SPEED-SIX GS-84

[T.A. WORKMAN]

I bought this Speed-Six years ago and posted it over on the RugerForum at that time. A forum member Jeff (Tank) Hoover who was a Motorcycle Policeman in Montgomery County MD. He gave me the following information on the gun & sent me a department patch to go with the gun. I always enjoyed his posts & we shared more than a few PMs, sadly he has not been active there for sometime. Jeff now writes a column for American Hand Gunner magazine.
Terry

Jug,
Those were our duty issue guns( I came on in 1985) and our Dept. armorer engraved all the guns himself with some sort of stencil. Did a pretty good job ! When we switched over to the Berettas (another story involving our Governor) we were given the option of buying them. I surely bought mine ! Still have it ! Some guys bought several, and sold them for profit. A few turned up later, used in crimes as far away as Fla., and the county banned all re-sale of guns to LEO. I'm stuck in a liberal state, in the MOST liberal county of that state. That's it in a nut shell.
Be happy to answer any more questions for you, Terry !
Take care Buddy.
Jeff
Found another email from Jeff,
Terry,
Rich Fried was the armorer who stenciled the badge. He is a hecka of a gunsmith.
Learned from a fellow also from our Dept, Lou Ciamillo, of Md. Gunworks, now located
in Ga. Mas Ayoob has praised Lou's work. His specialty is PPC guns.

I'll ask about how many guns were ordered. This is where the seed was planted for
my infatuation with Ruger guns. Rich always said they were cop proof, meaning tough
dependable, guns. I agree !
Take care Buddy.
Jeff

GS-84 .38 Special Ser.#161-56985

 

[contender]

Great story there. And Tank is a great guy too!

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

That's cool!

The story reminds me of my Speed Six from the Western Australia Police. A retire W.A. cop reached out and told me the whole story including how the Aussie libs cracked down on gun laws after that Tasmania mass shooting so that all the department guns had to be destroyed rather than sold or re-exported. Said mine (a factory overrun released in 2009) was likely the only one left in the world. Anyway, he sent me a tube containing a W.A. PD poster and patch.

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Bob,
It is great that he reached out to you and provided that info before it was lost forever!
I have never seen one of the Australian revolvers but I did remember that you had acquired one.
The patch & poster are a great bonus.
Terry
PS - Tanks GS-84 like mine is pictured in the June Guns Magazine on page 71.