Grip Fit; Six series DA Revolvers

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I always wondered why Ruger had such a haphazard fir on the grips for the Security, Service, Speed Six series of revolvers. The Speed Sixes always seemed the worst with the grips being noticeably under size to the frame. Did they really save much $$ by not getting a better fit?

Like this:





In my case, the factories came off to be replaced first by a modified (shortened) set of Herrett's followed by the Sambar stags it now sports.

The prerequisite photos of mine

 

hittman

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The grips, regardless of fit, didnt seem to hurt their sales much.
The only ones I noticed was the "target" grips fit loose on my guns.
 
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I think it goes back to the old days of Winchester and they called their wood fit "proud" and it always stuck out and always chipped, broke or cracked with use...Maybe old man Ruger thought better, but I do know that Ruger stainless frames are all too often bigger, metal showing around their outline, the blued ones are closer...:rolleyes:;)
 
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Back in the timeframe when the Six Series were made, most people replaced the factory wood grips with Pachmayrs or other rubbery grips. All the real "pistoleros" did it. And nearly every gun shop had a cardboard box full of factory wood takeoff grips offered for $10-15. So, there was perhaps less reason for manufacturers to obsess over OEM wood grip fit. Hardly anyone wanted them.
 

contender

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What most folks don't know,, or understand,, is that Ruger provided the specs for a grip frame,, to grip makers for them. They'd make the grips according to ONE set of specs. And when the guns were built,, a LOT depended upon the amount of metal polishing needed to finish a gun. Less polishing,, more of the g/f is left behind,, making the grips smaller,, and the frame a bit "proud" outside of the grips.
Then,, when Lett quit making Ruger grips,, the following companies got different specs & it actually has been harder to get a set to "mate" to a frame.

Investment casting,, then polishing,, you get slightly different dimensions,, and the grips are pre-made. Some fit quite well,,, others,, not so much.
 

hittman

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I usually just add a Tyler T Grip to mine. The only target style grips I found that fit me well are these:

 
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The vast majority of the Six series guns in my collection (both low back and high back frames) all have the grips that came with them, to show how they were originally delivered. However, I do also display some with the different after market grips to show how they could be made to fit different hands or give a different look. For the low back frames, Herrett and Jay Scott were the main purveyors of after market grips and when Ruger changed the frame to the high back, Pachmayr, Hogue and others jumped in and Ruger also contracted the manufacturing of the wood grips (both standard and oversized (target) ) to Lett. Ruger did have models that had Pachmayrs (both the Presentation and Gripper models) as standard equipment as well as models with the oversized wood grips as standard.

Many people, me included, tried our hand at making grips for the low back frame so it would fit our hands better. I didn't particularly like the fit of the low back frame so I hand crafted grips for mine to fit me. When I sold it, 15 years later, the buyer got the original and hand made grips.

Now, for the Speed SIx, I like the OEM grips even if the frame is a little bit proud of the grips.

As Contender stated, the grips were made from a spec sheet and the guns were all a little different when they finally got to where the grips were fitted. Bill Ruger believed in standardization because it cut costs so some grips fit perfectly, some did not, just depeneds on who was doing the final finishing and how the frame casting went.

I dare say that all revolver makers use this same principle, I know I have seen S&W's that the frame stood proud of the grips as well as other brands. It's just not cost/time effective to hand fit each and every grip to the frame due to the sheer numbers produced in a day.

Even today, I see people complain every now and then that the grips on their GP100/SP101/Super Redhawk aren't as "snug" as they would like. Same thing, Ruger gave a spec sheet to the grip manufacturer and then when the frame is cast, the grip studs might have slight differences - because of the casting process.
 

hittman

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I like Ron's philosophy. My USPS Speed Six still wears its factory rubber grips. Generally, I'm a big hater of rubber grips but ….. they're what were issued straight from the factory.

I recently bought a low back 6 inch Security Six and it came with what I think are Herrett grips. Do I like them? No. Do they fit me well? Yes. But still I put factory original grips on the gun.

And I'll keep them because they're in near perfect shape and they're really hard to find.
 

rkrcpa

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I have the original grips for my Security Six, the fit is like others have noted, quite a bit of metal exposed at the bottom. Of course, mine has Pachmayr Presentation grips on it so it doesn't matter.
 
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Sceva, I also have my Six series guns that are my "shooters" and I have them set up to fit me so I can shoot them the best I can. I happen to like the Ruger oversize grips but I like the smaller Pachmayr grips for my short barrel shooters, just feels better.
 

dsf

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I usually just add a Tyler T Grip to mine. The only target style grips I found that fit me well are these:


Numrich still carries them. I have a set on a 6" Security Six and they are close to the best fit for my hand of any grips I've handled. Maybe Smith Cokes or big diamond are close, but for the $$$ I think they're great.
 

hittman

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I think Numrich is where I got mine and I agree with your opinion of their fit and feel. Have them on my 6-inch also.
 
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I usually just add a Tyler T Grip to mine. The only target style grips I found that fit me well are these:


I have a set like that on my 4" Security Six and they are the best I've ever found. Great profile and feel. I did have to do some custom fitting on the set I have to get them to pull all the way together when the screw was tightened. I checked, Numrich shows them in stock, w/o the screw for some reason, about $62 with shipping. Hmmm. Maybe...

1648305917276.png
 
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dsf

Bearcat
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I usually just add a Tyler T Grip to mine. The only target style grips I found that fit me well are these:



I do the same on anything 4" or less but use an adapter made by BK Grips. Not made specifically for the Rugers but easily fitted.
 

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LDM

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I have the original grips for my Security Six, the fit is like others have noted, quite a bit of metal exposed at the bottom. Of course, mine has Pachmayr Presentation grips on it so it doesn't matter.
I also put "Goodyears" on my Service Six. Makes for much more comfortable shooting and better purchase on the grip.
 
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