Speed Six grip shape change?

[BrokenArrow]

Picked up an old Speed Six from 1974?/150-66XXX.

The grip is shaped different from most of the pics I see, and different from the pic in the downloaded manual. The shoulder where the web of the hand/thumb/finger touches on mine is sloped gradually, not the sharper angle I see in most pics. When did that change?

 

[sack peterson]

It changed right about then. 1975 is most often cited. They made a casting change for the frame just a year after introduction. These will for the most part have prefixes 151 and above.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Thanks! Makes finding grips a bit harder. My wood grips are in great shape, but everything I can find now says for 151 and higher...

 

[stantheman86]

I have a very early Speed Six with the early "low back" grip frame profile.

Nice gun, I just prefer the later grip profile better. I am a collector and needed this variation, but you can see why Ruger redesigned the grip frame. Many people complained that the gun would work it's way up in your hand under recoil due to the "flat" backstrap.

It is hard to find original grips, they are out there for the Security Six but I have never seen factory grips for the older Speed Sixes........ but you can probably find a set of older Herrett grips made for the early 150 prefix Speed Six.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Mine looks as good as yours!