With the benefit of 35 years of gun buying experience, I can tell you with confidence that common but out of production desireable firearms like the Security Six (they made about 1.5 million of the Security/Speed/Service Six revolvers) are available in excellent condition at great prices - right up until they aren't.

Then you'll a) wonder where they went, b) why you didn't buy one when you had the chance, and c) wonder when they became so expensive.

The Ruger Single/Speed/Service Six series is at that point. Sure, there are some good values still out there.

I bought a nice 4" Police Service Six for $350 a couple years ago...



...and I bought a 6" Security Six about a year ago for $399...



...but those were the only very good to excellent condition examples I've seen lately, and when things stop showing up, they start rising in price.

So...would I pay $500 for a 98%-99% Security Six? Absolutely, if I wanted one.

As noted above, they are only going to rise in price as nice examples become less much common and stop changing hands. You might pay too much today....but it won't be too much a year or two down the road.

For example, I recall taking a great of criticism on a gun forum for paying $450 for an excellent condition 9422 just a few years ago as some of the folks who were stuck on past opinions of worth and/or who also hadn't been watching prices rise felt that was too much to pay. Now you'd be fortunate to get the same rifle for $700.

Similarly, I recall people questioning my paying $400 for a very nice example of a never arsenal rebuilt all matching parts Garand a gentlemen had gotten from DCM in 1989. The theory was that $400 was crazy as at the time nice Garands were everywhere and you could get a Garand from DCM for $125 plus some paperwork and a wait - but almost never in that condition. Now, that same Garand would bring upward of $2500, and my major regret is not paying too much for more exceptionally nice Garands at the time.

People also point to sales prices on Gun broker and claim the buyers paid too much and that the firearm wasn't worth it. They also point to over priced arms on GB that never sell. But they miss the point that a firearm that does sell was worth the sale price to the buyer and where a very specific firearm may sit on a dealer's shelf for years before it moves, with internet sales and auction sights the exposure for those niche firearms is much, much greater and it's much easier to connect a niche firearm to a buyer who's been looking for one. That elevates prices in a way that never occurred in the past, with the result that those exceptional gun shop bargains are becoming much less common.

So basically, if you want it, buy it now and perhaps pay a little too much as you may not find another one and if you do the odds are you'll be paying that much or more later. So buy now and enjoy it, or buy later and cry later.