Ruger Security Six

At its introduction, the Colt Trooper was sold for $161, while the Smith M19 went for $143 and the Ruger retailed for $121. Thirty years on and a good used Security Six can be had in the lower $300 price range. Ruger security six for sale and auction. Buy a ruger security six online. Sell your ruger security six for FREE today on GunsAmerica!

• Ruger Security Six Takedown
• Ruger Security Six Review
• Ruger Security Six
• Ruger 357 Security Six Magnum Revolver

From about the mid-1960s through the 1970s, the mid-frame .357 Magnum, double-action revolver was the most popular service firearm riding on a law enforcement officer’s hip. The .357 Mag’s stopping power was legendary, as well as being pretty legitimate, and the medium-frame size didn’t break down an officer’s arches. Smith & Wesson’sModel 19 pretty much ruled the roost, though the Colt Trooper had its adherents too. Those who could, of course, slipped a Colt Python into their Sam Brownes, though the snake was technically not a medium frame.

Bill Ruger, who already had successfully gone against the grain with his autoloading .22 LR Standard Model, Single-Six and Blackhawk single-action revolvers, as well as his Nos. 1 and 3 single-shot rifles, figured he could muscle his way into part of the law enforcement and personal protection markets, too. Along with Harry Sefried and Henry Into, Ruger began working on the medium-frame double-action revolver project in 1966. Among Ruger’s many talents were to design strength into smaller and smaller platforms and develop built-in modular sub-assemblies. What evolved from these fertile minds became known as the Security-Six, announced in 1970 and began shipping in 1972, and it was another great success story for Ruger.

Ruger’s penchant for building a strong double-action revolver centered on two things: a solid frame, sans a sideplate and using investment castings of modern steel alloys that could be heat treated to maximum strength after most of the machining work was completed. To wit this meant that the new double-action would have a slightly larger cylinder widow compared to the S&W Model 19 to accommodate a slightly larger diameter cylinder. The topstrap of the Security-Six was thickened a bit, as was the barrel shank, to better stand up to a steady diet of magnum loads. Keeping strength—consequently shooter safety—paramount, the engineering team found a way to offset the locking bolt notches, leaving more metal to support the weakest part of the firearm. Too, the locking bolt and hand were more robust. These small parts take quite a beating when the revolver—any revolver—is fired rapidly.

The grip portion of the frame bears a resemblance to the High Standard Sentinel, which, coincidentally, was also designed by Seifried. As with all Ruger firearms, the mainspring on the Security-Six is a coil spring, instead of the then-common leaf spring. Coil springs are used throughout virtually all of Ruger’s guns, save the follower in its bolt-action magazine rifles. Coil springs are less expensive to make in quantity and more consistent in their quality than leaf springs.

In order to control the Security Six with .357 Mag. loads there needs to be more weight than is found by beefing up the frame and cylinder slightly. Therefore Ruger hung a bull barrel with an underlug to protect the extractor on the frame. The barrel features a full-length rib and a ramp with a 1/8″ Baughman-style front sight pinned to the ramp. At the rear is an adjustable sight.

When the Security-Six was being developed, much ado had been made about making revolvers safe to carry with all of its chambers loaded. Ruger in particular was in civil lawyers’ sights because of some idiots carrying their single-action Blackhawks fully loaded and the hammer down on the firing pin, even if for more than a century people had been carrying their single actions with the hammer down on an empty chamber. Some of these boneheads managed to perforate their legs. The sharks—excuse me, civil lawyers—smelled money in the water. The money was Ruger’s, and he engineered a way to protect it with a transfer bar system that prevented the hammer from touching the firing pin except when the trigger is pulled completely to the rear.

Another safety feature was an interlock that prevented the hammer from being cocked when the cylinder is opened. Conversely, the cylinder cannot be opened while the hammer is cocked. So while some of the sharks were successful in drawing small amounts of blood from Ruger, this transfer bar system stemmed the flow of blood, and the company was able to continue prospering.

Finish on the carbon steel Security-Six was black oxide over a nice but not elaborate polish. In 1975 when the stainless Security-Six came to life, the appearance was a subdued brushed stainless steel. Hammers and triggers on the carbon steel revolvers had their backs finished in black oxide and their sides polished to a near mirror finished and left in the white. Stocks were oil-finished walnut with a diamond-shaped panel of checkering. Full-size target stocks came sometime later.

The Security-Six was an instant hit because in no small part its price was 16 percent below that of a S&W Model 19 and 25 percent below that of a Colt Trooper. Among those using the Security-Six were the U.S. Border Patrol; the former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Postal police, as well as numerous private security firms. Even the British Royal Ulster Constabulary Police Officers adopted it. Though in production only 16 years, more than 1.5 million copies were produced.

