SOLD Speed Six 9mm REDUCED

[JAYDAWG]

Collector grade gun, a bit of a turn line, no other marks, comes with moon clips minus the ammo. No wear , just glare from the pics. 157-258XX serial number. 2 3/4 inch barrel. No Box.

$1000 $950 NOW $900 and I pay shipping from my FFL to yours.
Going to knock $50 a week off until it sells........
First PM gets it.
JAYDAWG SOLD

 

[JohnL]

I am not familiar with this model in that chambering. I have a question. Since it uses moon clips for head spacing is there also chamber shoulders which would prevent .38 Special cartridges from loading? Please excuse my ignorance.

 

[JAYDAWG]

John,
The issue is extraction. The cylinder has the the shouldered chambers for the 9mm to head space properly, but since the 9mm is rimless and this is a DA revolver (no ejector rod) getting spent cartridges out is tough.
And of course with the headspacing shoulders in the cylinders, the 38's wont go in.
Jay

 

[JohnL]

Thank you. An interesting gun piece.

I am looking for a short barrel .38 Special. Considering a S &W Model 10. I have an older Colt Cobra and want a larger frame. The 9mm is interesting. Yours is more than what I intended to pay but it is a unique piece. The Speed Six is a fine gun. Thinking....

 

[contender]

Those are fine guns & don't come up for sale too often. Clips are available from a few places,, and worth getting spares. I think the original ones were 1/2 moons.

 

[JAYDAWG]

Back up

 

[JohnL]

I know little about 9mm revolvers made in the USA. I read that one problem is that the makers use a .38 Special barrel and the 9mm bullet is a wee bit smaller. This compromises accuracy. Do you know this to be true or is it another myth? I am asking because I am also looking at a .357 Speed Six.

 

[JAYDAWG]

I have never done any accuracy testing with this one, but the barrel is rollmarked 9mm.
Maybe some of the experienced DA guys will chime in.

 

[WAYNO]

I have never done any accuracy testing with this one, but the barrel is rollmarked 9mm.
Maybe some of the experienced DA guys will chime in.
View attachment 60163

I am very experienced with Ruger revolvers chambered in 9mm, both DA and SA.
And in every case, I am always pleased with the accuracy of the 9mm cartridge in a revolver, both with the correctly sized bore as well as the compromise bore in a convertible. I suspect many of the folks dismissing the accuracy of a 9mm in a revolver are the same folks repeating just what they've heard.

And extraction being tough with a rimless cartridge? Not really. I understand the needs for moon clips when the gun is used for serious duty, but at the range, poking the empties out with a dowel or pencil is faster than mooning and de-mooning the cartridges. I am not dismissing a persons preference for moon clips, but it's an easy choice to use, or not use them. The revolver will still perform admirably.

These Speed Sixes are pretty wonderful, regardless of the chambering.




.

 

[JAYDAWG]

the range, poking the empties out with a dowel or pencil is faster than mooning and de-mooning the cartridges.

Completely agree WAYNO........plus WAY easier on your fingers!!

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Note that this one has the earlier round recoil shield. When I was putting together my collection of 9mm Speed Sixes, the blue 2.75" gun with the round recoil shield was one of the last ones I found.

 

[JAYDAWG]

Note that this one has the earlier round recoil shield

WMG,
Please educate me

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

WMG,
Please educate me

A little higher SN range, in the 158's if I'm not mistaken (or possibly higher in 157), Ruger switched to a "scalloped" recoil shield.

One here is clearly stainless, but the blue gun here has the scalloped shield, and the stainless gun has the round shield (the shoulder area behind the cylinder on the frame):

As I recall from back in the day, the scallop was done at holster-maker's requests for the holsters with spring loaded retention that would better fit into a scalloped-out area.

 

[JohnL]

I am very experienced with Ruger revolvers chambered in 9mm, both DA and SA.
And in every case, I am always pleased with the accuracy of the 9mm cartridge in a revolver, both with the correctly sized bore as well as the compromise bore in a convertible. I suspect many of the folks dismissing the accuracy of a 9mm in a revolver are the same folks repeating just what they've heard.

