police service six low back ???

[boopy]

I have a security six low back fixed sight 38spl. 150-54xxx
I received a letter from Ruger stating it was a service six
miss rolled as security six. Were any low backs marked
POLICE SERVICE SIX. I've never seen one

 

[hittman]

Welcome to the forum.
The SECURITY SIXs originally had FIXED sites. There was not Police Service Six then.
Like this low back SECURITY Six pictured below.

To answer your question YES, I believe there were LOW back Service Six's. Think I had a 4-inch once.



I'd like to see a photo of the exact wording of the Ruger letter. It's possible the newer generation of researchers there may have fudged up the explanation.

Oh, gun pics are nice too

 

[RoninPA]

When the Security Six was first produced (150- to 151- serial numbers plus or minus) there was an Adjustable sight model (6", 4", 23/4") and a FIXED sight model (4", 2 3/4") and they were all roll marked "SECURITY SIX". When Ruger wanted to get into the LE market, they changed the roll mark on the fixed sight models to "POLICE SERVICE SIX". The round butt model, from the very start were roll marked "SPEED SIX".

At the time of the transition from the low back to the high back grip frames there probably were low back models that were roll marked Police Service Six and IIRC there were fixed sight models that were marked "Service Six" that were sold to overseas buyers who did not want the "Police" moniker on them.

 

[boopy]

I'll take some photos and post them.
I guess my real question was are these
early low back fixed sight 38spl
prototypes for what would become
POLICE SERVICE SIX ? I have all three models
THANK YOU FOR THE WELCOME TO THE FORUM

 

[hittman]

Not a prototype …. They evolved like Ron described above.
They made Security Six with fixed sites.
They changed name to POliCE Service Six to capture LEO market.
They added an adjustable site model and moved the Security Six name there.

This will help if you subscribe:

https://www.rugerforum.com/threads/subscribe-to-the-red-eagle-news-exchange.30544/

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Yeah, the lowback Security Six could be had with either fixed or adjustable sights. This is from the 1970 dealer price sheet:

When the frame changed to the highback, the fixed sight version was renamed to Police Service Six. And yes, there were a few contract guns marked simply Service Six.

To my knowledge, there were no lowback fixed sight guns marked Police Service Six.

The confusion at the factory (where it is a whole new generation of folks with no memory of the 1970's) is due to both named models sharing the SDA catalog number prefix (a .38 with a 4" barrel being SDA-84, and the 2.75" barrel being SDA-82). And in spite of being listed, I don't think there were any 6" barreled fixed sight guns produced in either frame.

I have collected a good sampling of guns on either side of the 150/151 transition and have highback 150 prefix guns marked Police Service Six in both .38 and .357. I have lowbacks in the 151 range but I don't believe I have any fixed sight 151 lowbacks.

The white boxes with the die cut interiors would not properly fit the highback frame contour, so the early highbacks were shipped in the flimsy red/white boxes used prior to the heavier red/black boxes.

 

[boopy]

Thank you. I located the letter they sent me. it reads,
Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding your
Ruger Police Service Six revolver,serial number 150-545xx.
our records indicate this Police Service Six revolver was shipped in
June 1973 from Newport,NH facility as model SDA-84 .38 spl.
This revolver was roll marked as a Security-Six.
before i got this letter a rep called asking for verification of
serial number and markings. she seemed to be very confused
As do I. So both models share the same model SDA-84
amazing. Thank you again. I love this gun under any name

 

[hittman]

Yeah, the lowback Security Six could be had with either fixed or adjustable sights.

Like these two. Both these are marked with an "S" too.