Picking up a Ruger Speed Six blued 2 3/4 today on a trade anyone have any suggestions on price and how they stack up?

Is it a .357 or a .38?

All of the Ruger Six DAs are good guns.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

An excellent solid gun. Very reliable, and like all Ruger's products is somewhat overbuilt. Value is dependent on condition, but probably in the $300 - $375 range.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

357 magnum

We had a lot of speed sixs at work. Once a lady guard relieved me. I opened and closed it like I should. She opened it and flicked it closed with one hand. I told her that wasnt the way to do it. She then looked at the gun as she hadnt holstered it yet and said werch, theres sumpin wrong with this gun! I took it back and the crane was sprung, the ejector rod was visably out of line! I know they look like a tank, yet I have seen people handle our offical polices like that too, and I never seen a colt or s&w do that! Remember I was there 35 years and we always gave our guns to our relief officers and there usualy was about 5 sets of officers meeting at shift change.

Depending on condition, $400 isn't outta' the question.
Great guns - big & beefy revolvers.
Getting harder to find these days.

GF

Another one that's made of unobtanium in my area. There's a stainless 4" Security Six with a price tag of $499 in one of my LGS's... I hate to admit it but I came this close until I saw another 28-2 tucked away...

Great guns - I lucked into a stainless snubby Speed Six .357 about five years ago and considered $350 a good price.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I have the 4" version in SS, Would love a blued short barrel one. I change the springs and makes for a great trigger. A little trickier (but still easy) on the speed and security versions compared to the newer GP100 and Redhawks

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Still Running Against the Wind

I had a 2 3/4 inch Security six once (same gun with adjustable sights) it was built very tough and I believe had the thickest top strap I have seen on a revolver that was DA. The trigger left something to be desired but it took every .357 load I put through in stride. A good gun but they are not worth alot so don't over pay. Mine was $295 about 5 years back and it was near mint.

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Vaya con Dios

If I was to carry it I think stock springs would be best (if you dont think there is a difference in a carry piece please chime in), but do aftermarket springs ever effect anything negatively? Like do they wear out easier or effect the timing?

I'd think $4-450 would be in line. I paid $360 for this one 5-6 years ago.

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God spelled backwards is dog.

I haven't seen one in a good while. I think people hang onto most of them. It's a good, handy configuration, and more durable than a S&W M-19/66 equivalent. I like the looks of this model better than those of the true three-inch variant that replaced it in the Ruger line.

The trigger pull isn't usually as good as on the later GP-100 or a Smith, but sometimes wears-in very well, or the action can be honed.

The only rub I've seen in the design is that cranes weren't hand-fitted after being cast, and sometimes, there's some looseness in the crane. You may also be able to see a change in cylinder gap if you push the cylinder back on each chamber. I think this is due to some bolt cuts being too large for the bolts. I am the only person I know of to ever mention this, but check for it. I'm not sure if it makes any practical difference, as these guns seem to endure.

I read of one deliberate test where a car ran over a Security-Six and it still worked.

But Merrill is right: NO DA revolver should ever be flipped shut with a flick of the wrist. It can indeed damage the crane fit and cylinder alignment. And I first read that advice long before Ruger ever made a DA revolver. It applies to all brands. Leave that "trick" to Humphrey Bogart in the old movies!

Overall, I like the GP-100 better, but the Security-Six line, certainly including the Speed-Six, is handier and very size effective as a .357 Magnum.

There are just two reasons why I don't own one like the OP mentioned, other than that "his" gun isn't stainless. Those are cash and availability. I've never had money for one when I could find it. The short Speed-Six is a very handy, handsome firearm that is size efficient for its power. I think I'll use 140 grain JHP ammo in one, if I ever manage to get it. But the Short Barrel .38 and .357 loads from Speer also appeal, especially for indoor use.

I hope you get that gun, if it checks out okay. Put a couple of drops of Break-Free CLP down in front of the hammer and cycle the action maybe 50 times, and I bet you'll like the result.

