What say you about a Speed six in 38 Special? DECISION MADE!

ginzo · Sep 10, 2014

I may have an opportunity to pick up a 38Sp S.S. 2 3/4" barrel $350 or less, great shape OR a choice between 2 speed sixes, both .357 S.S. 2 3/4" barrels price unknown at this time, but promised a good deal from my regular gun guy.

The 2 .357's were sold to him, (pawn shop) has a 30 day hold, about 10/3/2014 I will have 1st pick! I don't have the serial #'s as of yet, do I have to deal with the above 151xxx issue on any of these?

What to do? My only Ruger at this point is that blued project gun I did, which I love, but have yet to find a proper holster for it to carry. Now I see the Ruger bug is a s bad as the S&W bug!!

Please chime in and help me narrow it down. I'll deal with MaMa later........ :roll:

deac45 · Sep 10, 2014

If I were able to I'd buy both 357s and have a matched pair.

Deac45

Snake45 · Sep 10, 2014

Trust me, you're going to be shooting .38s in it most of the time anyway. If the price is the same on the .357, get the .357, but if there's a significant price difference, get the .38 and be well armed and happy.

hittman · Sep 10, 2014

That stainless snub nose Speed Six is a STEAL.

In all sincerity and honesty; I would do whatever I needed in order to get ALL of them bought.

Flatbush · Sep 10, 2014

Sounds like a good situation to be in!
The 2 SS Speed Sixes would be a terrific pair if you can swing it financially and logistically. Please let us know how this plays out and maybe a picture or two.
A win-win situation for sure.
Flatbush

Snake45 · Sep 10, 2014

hittman said:
In all sincerity and honesty; I would do whatever I needed in order to get ALL of them bought.

Sounds like a plan!

:wink:

RoninPA · Sep 11, 2014

It's like an investment. Buy all three (yes it might hurt for a little), pick the one you want to keep and sell the other two. If they are in good shape, once sold, you probably will have significantly cut down your cost for the one you keep.

I for one (actually more like for many) would like a shot at the ones you don't buy (or buy and then sell).

You will never be disappointed with a stainless steel Speed Six, no matter how old it is or whatever caliber it is.

As for the 151- serial number, aftermarket grips can been found pretty easily. A 150- s/n is real limited in grips but that is all. The only change was the shape of the grip, Ruger did not make any other changes so replacement parts all fit the same.

wizofwas · Sep 12, 2014

It seems like everyone is trying to jump on these snubbies. If you decide not to get some of them, I can always get my brother over in Englewood to pick them up, if it is a good deal on the 357's.

ginzo · Sep 12, 2014

Thanks for all the great input. The budget is only going to allow for 1, so with that being said, the 2 would be a pair, but not successive SN. I like the .357 shooting mostly .38 option. Would the.38sp be more "rare" so to speak as most people prefer the .357?

I will keep everyone updated. I requested the SN from the .38 co worker and he is going to bring it to work for me to take home and check it better and get some pics.

I'm going by the pawn shop tomm. to get some pics of the 2-.357's and the Sn from them. They must have been pawned for him to have to hold them 30 days?

wizofwas: I will let you know what is up next for your brother as he is not to far.

Keep in mind, we ALL have to wait until 10/3/2014 before the 2-.357's become officially for sale or not. The .38sp can be had once I can make a decision. TOUGH CHOICE!!!! :?

The snubbies ARE becoming a hot item, now is the time before they go thru the roof!

k22fan · Sep 12, 2014

ginzo said:
[...] The snubbies ARE becoming a hot item, now is the time before they go thru the roof!

You're too late to speculate on snubbies "becoming the hot item". They ARE the higher priced barrel length. Collecting concealed carry size pistols has been the fad for a couple decades.

I'd buy the .38 and leave the .357s for better men to over extend their budgets on. You don't know what the pawn shop will ask for the .357s, only that he wants you to come back for them. Generally, shop owners have years or decades reselling guns and well know what common models will fetch in their area. When I inquire about discontinued models on brand specific forums I get the most optimistic evaluations of those guns and their value. Are you really confident the retailer will under price his Speed Sixes so much that you can profit off them after your selling expenses?

More importantly, I'd rather own a fixed sighted snub in .38 than .357. There are a few owners who exclusively fire .357s in their snubs, but darn few. Ruger should have made their best effort regulating the sights for the cartridge stamped on the barrel. At distances beyond "point blank" .357s are not going to hit to the same point of impact as .38s. I want adjustable sights on my .357s, because, like you and most other people, I fire a lot of .38s through them.

If Hitman and RoninPA's valuations are correct you can't sleep on the .38--if you snooze you loose. However, you probably can put one of the .357s on lay-a-way in a couple weeks if ma-ma allows and you shoot well with your first Speed Six.

ginzo · Sep 13, 2014

Thanks for the input, I think I'm leaning in that direction.

Update: The 38sp S/N is 159-xxxxx No pictures yet. That will have to be next week. Just came back from the pawn shop. One is a 156xxx S/N and the other is a 158xx S/N.

Bad news, he won't ship as they are to easy to sell with out the hassle. Sorry boys.
My pick is the S/N 156xxx or my co workers .38 sp. It may come down to price. I think he knows how hot an item these are.

k22fan said:
ginzo said:

[...] The snubbies ARE becoming a hot item, now is the time before they go thru the roof!

