Hi everyone,

Today my father-in-law gifted my wife a 1976 Ruger police service six. It feels good in my hands.

I have a 627 which is the N frame and the Ruger 357 is a bit smaller. While I do like the feel of my 627, I just might like this frame size even better.

So, do any of you know what you think would be the same size frame in the S&W line?

Thanks for any input.

The police service six, speed six, and security six are between K frame and L frame in size. Excellent revolvers, Pss is square butt fixed sights, speed is round but fixed sights, and security is square butt adjustable sights, although there are some early security six with fixed sights.

Yes and speed loaders and holsters for a K frame will work with a S 6. I have had one (6''.357) since 1972 and its a good shooter.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

I think the Security Six line is actually equivalent to a S&W K-frame, and the GP-100 series is the equivalent of the S&W L-frame.

I have one of the earlier Security Six revolvers (the 150 series) without the "owner's manual" stamped into the barrel, as well as a stainless steel 151 series Security Six. Both have the 4.0 inch long barrel, and both are excellent medium framed revolvers.

Regards,

Dave

As others have posted the "six" line are about k-frame size just a little larger. I have a 1976 security six with 6 inch barrel and is very accurate and shoots great. They are a little beefier in design than a S&W (no sideplate). Mine is 357 mag but they are made in 38 spl only also. Any rounds I reload that I think are very hot get tested in the Ruger first as I think the design can withstand more punishment than the S&W. Common to hear people say the Ruger guns are built like tanks. The big sales pitch that was made when they were being produced is that you can completely disassemble one with the use of no tools. A dime is all that is required to get grips off than the grip screw can be used to poke out all the pins very easy design to take care of and take down!

Size of a K....strength of an L. Does yours have made in the 200th year of Liberty on the frame?

As already said they will fit a K frame holster nicely. As an aside my blue four inch Service Six is possibly my most accurate centerfire revolver I own. Thats off the bench that is, my off hand is getting a bit shaky these days.

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Stay safe people!

Thanks for the great info everybody.

This morning I was at the range doing some back to back shooting between the two revolvers...38 +p only, no 357 rounds.

At 5 yds for me it was even. At 7 the edge wen't to my 627. At 10 yards it was for sure the 627. I think though, much of that had to do with picking up the front sight. My eyes need reading glasses for most things so when I shoot, the front sight is always a little blurry but doable. The Smith has a bright orange front sight but the Ruger has a channel in the back strap and a dark sight in the front that my eyes just don't see well.
So as the distance increases, the need for that front sight increases and I am not picking it up. I think I will use some model paint and make it white, then give it a shot. (pun intended)


Yes it does. I find that kinda cool!

I use bright orange nail polish on front sights that need better visibility.

Some Rugers came with red sight inserts, as with some S&W's.

If you're going to carry the gun much, the Ruger will certainly be less a burden than a M-627!

Do your eyes need cataract removal? I had that done and my eyes got a lot "younger"!

My Ruger .357's shoot about as well as my S&W .357's and both are effective WELL beyond seven yards! If you can't hit a human silhouette target to at least 100 yards, you're a poor shot.

Maybe a trip to your ophthalmologist is in order? But a brighter front sight will certainly help. Still, cataract surgery made a major difference for my eyes.

Closest to K frame, yet a little bigger and stronger. Perhaps a better comparison is Colt's I frame, I believe it is called, or Colt's J frame. HKS speedloaders for the Colt Mk III and Mk V Series fit the Ruger, not the loaders for the S&W K frame.

Double O Dave is correct

The Six series were K frame sized, but reinforced in some areas that made them capable of a steady diet of .357 Magnum ammo.

The GP100 used a slightly upsized frame on par with the S&W L frame.

The caveat here is that the GP-100, like the SP101 and Super Red Hawk, use a stub rather than a grip frame, so it is much more amenable to fitting smaller sized hands by changing the grips.

I think what Ruger did to compete was to try and create frame sizes that weren't being offered by S&W or Colt. I generally follow the in-between frames when comparing Ruger's to Smith's and it works. As for your Service Six it should fit comfortably in any K frame sized holster and use the same speedloaders.

