DoorKicker
Bearcat
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2013
- Messages
- 17
can someone please explain the low back difference to me in detail. Looking at the pictures, I don't see the difference. TIA
Are either your USPS or NYCPD 3" Speed Sixes a matte finish like the Australian Police model? I'm asking because my GS-83 has a matte finish like the Australian Police model you show here. My serial number is 162-426xx with the NYCPD armororer's star stamped into the frame. Also letters as GS-83.There are some that have been alluded to, like the 3" barrel guns.
Here is a U.S. Postal Inspector's Speed Six with 3" barrel
View attachment 12923
And here is a NYPD contract gun with the 3" tube
View attachment 12924
There are also some other barrel length special models that are hard to find, like this NIS model (NIS was forerunner of NCIS)
View attachment 12925
Very few Security Sixes were made in .38 but here is one of them that also happens to be an "S" marked Liberty gun
View attachment 12926
Some guns are basically one of a kind, like this factory high polish lowback frame gun, which I believe was a test subject for that finish which was first used on the Vaquero in 1993. I suspect this was a returned gun they had laying around, possibly a gunwriter sample from back in the day.
View attachment 12927
And this is apparently the one and only surviving .357 Western Australia Police models, according to a retired WAP officer who said all the ones delivered to them were eventually destroyed. They were custom ordered with that finish and no caliber marking since they were for their version of SWAT which was allowed to carry .357 Mag while regular officers were restricted to .38 Spl. and they didn't want Caliber Envy at the range.
View attachment 12928
first one is 3". No hole
second is 2.75. hole
The one above looks like
Most of the GS-83 models I've seen look like brushed stainless but I've seen a couple matte like mine when searching the internet. I believe the USPS GS-33 preceeded the GS-83 NYCPD DAO. I wonder if Ruger had some matte frames, barrels and cylinders left over from the USPS run and used them for some GS-83 which were mfg '87-88 at the tail end of the Six Series run. I've read Ruger did that kind of thing as not to waste anything. Mine made it to NYCPD and got the star stamped on frame but evidently never saw service and was shipped to Davidson's after sitting on a shelf in NY. It didn't letter as an over run either.My USPS is.