Click to expand...

You're too late to speculate on snubbies "becoming the hot item". They ARE the higher priced barrel length. Collecting concealed carry size pistols has been the fad for a couple decades.

I'd buy the .38 and leave the .357s for better men to over extend their budgets on. You don't know what the pawn shop will ask for the .357s, only that he wants you to come back for them. Generally, shop owners have years or decades reselling guns and well know what common models will fetch in their area. When I inquire about discontinued models on brand specific forums I get the most optimistic evaluations of those guns and their value. Are you really confident the retailer will under price his Speed Sixes so much that you can profit off them after your selling expenses?

More importantly, I'd rather own a fixed sighted snub in .38 than .357. There are a few owners who exclusively fire .357s in their snubs, but darn few. Ruger should have made their best effort regulating the sights for the cartridge stamped on the barrel. At distances beyond "point blank" .357s are not going to hit to the same point of impact as .38s. I want adjustable sights on my .357s, because, like you and most other people, I fire a lot of .38s through them.

If Hitman and RoninPA's valuations are correct you can't sleep on the .38--if you snooze you loose. However, you probably can put one of the .357s on lay-a-way in a couple weeks if ma-ma allows and you shoot well with your first Speed Six.

caryg · Sep 13, 2014

I feel like when I was looking for a SP 101. If you can get the 357, than go for it. I for one like the option of having the 357, 38 option. Its hard to find decent 357 ammo now a days but I just like the option of both.

eveled · Sep 14, 2014

I would agree with the .38 special snub nose rational if we were talking light weight s&w or lcr, but the .357 is easy to shoot out of a six series revolver.

bvd1 · Sep 14, 2014

Recently at a gun show, I saw a nice .38spl. stainless 2 3/4" speed six priced at $379 plus tax. It was early and I offered $350 OTD but no deal. I went back at the end of the show and it was still sitting. The dealer said everyone wanted a .357. I offered $300 OTD, he said $300 plus tax and I left with the gun for $318.

holo07 · Sep 14, 2014

bvd1 said:
Recently at a gun show, I saw a nice .38spl. stainless 2 3/4" speed six priced at $379 plus tax. It was early and I offered $350 OTD but no deal. I went back at the end of the show and it was still sitting. The dealer said everyone wanted a .357. I offered $300 OTD, he said $300 plus tax and I left with the gun for $318.

I think you got a great deal I would have made that deal and been very happy

Congrats to you

RoninPA · Sep 14, 2014

bvd1, that's a great deal you made.

I used to be of the mindset that it would have to be a .357 Mag, not a lowly .38 spl. However, over time, and getting older (and hopefully wiser), my thoughts have changed. With modern ammo, you can just about reach .357 Mag specs with the +P and other loadings, especially if you handload. So if it is a gun that is in great shape (or can be brought back) and a good price, I'm not really worried what the caliber is, .357M or .38S.

And in some cases, like a RDA-86, the .38 Spl is sought after as a collectible as Ruger only produced about 500 of them (and I just got one in ANIB condition....me doing a happy dance right now

).

k22fan · Sep 14, 2014

RoninPA said:
[...] And in some cases, like a RDA-86, the .38 Spl is sought after as a collectible as Ruger only produced about 500 of them (and I just got one in ANIB condition....me doing a happy dance right now ).

All my Rugers are "shooters", or will be as soon as I break in the new one. I'm confident Bill Ruger would have wanted it that way. I'm not going to memorize all the prodect codes so what is a RDA-86? It's picture time!

RoninPA · Sep 14, 2014

I'll have to get some good pics of it and post.

It is a Security Six, blued, 6" barrel, .38 spl. (RDA=blue Ruger Double Action with adjustable sights and square butt. 86=.38 Special, 6 inch barrel.)

Bill Ruger always said that about his guns (dealing with collecting). Funny thing he was a HUGE gun collector, he just didn't see why someone would want to collect HIS guns.

k22fan · Sep 14, 2014

I am not an "accumulator" of guns I don't expect to have fun shooting. There fore I am a "collector" of shooters, including HIS guns. That sure as heck beats collecting any category of items just to look at them.

I appreciate the first key to the secret code. Perhaps the code is manageable but I bet there are a zillion exceptions. I would love to find the stainless version of your RDA86, a KRDA86? I understand that, similar to S&W's equivalent model 68, most of them are former California Highway Patrol revolvers.

RoninPA · Sep 14, 2014

The K designation was not used with the Six series guns. The stainless version of the RDA-86 would be a GA-86. And I should have also explained that mine is the low back frame version. At this point in time, there is only 1 known low back frame GA-36. There were other GA-36's made, but they are all the high back frame (s/n 151 and up) and thusly not quite as rare.

I realize that collecting is not for everyone and I won't try to justify why I collect, I just do and I like it. I had a person tell me that they are not collectors but they really like High Standard .22 Semi-Autos. How many do you have? Oh, 15 or 20 or so, but I'm not a collector. How many of them do you shoot? Oh, only a couple of them. Why don't you shoot all of them? Oh, I couldn't, the ones I don't shoot are much too valuable. :shock:

What say you about a Speed six in 38 Special? DECISION MADE!

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