Variants included a fixed-sight version known as the Service-Six, the Speed-Six in either 2 1/2″ or 3″ barrel lengths, some very rare revolvers chambered in 9 mm Parabellum called the M109, some more chambered in .38 Spl. and a 6″ barreled version often seen with sportsmen.

Security-Sixes are not often found on the used market. Those that do show up are usually priced at from $250 for a well-used and well-worn specimen, to a little more than $300 for a more pristine copy.

The Security-Six was seldom seen on the target line. It wasn’t necessarily due to a lack of accuracy, but because the double-action pull was so heavy and gritty. The single-action pulls didn’t inspire confidence either, averaging more than 4 lbs. Both could be improved by a talented gunsmith, but by then you could have bought a Smith & Wesson or Colt. Ruger’s Security-Six was meant for those who needed a powerful, tough and relatively lightweight revolver to save their hides. It did so, splendidly.

Article by American rifleman

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The Ruger Security-Six and its variants, the Service-Six and Speed-Six are a product line of double-actionrevolvers introduced in 1972 and manufactured until 1988 by Sturm, Ruger & Company. These revolvers were marketed to law enforcement duty issue, military, and civilian self-defense markets.^[3]

Development and history[edit]

As far back as 1966, Ruger designers Harry Sefried and Henry Into began working on the company's first double-action revolver. Despite being popular with civilians, Bill Ruger wanted to get into law enforcement and security contracts. Smith & Wesson and Colt at the time dominated the medium frame law enforcement double action revolver contracts.^[4] The introduction of the Security-Six and its variants marked Sturm Ruger's first attempt to enter the double-action revolver market. The corporation's earlier designs had been Colt Peacemaker-style single-action revolvers. Ruger used investment casting for most parts in an effort to hold down production costs.^[5] As with all Ruger firearms, the Security-Six revolvers were robustly designed with large, heavy-duty parts for durability and to allow for investment casting.^[5][6]

Sefried had previously worked for High Standard Manufacturing Company, where he designed the High Standard Sentinel revolver. The grip profile of the Sentinel was used on the 'Six' line. Ruger's new double action revolvers were unlike other guns on the market in that they used a one-piece frame, rather than a removable sideplate, which lent them superior strength. The Ruger Redhawk, introduced in 1980 and also designed by Sefried, was a scaled-up and improved version of the Security-Six. The 'six series' line enjoyed sales success because of their basic features, solid construction, and competitive pricing.^[5]

Various models were issued by US government agencies as diverse as the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Postal Service, the Border Patrol, and numerous police agencies. The Security-Six and its derivatives also became the standard issue service weapons of a large number of police departments, in addition many were exported overseas.^[3] While Ruger's Security-Six line has been out of production since 1988, a total of over 1.5 million revolvers were produced and they remain well-liked and respected, as well as highly sought after in the second-hand market.^[3][6]

By the early 1980s, it was determined that the Ruger Six line guns were wearing out faster than expected from users that practiced frequently with .357 Magnum ammunition. Ruger commissioned a heavier duty upgrade of the Six line that could handle a 'lifetime diet' of full-powered magnum loads. Ruger's answer to this problem was the GP100, which featured a beefier frame and barrel, stronger steels, a redesigned grip frame and, most notably, a triple-locking cylinder to give extra strength to the action. The GP100 quickly replaced the Security-Six in the Ruger product line, but the Six line is still popular with shooters and collectors today.

Ruger Security Six Takedown

Features[edit]

The Security-Six and its variants were more or less identical in basic design, with minor differences in sights (fixed or adjustable) and frame (round or square butt). Although medium-framed in size, the Security-Six was somewhat stronger than competing guns like the Smith & Wesson Model 19 as the Ruger featured a thicker frame without a sideplate cutout, a stronger barrel shank support that prevented catastrophic barrel failure in the six inch model revolvers, larger, stronger internal parts, and an increased diameter cylinder with offset bolt locking notches. The new revolvers were initially manufactured in a bluedcarbon steel finish; in 1975 stainless steel versions of all models were added to the lineup.^[3] Featuring six-roundcylinders, the Security-Six series represented one of the first modern revolver designs to feature a hammer powered by a coil spring utilizing a transfer-bar firing system, and was chambered for a variety of centerfire ammunition cartridges including .38 Special and .357 Magnum, as well as .38 S&W and 9×19mm Parabellum (9mm Luger).^[3][6] All Security-Six series revolvers came with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) supplied service-style woodengrips.^[3] The wood grips were all manufactured for Ruger by W.F. Lett Manufacturing in New Hampshire, a now-defunct contractor. Most of these wood grips featured a diamond-shaped panel of pressed checkering, though smooth walnut grips with uncheckered panels were shipped with some commemorative models. Oversized walnut target/combat grips were also available as a factory option. During the 1980s, some of the Speed- and Service-Six models were also shipped with rubber Pachmayr grips containing the silver Ruger emblem.

