The last of the “-Six” series Ruger revolvers has left my custody. Acquired by a friend, it was the 2 ¾” Speed Six, a six-shot, fixed-sight, stainless steel 357 Magnum. It wore Pachmayr stocks and was otherwise factory-stock. Its pedigree, listed on the factory box, was “GS-32 Ruger Speed-Six 2.75” stainless 357 Magnum revolver.”

Unlike the Security-Six, the Speed-Six has fixed sights – something it shares with the firm’s Service-Six. The Service-Six has the square butt frame of the Security-Six. The Speed Six has a round butt. They made a snub Security-Six, a square butt with adjustable sights.

I had a history with the “-Six” revolver line. My first was a four-inch stainless Security Six adjustable sights revolver, one of the first of the revised grip frame guns. It featured an incredibly stout double action. Being early into the DA-revolver shooting game, I could hit the backstop with regularity. The target, not quite so frequently. 

Later, a coworker showed off a six-inch stainless Security Six that he’d taken some care with. He smoothed the serrations off the face of the trigger and polished the internals, including the mainspring strut. 

A real powerhouse, I wore it on duty in a breakfront holster. 

Later, a blue four-inch Security Six, with his action job and a spurless trigger from a Speed Six entered my armory. 

Sadly, these guns are all gone. 

Much later, I came into this nearly-new Speed Six. Acquired in the box, it appeared unfired. I shot it myself, only doing so a few years ago. I shot it with what was left of a box of Winchester “Winclean” 125gr JSP range ammo.

The Pachmayr “Grippers” covered the backstrap, making the reach just a bit long, but the cushion over the backstrap – not brittle even in these old stocks – was welcome. I lost view of the (faded) black front sight when shooting. 

While I miss the days of old – and it’s fun to revisit – I won’t live there. While the shooter wasn’t up to it, the gun certainly is.

A 1984 gun, it had the action of my last stainless Security Six, a four-inch heavy barrel from 1980. The action was smooth and slick, running around 9-pounds double action. I found that I shot it well, but it went back into the safe after the project.

That the end of Ruger double action revolvers for me? While it was a remarkable old gun, it’s now replaced by the 3” GP100 and a 2.5” GP100 7-shot. The three- inch GP-100 with fixed sights came into the armory a couple of decades ago. The snub GP-100 seven-shot 2 ½” later made its appearance here. An adjustable sight cannon, slightly easier to hide than a holstered soft-ball, it’s done the revolver-qualification duty for me on several years of retiree-LEOSA courses. 

They shoot quite well and are improved over the original Ruger DA revolvers. 

I’m still fond of the “-Six” Ruger DA guns, but nothing is forever. 

– Rich Grassi