There is a nice one in 9mm for sale on this website. I gave good thought to purchasing it but went with the more common cartridge. If I could afford a second one, the 9mm is interesting.
Speed Six Fans
- Thread starter JackBull
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Thanks! I'll take a look.
My watch list is currently full of them, I either get busy and let them get by. Hopefully someone will swap me one for the GP Match Champion I have in the Marketplace and save us both the GB fees
So, what ammo do you recommend for a Speed Six? Low flash powder seems appropriate. What bullet type? HP or JSP? What bullet weight? This is for self defense use. I lean towards 130 to 140 grain JSP but am looking for advice.
Tomorrow I go to town to visit my Speed Six. Held in custody until paper work is completed and a seven day waiting period exhausts me.
Tomorrow I go to town to visit my Speed Six. Held in custody until paper work is completed and a seven day waiting period exhausts me.
magnum0710
Single-Sixer
I highly doubt we'll ever see Ruger bring back the Six series the 3 inch GP100 with fixed sights (not the Wiley Clap model) is almost a dead ringer for the Speed Six. The first time I saw one I thought it was a Speed Six until I looked at the crane. The older version of the 3 inch GP had the same cut in the underlug as the Speed Six, the newer version has a full lug but it's still as close as we're gonna get to a new Speed Six.
My Speed Six restoration is just about finished! Got a new cylinder for it, deciding on a trigger guard now. I can get a trigger guard that's a little beat (but in much better shape than my own) with a bunch of spare parts for around $30. Or I can get a trigger guard in great shape for $22 but it's just the guard, no parts at all. I have all the parts but I'm thinking I might be better off getting the one with the spare parts. If I get the one with the parts I might bob the extra hammer!
My Speed Six restoration is just about finished! Got a new cylinder for it, deciding on a trigger guard now. I can get a trigger guard that's a little beat (but in much better shape than my own) with a bunch of spare parts for around $30. Or I can get a trigger guard in great shape for $22 but it's just the guard, no parts at all. I have all the parts but I'm thinking I might be better off getting the one with the spare parts. If I get the one with the parts I might bob the extra hammer!
magnum0710
Single-Sixer
Hollowpoint for sure unless we're talking about animal defense. I have separate loads for both and loads that can be used for either. For factory I really like the new Federal HST, it's an amazing load! I've seen it clock over 1300 fps from a 4 inch! It's a 154 grain bullet. I pretty much stick to 140 grain and up for 357 mag but that's me personally. I prefer 158s myself. I hear the 140 grain Corbon is a good load, you really can't go wrong with the Hornady XTP either. The XTP comes in 125, 140 and 158. I think Hornady only loads the 125 and 158 themselves though. There are some mid range options too, I never liked the factory Ruger stocks with full power 357 myself. Remington Golden Saber, Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel, Winchester PDX1.
JSP is better for animal defense but you could use it in a pinch for general self defense. Again for JSP I like the Federal 158 because the lead is a little softer. Most JSP works like hard cast but the Federal gets some expansion. I've used the PMC bronze JSP as a woods load however.
For animal defense I like a hard cast bullet myself. 158 grain of course. I like the 158 grain Gold Dot as a general purpose load too. It doesn't expand super well at handgun velocity but it deforms nicely. Kind of a cross between a soft point and hollowpoint.
As for handloads I've only loaded hard cast bullets in 357, my woods load is a 158 SWC over 9.5 grains HS6. Not quite a max load for that powder but almost.
magnum0710
Single-Sixer
I would've went for the 9mm myself only because it's kind of rare. Plus 357 mag cylinders are plentiful and I'm sure it could be swapped. Finding a 9mm cylinder to put on a 357 Six is like finding a needle in a hay stack. I'm willing to bet the bore diameter is the same on both models but I'm sure someone here knows more about the 9mm Speed Six than I do. I know the 38 guns are exactly the same as the 357 guns, the cylinders were just cut so they wouldn't accept magnums. I'm willing to bet the cylinders were cut for 9mm but the barrel is most likely the same. There are a ton of 9mm semi autos with .357 diameter barrels.
magnum0710
Single-Sixer
Well I don't really need three trigger guards lol but I'll probably go with the one that has all the spare parts. The guy has another cylinder too, I'd love to get it for my Security Six. My Security has oversized chambers so any brass from that gun has to be fully resized. I'm using a Lee Loader until I get a press so that's been a bit of a thorn in my side. Luckily the brass from my Speed Six will work in both my revolvers no problem.
I do have some spare parts from a blued gun I'll be putting up for sale soon. I thought they were stainless until I got them in hand but they're just over polished. Looks like someone used way too much flitz, the bluing is still there though. I have a cylinder assembly and trigger assembly. I'll be keeping a few of the parts from the trigger assembly but it'll still be a good deal. I'm not even going to charge what I paid for em since I don't have a blued gun and can't really use em. Thought of making my Speed Six a pinto but the bluing isn't dark enough and it just would've looked weird. The ejector rod is bent and I think it's missing some of the parts.
Drove into town today and visited my Speed Six now residing at our local FFL's store. First time I have seen one in person. Nice fit with the stock grips. The trigger seems fine. To be determined when fired, of course. So far so good. Not too dinged up. One owie down to the white steel up by the hammer but not a problem. Good weight. Looking forward to bringing it home and running rounds through it. I have .38 Special ammo on hand but need to order .357 mag cartridges. A mix of low flash powder for short barrels and some magnum target loads.
SimplyRugged
Bearcat
As has been mentioned there are lots of used Six's around. I found this US Postal Service 3" several years ago and then another 3" and a 4" within months of the first. those have gone to friends, this one stays with me. Armaloy over stainless Pacmayrs from the factory, tack driver with a great action...
Strawdog
Bearcat
My Service Six had been ridden hard and put away wet before it came to me. She was in rough shape showing signs of it being dropped on more than one occasion. It cleaned up well though, I added a shim kit (hammer and trigger) added a Tyler-T grip then later replaced the front sight with a night sight.
As far as ammo... this is my favorite. Shoots them quite accurately.
As far as ammo... this is my favorite. Shoots them quite accurately.
Ordered two boxes of Buffalo Bore Low Flash Reduced Recoil Short Barrel 158 grain JHP .357 ammo. They read to be stouter than the Speer 140 grain reduced recoil short barrel ammo, a hundred fps faster with a slightly heavier bullet. I have always shot 158 grain ammo in .38 Special and .357s. Seems to me that is what the guns were made for. I have plenty of .38 Special FMJ and lead round nose to start with.
Thanks for the advice.
I'm waiting for my newly acquired 2.75" Speed Six in .38 Special. Already received my .357 cylinder and crane fro ebay. Hopefully pictures next week after shipping and CO's commie 3 day waiting period. I'm excited...
magnum0710
Single-Sixer
I just bought a replacement for my Speed Six but it didn't work out, I think its because my Speed Six is late model and the gas ring is on the cylinder rather than the crane so the dimensions are slightly different. I have the correct replacement coming. I would definitely check it out and make sure it fits and functions. From what I understand 9 times out of 10 it'll just drop in on the Six guns. If the whole assembly doesn't drop in you could try disassembling everything and using the crane from your original cylinder.
Strawdog
Bearcat
If the polymer front sight doesn't fit your needs I installed a Mepro night sight on mine (Ruger sp101 fits). It made for an awesome sight picture, clean and crisp.
Thanks for that... I will be sure to check that out. The cylinder was a 'no return' item on ebay, hopefully if it doesn't work out I can find someone here who can use it
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