Range time with my "new" Service Six

Got in a short session with my recently acquired 2 3/4" blue Police Service Six. Fired .38 Spl. midrange wadcutters, +P 125 gr. .38 Spls, 125 gr. softnose .357s, and non-lead 140 gr. Barnes .357s.

The revolver is a handful, but not precisely for MY hand--the checkered factory service grips bite me a little with the +Ps and .357s. So my first purchase after the range session was to get a set of factory oversized smooth cocobolo grips from Numrich's. I think they will improve the feel of the gun with serious ammo.

This gun may have been worked on, but I can see no sign of modifications--all looks new factory. Excellent double action pull--hard enough to be safe and light and smooth enough so even I can get in the black at 15 yards each shot once I got familiar with the pull. Single action is light and breaks like a toothpick--easy to get hand-sized 6 shot groups at 25 yards with a two-handed grip, slow fire.

I consider a revolver of this size and caliber to be most like the heavy-framed .38s of the past. It even slips nicely into an old Lawrence cop holster that came with an S&W Model 20 4" .38-44 "Heavy Duty."

So I'm gonna stick with the .38 Spl. +P loads, and skip the blast and fireball effects of the .357s unless I can't get .38s. I'll carry this back in the boonies when I don't expect to use a handgun except for self defense at close range, and keep it for a house gun for "things that go bump in the night."

those are good guns , I love the way they look and feel , I have 5 different versions(Security, Speed or Service and for some reason never get around to shooting any of them , 2 of the 2 3/4",, 2 of the 4" and 1 6"

Still lookin' for a 6" blue .38 Spl. Not many around, for sure. Especially in CA!

Mike Armstrong said:

Still lookin' for a 6" blue .38 Spl. Not many around, for sure. Especially in CA!

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Mike, there are not many around at all, not just in CA. There were only about 500 made and they are all low back models. They are rare.

Try a Tyler T Grip .... they are an excellent addition for me.

I recently picked up a very clean SS Service Six in 2-3/4" with the box. I haven't had a chance to shoot it. I may not shoot it, but the good thing is it has the same grip as a Security Six so there are a lot of optional grips to try out.

The fgrips I got from Numrich's are smooth cocobolo (very pretty) with a Ruger medallion. They're fuller than the standard "service" grips that came with the Service Six, but slimmer and shorter than the checkered factory "Big Grips" that came with my 4" Security Six. A decent compromise, but I wonder if they are, as Numrich's advertise them, factory original (Not that it really matters much--I'm NOT a collector).

I just picked up OEM bobbed hammer (numrich) for my 4 inch police six. I like shooting double more than single action with this revolver. You can still draw hammer back to single action with some care. It's just a heck of nice shooting gun.