Enjoyed the read. Am a big fan of the 38/357 cartridges and remember being surprised in the 1980's with the mass change in American police sidearms from revolvers to semi-automatics. Thanks for the article!
I bought a Security Six with a 6 inch barrel way back in the 80's. That thing was built like a brick shithouse, solid and heavy. Accuracy was outstanding. I found a cheap scope mount that clamped to the barrel and mounted a 2x scope to the thing. I could pot shoot tin cans at 100 yds, first shot and every shot. Awesome until the scope finally broke under recoil. I was just getting into reloading too, and that gun swallowed everything I could load. Probably some rounds in there that were a little too hot, but the Ruger was the perfect gun for that.
As time went on, I got bored and wanted something else. Not wanting to lose the Ruger forever, I sold it to my Dad. He kept it in the truck as his truck gun for decades. After he finally passed, we were dividing up the guns and it came down to the final two, that Ruger and a 1969 JM Marlin 30-30. I ended up with the Marlin and my brother got the Ruger. Oh well. I still scour gun auctions thinking I might get another.
But the Ruger GP100 is the new king of the show. Bought one and love it.
The S6 series are really good revolvers. I own a 2 3/4" Service Six in 357 and a 4" Speed Six in 38. I run Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr +P in both and practice with 130-grain ball ammo, whichever I have available. Both guns are very accurate. The Speed Six is, I suspect, a former law enforcement gun, because it is chambered in 38, which was not that common on the commercial market, but I've been unable to trace any info on it. I know NYPD, the Thai National Police, various Australian police forces and probably a lot of other metro agencies used Ruger S6 series revolvers. Neither of these excellent wheelguns will be leaving my hands.
While my first handgun was a Ruger Super Single Six .22 SA, my first Security Six (SS) was unimpressive. It was 1979, I was a deputy sheriff and the SS I’d bought to carry as a duty gun had rough chambers and an equally rough action. It soon went away. Then in 1982, I was issued a SS as a trainee Border Patrol Agent. This SS was a whole different animal and changed my opinion. All those old USBP Rugers were ordered destroyed by USAG Janet Reno when they were withdrawn from service. A few years ago I added a stainless 4” SS to my handgun battery and it’s a much better sixgun than the one I had in 1979. Great wheelguns!
I was called by my neighbour, the British Lady, to come and retrieve her ex husbands guns. He had moved back to Germany years earlier and she had found his “sack of guns” in the attic. Seems when he first came to the US in the late 1970s he was enchanted by the fact you could buy guns - no questions asked. Most were junk. But two were special. One was the original Saturday night special in the Western Auto metal “lunchbox.” It was so freaking dangerous my gunsmith refused to even try with a remote trigger. But it sold for quite a bit more than its original $14.
The other was a S6, 1976 Bicentennial Model, 4”, SS, 38/357. I still have that and it shoots like a dream.
An aweso.e revolver, as is it’s brother the Police Service Six.
I had one decades ago chambered in .357mag and loved it.
It’s a more robust design than a S&W revolver, and once I gave it a complete takedown, cleaning and oiling -and gave the sear a quick polish it’s lockwork was slick, slick, slick.
Never had a doubt it would operate, never had a group doing slowfire at 21ft bigger than 2”.
Enjoyed the read. Am a big fan of the 38/357 cartridges and remember being surprised in the 1980's with the mass change in American police sidearms from revolvers to semi-automatics. Thanks for the article!
I’m a happy Speed Six owner myself.
I bought a Security Six with a 6 inch barrel way back in the 80's. That thing was built like a brick shithouse, solid and heavy. Accuracy was outstanding. I found a cheap scope mount that clamped to the barrel and mounted a 2x scope to the thing. I could pot shoot tin cans at 100 yds, first shot and every shot. Awesome until the scope finally broke under recoil. I was just getting into reloading too, and that gun swallowed everything I could load. Probably some rounds in there that were a little too hot, but the Ruger was the perfect gun for that.
As time went on, I got bored and wanted something else. Not wanting to lose the Ruger forever, I sold it to my Dad. He kept it in the truck as his truck gun for decades. After he finally passed, we were dividing up the guns and it came down to the final two, that Ruger and a 1969 JM Marlin 30-30. I ended up with the Marlin and my brother got the Ruger. Oh well. I still scour gun auctions thinking I might get another.
But the Ruger GP100 is the new king of the show. Bought one and love it.
The S6 series are really good revolvers. I own a 2 3/4" Service Six in 357 and a 4" Speed Six in 38. I run Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr +P in both and practice with 130-grain ball ammo, whichever I have available. Both guns are very accurate. The Speed Six is, I suspect, a former law enforcement gun, because it is chambered in 38, which was not that common on the commercial market, but I've been unable to trace any info on it. I know NYPD, the Thai National Police, various Australian police forces and probably a lot of other metro agencies used Ruger S6 series revolvers. Neither of these excellent wheelguns will be leaving my hands.
I loaded 125gr JHP in mine and then worked loads up for the 158gr “Rosebud” bullet.
Excellent piece of equipment all around
That will do the job nicely.
While my first handgun was a Ruger Super Single Six .22 SA, my first Security Six (SS) was unimpressive. It was 1979, I was a deputy sheriff and the SS I’d bought to carry as a duty gun had rough chambers and an equally rough action. It soon went away. Then in 1982, I was issued a SS as a trainee Border Patrol Agent. This SS was a whole different animal and changed my opinion. All those old USBP Rugers were ordered destroyed by USAG Janet Reno when they were withdrawn from service. A few years ago I added a stainless 4” SS to my handgun battery and it’s a much better sixgun than the one I had in 1979. Great wheelguns!
Better off with a 9m with a mag of 17
I was called by my neighbour, the British Lady, to come and retrieve her ex husbands guns. He had moved back to Germany years earlier and she had found his “sack of guns” in the attic. Seems when he first came to the US in the late 1970s he was enchanted by the fact you could buy guns - no questions asked. Most were junk. But two were special. One was the original Saturday night special in the Western Auto metal “lunchbox.” It was so freaking dangerous my gunsmith refused to even try with a remote trigger. But it sold for quite a bit more than its original $14.
The other was a S6, 1976 Bicentennial Model, 4”, SS, 38/357. I still have that and it shoots like a dream.
How very surreal, the gold old days in some respects.
An aweso.e revolver, as is it’s brother the Police Service Six.
I had one decades ago chambered in .357mag and loved it.
It’s a more robust design than a S&W revolver, and once I gave it a complete takedown, cleaning and oiling -and gave the sear a quick polish it’s lockwork was slick, slick, slick.
Never had a doubt it would operate, never had a group doing slowfire at 21ft bigger than 2”.
Amazing pistol.
I love mine
I once owned two. A 4" and a 2.5". I sorely regret selling them 30 years ago...