Thank you. I was hoping for opinions from experienced shooters of 9mm revolver.

I owned three Model 1917 revolvers over the years. Two Smiths and one Colt. I still have half moon clips for them! I like like full and half moon clips.

 

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

I recall that Federal made a 9mm rimmed cartridge for a 9mm Ruger Security/Speed Six. In fact I saw a box of these cartridges last year at an OGCA meeting. What I don’t recall is whether this was used in a Security Six that was chambered for the rimless 9mm Parabellum, or a specially configured revolver. If I recall correctly the rimmed 9mm was created for an overseas government, but a few were sold in the US as well.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

You don't even need a rimmed cartridge, just less of a "Not Invented Here" attitude. If WBR would have agreed to pay royalties to Andrei Pilorget in France for use of his rimless extraction invention, we could have had more of these:

 

[Terry T]

When Ruger went to the "scalloped" recoil shield, they added the extra metal to the top strap above the cylinder making it thicker. This can be seen in Weaselmeatgravy's photos above. The thicker top strap also resulted in a deeper rear sight channel for a clearer sight picture.
I first noticed this when I realized the sight channel was different between the two versions (and the weight didn't change between the two versions) and began looking for the reason.
Terry T

 

[Timbo23]

Just a couple of comments; I heard that the scalloped recoil shield on the Security Six series (Security, Service, and Speed Six) was to give a family resemblance to the Redhawk that had been introduced around that time. The Redhawks also have a scalloped recoil shield.
Having a 9mm revolver gives you ammo compatibility with the 9mm automatics you may also own. Plus 9mm ammo tends to be cheaper than 38 Spl, and the variety of 9mm ammo is staggering (95 to 124 grain bullets from FMJ to JSP to HP from reduced recoil to +P loadings).

 

[the_leper_colony]

I recall that Federal made a 9mm rimmed cartridge for a 9mm Ruger Security/Speed Six. In fact I saw a box of these cartridges last year at an OGCA meeting. What I don't recall is whether this was used in a Security Six that was chambered for the rimless 9mm Parabellum, or a specially configured revolver. If I recall correctly the rimmed 9mm was created for an overseas government, but a few were sold in the US as well.

IIRC, that rimmed 9mm cartridge was called the 9mm Federal. It was a fantastic idea in theory - shortening a revolver cylinder can improve ejection & save weight.

I owned a .357/9mm convertible Blackhawk when the 9mm Federal round was introduced, and I remember contacting Ruger to see if they had any recommendation regarding use of the new round in the 9mm Blackhawk cylinder (didn't want to buy a box of ammo I couldn't/shouldn't use). I never heard back from Ruger; they probably hadn't even heard of the cartridge when I asked. I think Charter Arms made some revolvers chambered for the rimmed 9mm ammunition when it was actually available, and you will see these older guns from time to time on GunBroker, sometimes listed simply as "9mm" (and I have no idea if they can even safely chamber & fire 9x19 Luger, so buyer beware!).

Seems like I read somewhere that the new high-pressure 9mm rimmed cartridge would fit into the cylinders of some of the older, cheaper, weaker .38 S&W revolvers. If true, that would be a potential liability for any company making the ammunition, and combined with the lack of popularity, might have helped kill the round. Might do better today, especially with one of the nifty new names the marketing guys at the ammo makers have been coming up with - maybe 9mm LungBlower?

Edit: Moderators, please delete this post if appropriate, I didn't notice this was a 'For Sale' thread and don't want to clog it up with extraneous comments...

 

[JAYDAWG]

Back up reduced............again!!

 

[maxfam]

I believe it would have lasted and became popular if the cartridge was named the 9mm Auto Rim, which is what it was.

 

[JAYDAWG]

Great discussion on this one!!
I learned a couple things, always fun.
It has a new home..........

Cheers,
JAYDAWG