Need help - value of a Service Six .38 spl - 5" blue

No extra rules in my state, and I have an FFL and cash

As an unlicensed individual, you can ship to an FFL yourself through UPS or Fed-Ex but they both require overnight delivery on handguns shipped from private individuals (they make deals with high volume dealers for cheaper shipping). UPS has an overnight "Saver" rate that is probably around 40 bucks. A dealer can send handguns U.S. mail for much less but they usually charge a transfer fee that makes up the difference.

I appreciate all of the helpful information.

The ser. no. on mine is quite a bit lower - 160-948XX.
I bought mine last year and I was willing to pay more than you guys are talking about. :shock: (NIB with box, etc.)
Terry T

Hate to ressurect an ancient thread, but can anyone give me a date of when these 5" Service Sixes were made and when the 15 over run revolvers were released to the market ?

I have come across one of these 5" revolvers in Canada, in pristine (possibly unfired) condition, and I am trying to establish a time frame for this run.

Peter

Peter,
My letter on mine shows it shipped in March 1984, it is not one of the over runs though, #160-94838.
The distributors serial number list of 10 of the over run guns is dated September 19,1984. Hope this helps.

It is as far as I know the only SDA-85H ever reported as being re imported from Canada back to the USA.
Terry

Thank-you Terry, especially for the photos.

Your gun is exactly the same as mine, except mine has no import stamp. Condition on mine looks pristine & unfired, however no box or papers.

I phoned Ruger but they were not really able to help me on a gun that predates their computer records. They did give me a link to the Ruger Collector Association so I will try them for info.

I originally assumed that mine was one of the 15 overrun guns sold on the US market, thinking that the RCMP would not have sold off surplus guns onto the civillian market. However I am now wondering if indeed mine is one of the RCMP shipment, the policy on selling off surplus guns might well have been different thirty years ago.

I guess my next checks are the Collectors Association and perhaps find out if there is a way I can get the serial traced up here.

Many thanks,

Peter

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=30544

Welcome to the Forum.
Info from RENE is simply a must for a serious Ruger guy.

I have been doing some internet searching and, with with the help of fellow owners (with a special thank you to Ronhgolf) I believe I can now identify all 15 of the overrun revolvers.

A September, 1984 memo from GULF STATES Distributors of Montgomery Alabama, lists the following 10 revolvers available for sale (at $190 each!). I have listed these in numerical sequence:

160-98363
160-98826
161-00029
161-00031
161-00032
161-00033
161-00034
161-00035
161-00330
161-97988

In addition, I have been able to identify the following off the internet:

160-94833 As of 2017, in Northern California
160-94838 As of 2017, in Ohio - this gun went to Canada and later returned the US
161-00030 As of 2010, in Vermont
161-18440 As of 2017, in Illinois
162-19054 As of 2017, in Canada


Apparently, two of the stainless (GF-85H) have been identified:

157-21052 Before 1994, Yazoo City, Mississippi
157-21051 As of 2012, in Vermont


Most of the above information is taken from older internet posts. The guns identified in 2017 are current as of now, but the earlier guns may have changed hands since the original postings. I own the one in Canada, it must of sat in a safe for over thirty years as it presents as new and unfired.

Hope this is of interest,


Peter

"160-94833 As of 2010, in Northern California" is still in Northern Ca.

I did see GF35 157-21051 go to Vermont in Aug. 2012 to a forum member. Haven't seen that member on the forum much lately. :shock:
It was sold at auction as part of a 3 gun package.
I have photos of that gun but not able to up load.
Terry T

Thanks Terry, I have edited my post to include the information you supplied.

Peter

The stainless guns are GF-35 -

There is no GR

They are in .357 mag. , not .38 spl.

I'm beginning to wonder if they were, in fact, developed for the RCMP. The 5" .38s were made AFTER the 5" .357 mags. and, as far as I know, at that time, RCMP was not using .357 mags.

Terry T

Terry,

Quite right, it is GF, not GR, which was a typo on my part.

I have corrected that on my previous posting with serial numbers.

Peter

Hi all,

Great thread...

I thought I would add to the discussion. With the help of fellow ROCS member Flattop 44, I was able to add 160-98538 and 160-98539 to my collection. Feel privledged to have them.

Best,

MinorLV

Just to consolidate everything in one post, I have compiled below a summation of information on the Ruger Police Service Six FIVE inch barrel variant (SDA-85H-CM) made for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Note that this summation based on internet postings and in most cases not verified from original sources.

It is believed that in 1984 a special order of 135 blued five inch Police Service Six revolvers were made up as test samples for the RCMP, who were considering replacing their aging 5" Smith Model 10s (in the end, the RCMP decided to convert to automatics in the mid 'nineties). In addition, there are said to have been five stainless Police Service Six 5" produced; although thought to have been sent to the RCMP, no one is quite sure.

It is believed that Ruger actually assembled a total of 150 revolvers, and some 15 blued guns were made up in an over-run to the RCMP contract. From various internet posts made over the years it has been established that ten of those over-run guns were shipped to GULF STATES Distributors of Montgomery Alabama, likely about August or September of 1984. Another 5 were sold to LAW ENFORCEMENT EQUIP CORP in Nashville, at about the same time.

Spending time on the internet, and with the help of fellow Ruger owners, it is now possible to identify the 15 over-run revolvers. In addition, there are another two revolvers identified that were shipped to Canada.

A September, 1984 memo from GULF STATES Distributors of Montgomery Alabama, lists the following 10 revolvers available for sale (at $190 each!). I have listed these in numerical sequence:

160-98363
160-98826
161-00029
161-00031 000031-00035 a consecutive series owned by one individual,
161-00032 believed in Connecticut in 2010
161-00033 " "
161-00034 " "
161-00035 " "
161-00330
161-97988


In addition, one contributor identified two revolvers sold to LAW ENFORCEMENT EQUIP CORP (LEEC) of Nashville in 1984. LEEC is believed to have bought five from Ruger, so I suspect the others were sold through them as well:

160-94833 As of 2017, in Northern California
160-98538 As of 2017, in Las Vegas (LEEC)
160-98539 As of 2017, in Las Vegas (LEEC)
161-00030 As of 2010, in Vermont
161-18440 As of 2017, in Illinois


Two additional blue SDA-85H have been identified with a direct Canadian connection. One has been imported back into the USA (and has importation marks). The other remains in Canada. This makes me wonder if the over-run exceeded 15 guns with some going to Canada as, from what I hear, the RCMP tended to melt down their surplus:

160-94838 As of 2017, in Ohio - this gun went to Canada and later returned the US
162-19054 As of 2017, in Canada


Apparently, two of the stainless (GF-35H) have been identified:

157-21052 Before 1994, Yazoo City, Mississippi
157-21051 As of 2012, in Vermont


As I stated, much of the above information is taken from older Internet posts and often lacks verification (for those supplying the more recent posts confirming serials, thank you for your help). Cross-matching the posts and serials was a bit of a challenge; there could be errors and, if so, let me know.

I own #162-19054 in Canada; it presents as new and unfired, so it must have sat in someone's safe for over thirty years.


Peter

The stainless 5" are in .357 mag. cal. and therefore should be GF-35.
Terry T

Stainless now corrected to GF-35H on my list.