speed six finish question

My LGS has a Speed Six with the 3" bbl and it has a 'lusterious' shine. It's like a high polish stainless you see on the vaqueros. Never seen one that shiny before, even the hammer and trigger are 'high polish'. Did Ruger make a Speed Six with this type finish or is it likely it has been made over. The trigger is very smooth, but it has Pachmyer rubber grips. I think it was born about 1980.
The markings are all clean and sharp so if it's been on a polishing wheel, nothing is washed out.

I'm no expert, but I'd say it was done at some point after it left the factory. I have a S&W 681 that's the same way, looks more like nickel than stainless steel. If done well, I think it looks great.

Doubt the finish is original.

If it truly is 3 inch and not 2.75 ....... makes me wonder if it's one of the USPS guns.

If it's marked by the LGS as 3", I'd check it for myself. And no, the factory did not do high polish SS speed Sixes, it would be an aftermarket job. To assess the polish job, look at it closely, especially around the barrel/frame joint and other places that many polishers can't get to. Also look very closely at the lettering, and the flutes on the cylinder and see if they are rounded any. Some people get heavy handed with the polishing wheel and this will show up as the lettering isn't as crisp as it should be.

If it truly is a 3", then you need to check the serial number to see if it is one of the USPS guns. But even then, the USPS guns were not a high polish finish.

Consider this post edited from another thread:

weaselmeatgravy said:

. . . a factory high polish stainless 2-3/4" old frame Security Six. All the guns letter as having shipped in 2009 (some with dual ship dates) and they all had the modern then-current orange bar-coded end labels.

All these collectible revolvers were dumped into normal commercial channels in 2009.

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I haven't been back to the gun shop since the post but it does look like the type of finish in the one of those. next chance I get I'll stop by there and measure the barrel and see if he'll let me take the grips off to check serial number.

Update, It's a 2.75" bbl, and ser# is 155-22158. It shows as 1979 on the Ruger serial # listing, but there is no box or papers with it. I have a couple of photos but can't post them. The finish is very shiny but there are lots of marks on the gun, almost as if there was a plating applied over a rough surface. It's definately stainless, as the grip frame is marked 'K' and the cylinder face and end are matte. The top of the frame and bbl are matte finish as well.

When I was a lockheed guard years ago they issued us stainless speed sixs. Ours weren't that bright like nickle.

edlmann said:

Consider this post edited from another thread:

weaselmeatgravy said:

. . . a factory high polish stainless 2-3/4" old frame Security Six. All the guns letter as having shipped in 2009 (some with dual ship dates) and they all had the modern then-current orange bar-coded end labels.

All these collectible revolvers were dumped into normal commercial channels in 2009.

Click to expand...

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I thought I remembered Bob posting a picture of a "factory" Hi-Polish SS. Thanks for digging it up and posting.
Terry

Let's see if this works

Seems to work, but the last pic is upside down (but maybe you wanted it that way :wink: )

Very nice looking Security Six.

Don't't know why its upside down and have no clue on how to fix it. It didn't look that way from photobucket. At least not on my cell phone. I'm going to go over later this afternoon and see if I can negotiate a fair price. Any suggestions on what would be a good price on 1979 speed six with no box and the rubber grips? I'm still not sure that is a factory finish. if it is it sure has a lot of Lines in it that weren't polished out

That IS definitely pretty.

I can't say if it is factory finish or not, but here is what my 1983 Speed Six finish looks like. (In .38 SP). I've seen most in this finish, but I'm not an expert. I would not polish mine, although I have a 649-3 that is SS and it is polished, but it didn't come with that matte looking finish either.

Spurred Hammer:



And Now With Bobbed Hammer:



P.S. I feel I was lucky at $325 last year, P.P. (but it was a friend).

The seam between the side plate and the frame shows signs of buffing. So almost sure it's not factory. Still a good carry gun.
As for value, I would be really happy at $325-375, ok at $375-425, and would probably pass above that.

Thanks for input. I am still on the fence

If you are looking for a collector you should probably pass and wait for a nicer one. But if you're looking for a 357 carry gun they are hard to beat (better than an SP in my opinion) and they won't get any cheaper...

jimbo1096 said:

Thanks for input. It is 375 firm so I am on the fence

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OK, consider the same gun sold for @ $149 NIB in 1979-ish. That is about $490 today - so anything under $490 equates to "less than it cost new", eh?
As-shown its a bargain. Grab it.

mohavesam said:

jimbo1096 said:

Thanks for input. It is 375 firm so I am on the fence

Click to expand...

OK, consider the same gun sold for @ $149 NIB in 1979-ish. That is about $490 today - so anything under $490 equates to "less than it cost new", eh?

Click to expand...

Yep - CPI inflation calculator.

edlmann said:

mohavesam said:

jimbo1096 said:

Thanks for input. It is 375 firm so I am on the fence

Click to expand...

OK, consider the same gun sold for @ $149 NIB in 1979-ish. That is about $490 today - so anything under $490 equates to "less than it cost new", eh?

Click to expand...

Yep - CPI inflation calculator.

Click to expand...

Great info. For those of you that complain about the $200 tax stamp for NFA items....that $200 stamp in 1934, if the feds increased it for inflation over the years would be $3561 plus change today. Please don't b*tch and moan, we don't want to give the BATFE any ideas.

Back to subject. At $375 I'd jump all over that, that is a tremendous price today.

Agree, the days of $250-300 Ruger Six-series revolvers are almost history. Under $500 in prime condition - I jump on 'em. Some of Ruger's best products ever.

Inflation is a fickle girl. An accurate inflation calculator is a handy thing for determining value for older guns.

Buy the revolver. I'd bet it works today every bit as well as it did the first day.