Another feature of the Security-Six was straightforward disassembly, which required no tools with the exception of a flathead screwdriver, coin, or cartridge case rim used to remove the grip screw.

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Disassembly of the Security-Six is as follows:1: Make sure the firearm is unloaded.2: Turn out grip screw.3: Remove Grips.4: Compress main spring.5: Insert pin and decompress main spring.6: Remove main spring.7: Remove hammer pin.8: Remove hammer.9: Release and remove trigger assembly.10: Release and remove Cylinder.

Security-Six[edit]

Ruger Security Six Review

Introduced in 1972, the Security-Six was the original model of the new series.^[7] The majority of these guns were manufactured with adjustable sights, though a few early models were sold with fixed sights. Security-Sixes could be ordered with either service or 'target' (combat) -style square butt grips. Nearly all Security-Sixes were chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, which also permitted the use of the shorter .38 Special cartridge. Ruger also chambered the Security-Six in .38 Special for some police orders by fitting different cylinders that could only accommodate the .38 Special cartridge. Barrel lengths available on the Security-Six included 2.75, 4, and 6 inches.^[3][6]

The .357 Magnum, four inch barreled model was standard issue to uniformed officers of the former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service^[8] as well as Patrol Agents of the U.S. Border Patrol until both agencies adopted .40 caliber semi-automatic pistols.^[9]

Service-Six[edit]

After a few months of production, Ruger renamed the fixed-sight version of the Security-Six the Service-Six or alternatively, the 'Police Service-Six'. This was largely a marketing decision and an attempt to capitalize on the lucrative law enforcement service revolver market. The Service-Six was normally chambered in .357 Magnum, though Ruger also built versions in .38 Special and 9mm Luger (Parabellum) for some police orders.^[5] The U.S. Military contracted for the fixed-sight .38 Special variant adding a lanyard ring to the butt and designating it the M108. It was to replace aging Smith & Wesson Model 10 for issuing to air crews and military police.^{[citation needed]} The 9mm variant featured cylinder chambers bored to headspace the cartridge on the case mouth instead of the rim, using a patented spring moon clip to permit extraction of the fired case. These alterations allowed the rimless 9mm cartridge to be used in a revolver design. Barrel length options for the Service-Six included 2.75 and 4 inches.^[5] The 9mm was also marketed under the designation M109.

Speed-Six[edit]

Incorporating fixed sights and a round-butt frame, and available in .357 Magnum, .38 Special, .38 S&W (.38-200), and 9mm Luger, the Speed-Six was intended for use by plainclothes detectives and others desiring a more concealable handgun. The standard barrel lengths available for these models were the same as those for the Service-Six, but also included a 3-inch length in certain law-enforcement contract orders, such as for the U.S. Postal Service (Model GS33-PS). The .357 Magnum, three-inch barreled model was standard issue to Special Agents of the former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service^[8] as well as Patrol Agents of the U.S. Border Patrol working plain clothes assignments until both agencies adopted .40 caliber semi-automatic pistols.^[9] The .38 S&W variant (in England known as the .380 British or .38-200) was equipped with a military-style lanyard ring, and was sold to law enforcement organizations in India.^[3][6] The .357 Magnum version was standard issue for the Royal Ulster Constabulary, who, unlike most police officers in the United Kingdom, were routinely armed.

Ruger Security Six

Operators[edit]

• United KingdomRoyal Ulster Constabulary Police Officers
• United StatesUnited States Postal Police, Immigration and Naturalization Service Special Agents, United States Border Patrol Patrol Agents

References[edit]

1. ^'Serial Number Data'.
2. ^'Modern Firearms - Ruger Security Six'.
3. ^ ^abcdefgh'Ruger Security Six, Police Service Six, Speed Six and GS32-N revolvers (USA)'. Modern Firearms & Ammunition. Archived from the original on 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
4. ^https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2017/8/3/classics-ruger-security-six-revolver/
5. ^ ^abcdeTong, David. “Ruger Security-Six .357 Magnum Revolver” Chuck Hawks Web site. Accessed December 14, 2008.
6. ^ ^abcdeCrumpston, Mike. 'Revisiting Ruger's Revolvers' BNET Web site. Accessed December 14, 2008.
7. ^[1]
8. ^ ^abFormer I&NS Special Agent
9. ^ ^abFormer Border Patrol Agent

Ruger 357 Security Six Magnum Revolver