 06-25-2017, 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by getoff View Post
my sis in-law still totes a police service 6 in 2 1/2" edc... shes pretty tough, and sturdy shall we say. i used to go to a shop in culifornia many years back. had indoor range and a rental security 6. rattled, key holed rounds, and couldn't hit a thing at 25 yds. asked the owner why he kept it and was told it had been a range gun its whole life. best estimates of round count was well in excess of 500,000- 550,000. still went bang!
I bet all it needed was a good barrel cleaning.
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Old 06-25-2017, 05:07 PM
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Those are hard to find in my neighborhood, I stumbled across a 4" SS Security Six about a year or so ago at a gun show. Just don't see many of them around anymore. It was a really well made handgun, sorry they stopped making them.
I have no regrets it's a great handgun, only wish I would have picked them up New back in the day!
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Old 06-25-2017, 05:24 PM
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Default It's different.....

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"Impressed by its looks"??? Now that's a chin scratcher...
Ruger makes the ugliest guns on the market.
I have a 686 and know what a good gun looks like. In the pictures, the S6 does look clunky. But when holding it in my hand I was impressed by the looks of it. I did look STRONG and the finish on this gun was very good. The trigger was good. In short, I liked the way it looked and the way it shot.
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Old 06-25-2017, 05:29 PM
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Default I told the story before..

....how about 35 years ago I met an elderly gent that had been the captain of some military shooting team (my memory fails me) but he had a Ruger Blackhawk that he said was the best gun he ever owned. I'll have to admit, it was nice, and he could shoot it "pretty good" too.
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Old 06-25-2017, 05:42 PM
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Not to detour this thread any more than necessary but I think it was a low point in Ruger's history that there was no Redhawk recall. Now I'm afraid to shoot the damn thing ever since being told that they are no longer making good on the bad guns.
They still repair or replace the guns if they break.
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Old 06-25-2017, 06:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Skeptic 9c View Post
I love collectors.
Geoff
Who notes it's all in the details.
Speed-Six also came in four-inch, and got a fine review from Skelton at , Shooting Times.

I've only seen a couple, though. But I think military aircrews and Marine Embassy guards had them, as well as many S&W's. The military ones have lanyard rings.
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Old 06-25-2017, 07:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Warren Sear View Post
"Impressed by its looks"??? Now that's a chin scratcher...
Ruger makes the ugliest guns on the market.
Really?

Uglier than this?



Or this?



How about this one? Makes you want to reach for your billfold for sure, don't it?


You know, folks have these Ugly Dog Contests all the time. We ought to have an Ugly Gun Contest. This one would probably be a contender, whaddaya think?



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Old 06-25-2017, 07:45 PM
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^^^^ OK, you got me there. Maybe they had some help from Ruger's designers?
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Old 06-25-2017, 09:47 PM
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Once had a stainless speed six in 9mm. To this day, can't figure out why I EVER let that one go!
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Old 06-25-2017, 09:55 PM
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I owned three of the 2 3/4in Six Series revolvers over the years. One stainless Security-Six and two Speed-Six's, one blue and one SS. They were robust revolvers with good triggers that made shooting full bore .357 ammo effortless. That said, one was stolen and I put the other two up for auction early last year. I never shot them any more after I got my Model 19-2.

On another note. I noticed a couple of the pictures had guns with the Ruger factory target grips. I bought four sets of them over the years off Ruger's site. I got the first set for $19.99 and the other three for $9.99 on sale when they were closing them out. Right after I sold my two Six's, one of which had the target grip on it, I put the remaining three grip sets up on Ebay. I got $235 total for all three. Just a FYI for those who have any of them in good shape.
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Old 06-25-2017, 11:16 PM
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They're great revolvers. I much prefer their closer to K-frame size than the GP100. Pictured below is my 1978 6" Security Six.



The reason they cost more to manufacture was because the barrels and cylinders were forged, triggers were ribbed, and they came with walnut grips. With the GP100 they cast all the parts, did away with the full grip frame, and went with rubber grips.
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Old 06-25-2017, 11:57 PM
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I purchased a new 6" Security Six back when I shot NRA bull's eye. I used a K22 and the Security Six for the .22 and centerfire stages of competition. I couldn't afford a worked over .45 and really liked revolvers better anyway. I still have both guns and will never sell either them.

I don't have a count of how many rounds I have fired through the Security Six but it significant. A lot of those rounds were obviously wad cutters but some were pretty "warm" as I used data from the Speer Manual #8 for hunting loads. I understand that some people feel the data from that manual to be a bit "over the top". The Security Six always digested them and never gave me any trouble with sticky extraction. I guess you can wear one these revolvers out but mine is still very accurate and locks up as tightly as ever.
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Old 06-26-2017, 01:57 AM
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I bought used a SS Security Six 4" in 1982, and it is a great shooter that gives me confidence that it can take any amount of abuse and keep shooting. Though I own a bunch of Smiths, including Model 66, I still am fond of the Ruger and will die owning it, I imagine.
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