Ruger Security Six, Vintage 1978

[JonInWA]

Today I shot my classic 1978 vintage stainless steel Ruger Security Six in a club Tier 1 IDPA match, 6 stages, about 110 rounds.





While there was nothing innately spectacular about my performance (excellent accuracy, bog slow operator...) there was just something innately satisfying about shooting a classic double-action revolver in an IDPA match. I just seem to fit with the revolver, and vice versa today.

Mine is a July 1978 piece, stainless, with the standard thin barrel (well, as thin as Ruger was ever likely to produce for a duty barrel) with adjustable sights. The front sight I'd very satisfactorily upgraded to a Millett Orange Bar years ago, and Ruger sent me a current production adjustable rear sight to update my original a year or so back. I obtained my example used, from a reputable local gunshop years ago; my gunsmith went through it and chamfered the charge holes and burnished several of the chambers for smoother ejections, but it had a magnificent action which he didn't feel could be improved on, so well enough was left alone.

Back when I got it, I sent it into Ruger for their examination since I had obtained it used. It came back in a very short time-and then when I was dry-firing it literally 10 minutes after USP dropped it off, the trigger return spring broke. The Ruger revolver manager was mortified, immediately sent me a RMA and a shipping label, and Ruger thoroughly went through it a second time. In all fairness, they probably didn't miss anything the first go-around-the trigger return spring was probably within spec, but then entropy set in, and it just broke. Since then, it's been totally problem free.

The grips are a special set that the late Jacques Trausch personally modified for me; his TJ84 grip was a staple grip within the French police, as Ruger Security Six (and French produced Manhurin revolvers strongly based on the Security/Service/Speed Six were standard issue by multiple agencies-but most, if not all were round butt variants, and to use his grips, some cuts needed to be made to allow the square but Security Six frame to fit. Jacques Trausch never achieved much recognition or impact with his grips in the US, but his designs are superb-both revolver and semi-auto grips, and ergonomically he was well ahead of his time, probably equalled only by Nill Grips. We had several very rewarding conversations befoer his very untimely early passing, and he very graciously provided me multiple grips for me to T&E.

One design feature on the TJ84 grip is the thumbscoop and its trough strakes-it makes for a very stable and semi-auto-like grip hold. However, the trough's bottom scoop strake on the left grip causes an ejected round to stumble on complete ejection, so my procedure when using is to open the cylinder, slap down on the ejector rod, have 5 of the six cartridges to immediately fall free, and then slightly twist ohe cylinder and either strike the ejector rod again, or just finger remove the last cartridge when moved from the obstructing strake. Jacques also made another version with the strake whittled or Dremeled off, but I prefer the original for it's grip stability-I gave the other modified one to Wayne Dobbs several years ago for one of his -Six revolvers. When I asked Jacques about this impeding expeditious ejection of all six expended cartridge cases, he told me that hasty ejection and reloading was apparently not a huge priority in the French agencies; apparently they placed a premium on accurate, well-placed shots to situationally resolve things with lower round expenditures. I've also found the these grips necessitate use of HKS M3 speedloaders, as Safariland Comp II speedloader bodies ar just a bit too bulky to deal with the strakes on the thumbscoop troughs (and that applies to the Comp IIs Safariland makes for both the -Six guns and the slightly smaller bodied K-frame Comp IIs which normally work very nicely with -Six guns.)

Throughout the match, I really enjoyed just how natural and rewarding shooting this revolver was. With its butter smooth action, innate balance, and superb grips, I was able to execute one of my most accurate matches-and that included short to medium distance shooting, as well as single-handed shooting.

Since I have a heftier GP100 for .357 magnums, I have the Security Six set up for pretty much exclusively .38 Special +P cartridges with 125 gr bullets, preferring Remington Golden Saber JHPs for carry and their analog less expensive 125 gr +P UMC SJHP for match use. .38 Special 125 gr +P cartridges are a good match for the standard barrel Security Six, and don't unduly stress the gun or the shooter.

So that's it-I had a great time with this classic, and eminently viable revolver. -Six prices seem to be going steadily upward, as more an more shooters are discovering just how good they are, or can be with some judicious tuning.

The -Six guns are incredible durable and accurate; in 1984 the Border Patrol tested multiple example of Security Six and Speed Six models for over 10,000 rounds of full-house 158 gr and 110 gr .357 magnum cartridges, and after flawless completing the test protocols, it was felt that the test examples could have been immediately issued for duty, as not repairs were needed and accuracy was unimpeded during and after the testing. Literally the only thing needed to be addressed was that the ejector rod needed to be retightened, which was done with no repairs needed the Border Patrol testers in writing concluded at the end of testing that they felt the Rugers were literally the most durable and reliable .357 magnum platforms available.

Comparatively, concurrently tested Smith & Wesson 63-3 3" revolvers encountered multiple issues and failures, to the point that the testing of them had to cease at the 2,000-2,500 round points...

While other contemporary Smith & Wessons would probably have been more successful (i.e., the Models 19/66), the Ruger performance is a testament to the -Six viability.

