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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 didn't even know they made a short barrel 158, I thought it only came in a 125 but I haven't kept up with their product. I actually prefer Double Tap over Underwood and Buffalo Bore myself. I'm sure their low recoil 357 is on the level but I'm weary of their high power loads.

I stick with 158s myself but as long as I'm above the 125 range I'm generally happy. Now I don't mind the 125s in 38 special but that's a different story. The Winchester and Remington 125 +ps are some of the only 38 hollowpoints I trust. Those and the FBI load are about it. Not a fan of the 110s or lighter though.
 
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.
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Did you have to file it to fit the Speed Six? I tried a factory SP and it was too wide but I eventually tracked down the correct sight.
 
38 Special Speed's aren't real common …..

No but they sure are nice. I got this one with the box and paperwork at a Goodman Gunshow around 2005. Nicely less than $300 and it could have passed for new in box. It was someone's Dad's gun and they didn't want it,

As for ammo, Mine has some 130 gr Federal HST Micro jacked wadcutters in it and some 135 Gr Speer God Dots in speed loaders.

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I didn't even know they made a short barrel 158, I thought it only came in a 125 but I haven't kept up with their product. I actually prefer Double Tap over Underwood and Buffalo Bore myself. I'm sure their low recoil 357 is on the level but I'm weary of their high power loads.

I stick with 158s myself but as long as I'm above the 125 range I'm generally happy. Now I don't mind the 125s in 38 special but that's a different story. The Winchester and Remington 125 +ps are some of the only 38 hollowpoints I trust. Those and the FBI load are about it. Not a fan of the 110s or lighter though.
They offer a 125, 140, and 158 grain load for short barrel revolvers.
 
Did you have to file it to fit the Speed Six? I tried a factory SP and it was too wide but I eventually tracked down the correct sight.
I think the black paint on it made it too thick. I had to kiss the finish off of it with a micro file so it would tap into the groove snug. Drilled from both directions then inserted the pin.
 
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
That's exactly what I did, I just sold it for what I paid so I recoup some of what I spent on the correct parts.

I'll PM you cause there's a lot to explain, disassembling the cylinder can be tough at first. I actually bubba'd my original cylinder not being careful during the process.

I honestly think you'll be fine being that yours is an older model.
 
I think the black paint on it made it too thick. I had to kiss the finish off of it with a micro file so it would tap into the groove snug. Drilled from both directions then inserted the pin.
Wow! I could not get the factory SP sight to fit at all and I sanded it down a good bit. I might try the mepro sight in the future. How's the point of impact? Does it hit high or low at all?
 
Wow! I could not get the factory SP sight to fit at all and I sanded it down a good bit. I might try the mepro sight in the future. How's the point of impact? Does it hit high or low at all?
Dead nuts on with a better sight picture than the standard ramp. I was quite pleased. (15 yards)
 
I have already been advised to find a Tyler T-Grip for it and bob the hammer.
The T-grip is okay, but most of mine wear a Roper or a Hogue wood monogrip that's clearanced for a speed loader.

In my opinion (and many will differ) it's taking away from a good double action to bob the hammer. It simply makes it much less useful. The argument that it's "more snag-free" drawing from concealment just doesn't stand. Training to place the thumb on the hammer spur until it is just reflexive during the draw eliminates all that. The hammer is cocked as the gun comes into alignment with the target anyway.

A da only trigger is more likely to be snatched due to it's heavier pull than a single action pull. All of this has been shown by the long history of the revolver's use by law enforcement and the military. It's not the first shot that matters, it's only the first hit that counts.

And it's not just armchair talk. Prior to the incident with the SEALs that led to SOCOM taking away the revolver all together, I carried the S&W 66 several times in places that sucked and very heavily trained with them. A far superior arm compared to the M9 in a fight. More powerful, accurate, and easy to shoot.