Let us know how it shoots. I think it's one of the best close range defense revolvers, useful to at least 25 yards. And if you have to carry concealed in cougar country, it'd be a top choice.

I change out the hammer (mainspring) and rebound spring on all by guns that have terrible DA triggers, like SW J frames.

In many cases the Wolf Springs are better, plus they are new and you do not know what's in a older gun.

The springs are Wolff spring kits who make a lot if not most of the OEM springs for a lot of guns. The main spring is only a little less than "standard" the big difference is the rebound or in Ruger, the trigger spring which does not effect detonation of the primer.
They would reduce your hammer spring from 16 lb to 14 lb and reduce the trigger (return) weight. In this case they do not list the standard. Most others they do. It's a $9.00 trigger job. I just changed my Super Redhawk 44 Mag and what a difference! I use hard Wolf primers and no problems with detonation .

Springs for RUGER DOUBLE ACTION SERIES Revolvers

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Still Running Against the Wind

I like the discontinued Ruger Security/Service/Speed Six series of guns, but do not feel they are worth the prices they tend to bring now-a-days.

I have gotten two in the last year, sold them both. The Police Service Six went to a forum member, the Security Six to a local attorney.

I purchased a little used 4" stainless security six with factory grips, ruger Houge grips, a speed loader, some unused 357 ammo and a plastic case a few weeds ago for 400 and considered it a deal. The gun does not have a blemish and is a fine piece of ruger workmanship.

Mine is a .38 Spl.

Attached Images

	Speed Six outside 1.jpg (154.0 KB, 255 views)
	Speed Six outside 2.jpg (147.4 KB, 323 views)

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Sceva
OGCA SWCA NRA

I had a stainless Security Six a bunch of years ago. It was a good, solid gun, if a little heavy for the size. I was into scuba diving at the time and traded it for a set of twin 72 tanks. Used them for a couple months, then talked to the guy I traded to about swapping back. He was good with it, but when he went home he found out his wife has sold it to buy curtains for the house!! Oh, well.....would like to have had it back, but there ya go.....

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Even older, even crankier....

Lots of meat on the frames, I have seen several stainless SB's that were converted to RB's by the owners, and they looked factory. This is the same gun that is in the above photo, before I cleaned it up.

Square butt to Round Butt? YOU DID SOME GREAT WORK!

Here's mine:



I won't claim it looks quite as good as what the factory produced, but they never made a Security-Six DAO round butt.

Steve

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CHL/NRA Instructor/RSO/Referee

Just be patient on gunbroker and they are available for 300.00 to 350.00 ,they are a fine guns and I own one of each service security and speed six.great value and something that will be with you for the rest of your life.

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The Lord cometh and right soon

thats awesome, love the grips too.

I owe my life to a Ruger Speed Six 2.74inch Barrel .357 when a police officer in N. Ireland in the Royal Ulster Constabulary (GC) in the late 1970's and early 80's. It cleared three terrorists to where they belonged when they ambushed me. It may have kicked like a mule but with semi-jacketed hollow points it was accurate and it's muzzle velocity was devastating at close quarters.

It was built well and it's only problems were too small a grip and a stiff action when issued from new. The grip I cured with a set of soft touch Pachemyre (?) grips and the action was cured by running 500ml of WD40 through it and pulling the trigger about 1000 times. Not ideal but you gotta realise this was in the field with little resources few gun dealers and strict limitations on what you could and could not do with your personal weapon.

At that time Irish Terrorists were flavour of the month in Washington and the RUC was banned from obtaining guns from the US by the administration. We got ours via the Mounties in Canada who fiddled their end user certificate. They also fiddled one on Ruger AK556 .223 (same round as M16) Assault Rifles for us. Another great weapon which took out a few of the IRA backshooters.