SP101 = between J and K frame
Security/Service/Speed Six = between K and L frame
GP100 = between L and N frame
Redhawk = between N and X frame

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

The SP101 is similar to the J-frame in chambering, 5 round capacity and grip frame size, but the cylinder and frame size is very close to the old Colt D frame (Colt Agent, Detective Special,etc). The Colt D frame was very small by 6 shot revolver standards, but still larger than a J-frame, and on par with the SP101.

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I don't think Ruger was trying to hit the in between sizes as much as make up for the deficiencies in the J-Magnum and K frames with .357 Magnum loads. The SP101 has a slightly heavier frame and top strap and a thicker forcing cone and barrel than the J-frame, to make it both more durable with .357 Mag loads, and more comfortable to shoot with those loads. The Six series were designed to directly address the short comings of the K frame when chambered for and shot with a steady diet of .357 Magnum and has a heavier forcing cone as a result. The GP100 was a direct response to the S&W L frame, but took advantage of the setup grip frame approach used in the SP101 to make it easier to fit the revolver to small or large hands.

For example, I need a grip with an exposed back strap to get an ideal grip on a K-frame where I can get the first bend in my trigger finger over the center of the trigger (to get enough leverage for an effective DA pull) and still have the grip frame in the web of my hand, rather than out on the ball of my thumb (which compromises the strength of your grip on the revolver). The slightly longer trigger reach on the L frame make it even more sensitive to grip selection, and I can't shoot an N frame well at all in DA mode, given the excessively long trigger reach. In contrast, I can shoot a Super Red Hawk just fine as the grip is smaller and the trigger reach is shorter with the stock grips, and with good grip selection even female shooters with really small hands can shoot it effectively in DA mode.

Even with the older Six series Rugers with a traditional grip frame, where the revolver itself was more robust than the K-frame but with similar overall dimensions (fit the same holsters), the trigger reach was shorter than on a S&W K-frame.

So while you might consider it to fit between the K and L frames, in terms of trigger reach and grip charachteristics, it actually fits between the J and K frames.

I don't like the newer Ruger revolvers for various reasons, but I do give them credit for getting the grip frame design right to adapt to pretty much any hand size.

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I'm in general agreement on Six series to K frame holster compatibility, but speed loader compatibility depends on the brand.

For example my 2 1/2" Model 66 (K-frame) uses the HKS size 10 speed loader, while my 2 3/4" Speed Six uses the HKS size M3 speed loader. If you interchange the two sizes you'll find the M3 will bind a bit in the smaller diameter K frame, and the 10 has to splay the rounds a bit to get them into the larger diameter Six series cylinder, with again some binding that slows the re-load. They'll work, but not optimally.

okay, just got done using a little white nail polish on the front ramp and two dots on back sight. The range will tell but by dry firing practice, it certainly is easier to pick up that sight.

I love the feel of this gun. It seems much lighter to me than my 627 but the stat sheet says it's only a difference of about 7 ounces or a little less depending on which fact sheet you find. It might just be that it fits so nice in my hand. Regardless, I am a happy camper with this gun.

I think this would make a great carry gun for out in the woods.

I appreciate all the great info you have all provided. I always like learning the history on things that interest me.

I bought a 6" in 1976. (Security 6) It was a Bi-Centennial Model. I DO believe it set me back $152.50. I sold it a few years later for $175. At the time, my major interest was shotguns. Bob

The loaders for the K frames do work with the Six guns. Both HKS and Safariland. Perfect fit for my numerous K frames and my Service Six. Holsters for k frame fit the Six too

I got a four inch bbl stainless Service-Six in 1984. I chose it over it's cousin, the S&W Mod 65, because it was about $100 less. It served me well for over 30 years taking .357 loads with ease. This year it went to my son who will no doubt use it for another 30 years.

My 1976 ruger police service six 2 3/4" bbl, s/s in 357 is my only snubbie. She's a bicentennial revolver. What a quality, reliable, dependable, strong revolver it is. I picked up a security six, 6" bbl 357 in blue a while back.
These are the sweetest 357 magnum revolvers there are. Next to my colt Python of course.

Hope this helps size wise.
K22 17-4 1979
Security Six 1980
S&W 629 last year.
Quality lasts forever and I was fortunate to buy them new.