Some of the SF guys in a group that didn't exist back then had pretty free reign in their weapons choices. The one I saw more than a couple carry were commandeered Security Sixes from the Marine corps embassy stores, tuned by their armorers. Never once saw a bobed hammer on any of them, and those guys knew what worked. Didn't stop really seeing them carried until after the mk23 mod0 was issued.
 
You guys do know that Ruger made a factory "bobbed" hammer that still had single action capability. Every Speed-Six I recall also had a round but. Still have a heavy barrel Police service six with a 4" barrel some one rounded as per Skeeter.
 
One of my favorites when it comes to ammo, is from Lost River Ammunition. Manufactured in Idaho. He makes a HOT 38 Special that you don't want to shoot in aluminum frame 5 shooters. Hard on the gun and the shooter. If the 5 shooter is steel and shoots 357 mag you are good.
They are 38 Special 158 grain + P poly coated Hardcast semi wadcutters, 1115 fps in a 4".

Probably ordered over 2000 rounds of various cartridges from him. Good guy. Meticulous in his load development.
Another favorite is 45 Colt 270 grain wide meplat semiwadcutter.
Order a couple of boxes of ammo (I usually order way more) and free freight. He's also got a 170 grain 357 mag.
He's Ted McIntire.
 
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I like the Double Tap 38+p cast SWC, it's not that hot but still pretty spicy. It's identical to my handload.
 
Picked up a trigger shoe for a Speed Six. I am impressed how it improved my grips enabling better finger contact with the trigger. Now thinking about adding a trigger shoe.

Ran a few rounds of Buffalo Bore's Low Flash 158 grain magnums in the dark. The flash is minimal as they claim. Recoil has a modest bite but is certainly within my tolerance.
 

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You guys do know that Ruger made a factory "bobbed" hammer that still had single action capability. Every Speed-Six I recall also had a round but. Still have a heavy barrel Police service six with a 4" barrel some one rounded as per Skeeter.
The factory Ruger DAO hammers on my NYCPD Speed Six & Service Six do not have "single action capability."
 
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True DAO hammer revolvers like the NYCPD models did not ever have the single action notch machined into them and as such you can't pull the trigger and "stage" the hammer and then pull it back to lock in place.

Also, DO NOT assume that a Ruger DAO hammer that has cross hatching at the top front is a SA/DA hammer. You have to try it to make sure. The DAO contract Rugers are true DAO hammers but they do have the cross hatching on the hammer. If you look at a normal factory hammer (not a dehorned), there should not be any cross hatching at the top front of the hammer (but with Ruger you NEVER say "Never" :)

Ruger did make dehorned hammers for some revolvers like the Speed Six. I have one that is a low back model made in 1973 with a bobbed hammer that is SA/DA and came from the factory that way and it has the cross hatching on the top of the hammer.

Many people like to dehorn the hammers on the short barreled Police Service Sixes and the Speed Sixes to make them less snag proof when used to pocket carry. Those hammers will be SA/DA but normally will not have the cross hatching on the top of the hammer unless the person who bobbed the hammer did some modification to the top top be able to make it easier to "single action" them.
 
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Thanks for the clarification, Ron. I didn't know Ruger made a factory spurless SA/DA hammer with cross hatching.(y)
 
instead of a T-Grip another option is picking up a set of the old Herrett Shooting stars, cutting off the bottoms and rounding the bottom corners. I did it to a smooth set leaving about 1/8" wood at the bottom, refinished them and it worked and felt great. Used them until I got the stags that are on it now.

I saw mention of a polymer front sight??? Mine is steel.


 
If you ever want to sell those Heretts let me know, I've been looking for a pair to modify into carry grips after seeing an older post of yours about them. I've been considering Badger boot grips too but not sure I want to spend that much not knowing wether I'll like em or not. I've heard good and bad about the Badgers while the Heretts are almost always praised.

In any case you did an awesome job on those Heretts!

The factory sight I have is steel and so is the Millett white bar sight I recently added.
 

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