The Speed Six was so rugged that I encountered one with a bent barrel that had been used by one of our Reserve Officers in an ambush. He was helping on his mothers farm down near the border. He had it on the dash of his tractor when it fell off and he ran it over (bit tougher than a car). He was picking it up and cleaning it when he was attacked. He fired back hitting their car as they fled the scene having missed yet again. When I examined it you could visably see the bend in the barrel, but the gun held together and even reloaded and fired again. It should have disintergrated.

There are retired officers in Ulster still with these guns as personal protection weapons. They service well and are still reliable and accurate. I would buy one in an instant were it not for our rediculous firearm laws in the rest of the UK.

If you come across any variant of the Speed or Security Six so long as it has been kept well snap it up, it could be a life saver!

I have owned several in the past. I sold a Speed Six,2-3/4,SS, last year for $430. It had the box and all the papers. I also sold a Security Six,blue,2-3/4",for $375 a month prior to the Speed Six sale. The hardest one to get rid of was my 9mm Speed Six. I got $650 for it but it was LNIB. I see them going for $700 & up.

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How many guns are too many?

This thread brings back old memories.

The first 'quality' handgun I bought was in 1982 when I bought my first home and needed protection. Purchased new Speed Six.


Last year I bought this Security Six at a Phoenix show for $300. I had to put a rear blade on it and it was a tack driver!


Both of these were made as gifts to my two step-sons, which only keeps me on the look for more!

Hey! Watch it man....this is a family-oriented web-site.

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'Merica!

Great Album.

Force it

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Dum vivo cano

I had a deposit put down to hold a brand new stainless Security Six when Ruger introduced the new GP-100. I decided to get the GP instead. No regrets there....still have it. I like the concept of a Speed Six snubby. Don't see them for sale very often around here. One things for sure...****ger revolvers are tough.

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'Merica!

I saw a 4" stainless Security Six in .357 mag at a gun show yesterday for $425 in excellent condition with original walnut grips. The only thing I did not like was the heavy trigger pull because I want my wife and daughters to be able to shoot it comfortably. Would a trigger job help much?

I was more than happy to pay 325.oo' out the door
for this near mint 38' last summer at a pawn shop*
.. love my ruger's as much as my S&W's.


~ Joe

I used mine ("like" the one in the pic--not my pic by-the-way) as my truck gun for several years.

Decided the Speed-Six was too nice to leave in the truck so I replaced it with a Glock M23......the Speed-Six is now my office desk gun.

Don

Attached Images

Speed Six 1.jpg (111.5 KB, 147 views)

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Laus Deo! <><

I carried that specific model on the job and found it to be reliable, good shooting, and as all Rugers, built like a tank.

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... ed ...

The first handgun I ever bought "back in the day" was a Model 19, with a 4" barrel.

The second one was a Ruger Speed-Six, blue, with a 2 3/4" barrel. That was a good shooting gun. The only thing wrong with it was that Ruger spent a lot of money to come up with a worse grip than the Smith & Wesson Magna. The managed to do it, but like the Magna, a Tylers T grip took care of the problem.

Around here, they're tagged at $450...$500.00 with the box and papers. They'll sell for less of course...usually.

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John 3:16 .

Had to take another peek, that thing turns me on.

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Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

I picked up a stainless Speed Six about 20 years ago that was in a lot of police trade-in guns. All good and tight and didn't look carried or used much.
It was marked USDA. Guess they needed them to fend off mad cows?

Myron

Yes, it would. However, remember, smooth beats light. If you have your wife and daughter do a lot of dry fire, it will build strength in their hands, as well as help smooth out the action.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

The speed six with a three inch barrel has really caught my eye.

The idea of having my service six barrel shortened to three inches is kind of tempting.

As long as it is not one of the newer model guns with the entire owner's manual roll-marked on the barrel. My favorites are the "200th year" models.

Was at an auction yesterday and a Speed Six in .357 with original box and paperwork sold for $600. It was in excellent condition.