Needless to say, I'm a pretty happy camper with my particular Security Six, and somewhat reluctantly have to admit I've had less drama with it than with my expertly worked GP100...

Best, Jon

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[awp_101]

I'm very content with my 2 GPs but I'll admit to being Six curious. Not wanting yet another platform to support has kept me at that stage but it probably won't last forever.

[Trooper224]

A great gun and I luvvvvvv those grips.

[Malamute]

I like the security six/speed six series guns. Ive had several, all were unfortunately stainless. When the GP100s came out, they were written up in the gun press with great expectations to be the new greatest thing, and have been very successful, though I was underwhelmed. They just felt clunky compared to the Security Six guns as well as Smith K frames.

Security Six parts are still pretty easily available on ebay and gunbroker. I believe you can buy a complete trigger group and other odds and ends for under $100.

[cosermann]

…

Since I have a heftier GP100 for .357 magnums, I have the Security Six set up for pretty much exclusively .38 Special +P cartridges with 125 gr bullets, preferring Remington Golden Saber JHPs for carry and their analog less expensive 125 gr +P UMC SJHP for match use. .38 Special 125 gr +P cartridges are a good match for the standard barrel Security Six, and don't unduly stress the gun or the shooter.

...

Those grips look sweet.

From what I’ve read, the GP100s were designed to reduce mfg costs, not because there was anything weak or frail about the Security-Six.

I’ve heard of a rental gun going 240,000 rounds (not sure with what loads).

[medmo]

A factory refurbished 1976 Sec Six was my first center fire handgun gifted to me from my father when I was maybe 14. Loved that revolver and probably ran over 10k rounds of 38SPEC, 158gr SWCs over Unique through it. I own 2 Sixes today. You’ve scored the holy grail with those grips and front sight. I’ve been searching for a front orange Millet for years. I wish Dawson, or another awesome sight manufacturer, would create a high visibility front sight option for them.

[onehalfmvsquared]

Is it true that Ruger no longer supports that series? are we on our own with regard to repairs and parts?

[CSW]

I've a 2 3/4" stainless Security Six that sounds exactly how you are describing yours.
It's a mid 80's revolver, that I purchased in early '94. I never did a round count on it, nor do I know what was fired before I came to own her.
I've got the same Millet front, but the original adjustable rear.

It's a bit of a flame-thrower with full house loads due to the short barrel, but the balance and smoothness of its operation negate it.
Years ago, I found a 4" stainless barrel available, and was going to have it converted to a 4"... Glad I didn't.

I've had rubber Hogue grips, the skinny factory walnuts, and several pair of Pachymeyer's, including a pair from Ruger, with the birds on the grip. I've never found 'the' grip for it, but it's a close tie between the Hogues and the Pachymeyers.

[JonInWA]

I'm very content with my 2 GPs but I'll admit to being Six curious. Not wanting yet another platform to support has kept me at that stage but it probably won't last forever.

Out of the 16 Security Six models listed by Jerry Kuhnhausen, I literally can't think of any that are bad or undesirable. If the Ruger genie anointed JonInWA with three wishes for -Six models, however, my choices would probably be 1) A 717/GA34HP, a late production stainless 4" model with a heavy barrel and rubber grips; 2) One of the stainless USPS Speed Sixes with a 3" barrel; and 3) a round butted 209/SS34 a blued 9mm Speed Six with a 4" barrel...

But I'm exceptionally pleased with my 717/GA34, which was the standard stainless steel regular 4" barrel, which Ruger doubtlessly made hundreds of thousands of. Unfortunately, neither Millett sights or Trausch grips are available (although intriguingly, current new production Manurhin MR 73 and MR 88s are available with Trausch grips, so perhaps there are BNIB NOS stocks of them in France...)(but they're not listed as available parts on BUSA's parts website). Pre 151 serial guns are the "low back" models with a more sloping rear backstrap frame; later models had a more upright backstrap frame which made .357 magnum a bit more controllable. There's nothing mechanically wrong with the earlier models, but finding any grips but the OEM "splinter" grips is exceptionally difficult-you're best bet is to settle with a Tyler T-Grip or similar insert to assist in grip shootability.

For current grips, I'd probably go with one of Hogue's offerings in either rubber or hardwood, or Nill if they have any available for the -Six.

Best, Jon

[JonInWA]

Is it true that Ruger no longer supports that series? are we on our own with regard to repairs and parts?

Ruger has not supported the -Six models for several years. However, as Jerry Kuhnhausen states in "The Ruger Revolvers A Shop Manual" not much goes wrong with the -Sixes, and Wolff makes both hammer and trigger springs. Regarding sights, the Ruger OEM standard adjustable rear sight (for the GP100, etc) is the same for the Security Six, and there are other quality aftermarket sights available, such as from Hamilton Bowen. Other parts are available from Numrich, eBay, etc. A -Six is easy to use and maintain; they're one of the few out of production guns that I would have little hesitation in recommending for unlimited general use.

Best, Jon