dabney

I can remember that in 1973, all cops, or at least the ones in this area, all carried revolvers. The S&W Model 10, with a four-inch tapered barrel, was the standard issue duty revolver. It was in this time frame (72-73) that many officers were purchasing their own .357 for duty carry. Six-guns, such as the S&W Model 19, Colt Trooper MK III/Lawman MK III and the Python were double-action .357's seen in local cops holsters. All in four-inch barrel length with one exception I can remember, and that was a six-inch Python. That officer has not retired, as of this date yet, and still owns that same Python. Alas, it was retired years ago for the department issue. The Python was the premier .357 that a lot of cops wanted, but could not afford. In that same time period (1973), not to be left out, I too, purchased my very own .357, a first production model Ruger Security-Six that was priced where a very young cop with a very slim billfold could afford. After a short layaway period I joined the ranks of other cops carrying the .357 around our Department and for a short period I parked my "beloved" Official Police for a while and carried that blue steel 150-series Security-Six in a Bianchi Hi-Rise Duty Holster. During that time frame a lot of my brother officers would dress their respective .357 Revolvers up with some beautiful aftermarket grips. Herrett's took center-stage around here then. I finally was able to replace my Ruger Service grips with a beautiful set of walnut Herrett Shooting Star Target Grips and the looks and my shooting, both, took a turn for the better. The Shooting Star Grips helped with the "so-called" frame design issue that some in the firearms business criticized. You know, six rapid rounds and that gun rolls viciously, stuff. Any four-inch revolver will roll with six fast, and quick trigger pulls of full power .357 ammo! Think about that for just a second! Try it, just for curiosities sake sometimes. All will roll, especially with the small service grips that Ruger was using then! Small grips on my Python, on my Dan Wesson, on my Taurus when firing hot magnum loads "will" viciously roll in your hand with those six fast shots! Spilled milk now, but not back then when this issue was rocking and rolling.
My first Security-Six is still with me and now has been brought back on duty through my recent re-qualification done yearly here. I haven't retired yet, but all those .357 Revolvers back then have retired or been sold off, save one! There are none on duty now, save one! Mr. Ruger built this original Security-Six like a King Tiger Tank, to take years of harsh cop use and 40+years later "still" on-duty! I think Mr. Ruger was successful, as my "save-one" Security-Six will attest to! Thanks my friends!
David

yuccales

Great story about a great handgun! Glad to hear it's still in service. Post a pic when you can.

jaxrider14

Interesting story.
About that same time, I went to work for a large company where there was an armed plant security department.
All of the security officers carried revolvers, some using a company-owned 38 cal. S&W Model 10.
Most aspired to have their own 357, and the most common was the Model 19 but a couple owned the "new" Ruger Security Six.

And then there was one odd fellow who showed up for work carrying a Beretta semi-auto pistol.
Everyone laughed at him and said those guns would never catch on.

bearcatter

I never understood Ruger dropping the Six series. Nothing wrong with it, years of service by the time it was dropped proved that. I suppose the crane latch on the GP is stronger, but I don't care for the rest of the gun as much, particularly the grip. Guess I'm just a steel and wood dinosaur.

Same thing when VW announced the New Beetle. I was expecting the great old Beetle, improved. Silly me.

texassmitty

I still have mine. Me and it are both retired now.

berettabone

Agreed...never understood certain decisions made.

RevolverGuy

I think the 3-4” SP101 is probably closer to the Security-Six in terms of size and weight than the GP100. I also remember there was an earlier version of the GP100 that had used a half-lug barrel similar to the SS. Those were some beautiful revolvers and are pretty hard to come by now days. I think in time, even the GP100 will one day be retired with some newer Ruger revolver.

bearcatter

I'm sure, once they figure out a plastic cylinder and barrel.....

retired guard

Who wants to be the first to fire that one?

JonRugerInWA

Actually, Ruger had a year or so overlap for the Service- and Speed-Six lines when the GP100 was originally introduced.

I have examples of both. I believe that the -Six guns can be more finely tuned, but in the hands of a knowledgeable gunsmith, a GP100 can be rendered to "very, very good" triggerpull (and it's not as if the OEM triggerpull {particularly on the newer iterations} is all that bad to start with).

In my experience with my 1978 4" standard barrel Security Six, handling is very dynamic-that is, it quickly comes to point of aim when drawing from a holster, and quickly transitions from target to target.

Conversely, with my full-lug 4" GP100, while the handling is a bit slower/less dynamic due to the increased weight and balance, it's more stable when shooting, particularly in multiple shot/target scenarios.

In short, while I may be able to get the gun trained on a target with my lighter Security Six, my multiple shot accuracy is likely to be a tad better with the heavier/slightly more stable GP100.

Since the trending of the late model -Six guns seemed to be preponderantly towards the heavier-barrel variants anyhow, and the GP100 was both stronger and more manufacturing and resource efficient, I can certainly understand Ruger's logic in initially culling, trailing off, and eventually terminating -Six series production in favor of the GP100.

Which do I personally prefer? Kinda depends of the day/situation of the week...

Best, Jon

bwinters

My 1978 6 inch sec six has over 60k rounds thru majority 357 and still good. It was worked on by Les Baer when he was a general purpose gunsmith. He eve then knew his stuff. 8 Lb double action only pull and it will fire every primmer I have fire thru it. It will hold 4 inches at 50 yars with me shooting and 3 inches at 50 yards with my sons in law shooting. i wonder why.

DeSotoIron

Yep, me too! My two favorite handguns are my Speed Six snubbie and my SS Security Six 4" - both .357 with wooden grips. And a Tyler T-grip on the snubbie.

NorEaster

If someone were to offer me either a GP100, SP101 or a Speed/ Service or Security Six?
I'd take a Six series gun every time
I love my Speed Six and it just gets better the more I use it

James6591

Great tale.
Got a pic?

exlogger

Thanks for sharing. I'm still fairly new to the Six Series (3 year owner), but once I had my first... I quickly understood why they were liked by so many.

They were from a time when revolvers were designed to be carried all day. Bulky and heavy was not the answer in those days. My guess is when the "wonder 9" started taking over, the market shifted to any easier way to make "strength". Hello GP/686. Goodbye Security Six/k-frame 357.