Stainless speed six with a 2 1/2" or 3" barrel'

Today I seen in a pawnshop a stainless speed six that looked to have a 3" barrel. Asking $500. I own a 2 1/2" Python and a 3" S&W model 66-3 so cant justify the gun for that price. It looked mint and I was somewhat tempted as we were issued 4" speed sixs many years ago on my job and they always felt great to my hand. I didn't ask to inspect the gun so dont know if it had box and docs or not. Just now I read on another thread here that the 3" is rare and not many were produced for the post office?? What's the story on that? I may go back and look at it again and see if there are post office markings if that's the deal. What would be a good price on it?

I would not buy a "post office" Speed Six without a factory letter or the original box. I do not believe there's any other way to confirm it was a postal gun; but others will chime in and correct me if that's wrong. I don't think there were any markings on it like you see with the NIS guns.

Speeds came in (the way more common) 2.75 inch and the 3.00 inch in a few post office guns.

RENE has lots of info on the variations of Speed Six.

I recently paid $450.00 for a mint snubby stainless Speed Six and didn't wait but about 10 seconds to decide. Go buy it ..... if it happens to be 3 inch and/or letters as a post office gun that's just a bonus.

Since I wrote the above I looked on sold speed sixs and did find a PO one plus a regular 2 3/4" speed six`s. Here they are, and looking at the front of the barrel with the ejector housing angle under it, its easier to see the difference. I will go back to the shop tomorrow just to satisfy myself. If its a PO I couldn't get hurt but I now think it was a 2 3/4" as I see the grips are standard, not like the one shown on the post office one.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/792874565
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/792661791

Another distinguishing characteristic of the Post Office guns is the bead blasted finish.
It's not so pronounced in the pics above, but in person they really stand out.