The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Revolver Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old December 4, 2016, 09:39 PM   #1
HighValleyRanch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2005
Posts: 4,066
My 3" Ruger Security six project

A long time ago, I posted some pics of my unique Ruger security six.
It's almost to the point of where I want it.
But after carrying it AIWB, and getting rid of my nickel plated 2.5 inch smith 19, I want a shorter barrel than the 4 inch.

I found a gunsmith who will shorted, crown and cut a dovetail for a windage adjustable front sight on the shortened revolver. I plan to ditch the adjustable rear sight and manufacture a fixed combat sight for the rear that will fit the rear cutout and match the front sight for point of impact.

I wanted the barrel cut so that the name and emblem will be centered, and that will come out to a 3 inch barrel. Pretty close to 3" GP100 I think.

I don't plan on ever selling this gun, so degrading the value of a stock 4" SS is not my concern, now that I have modified this gun to my exact liking.

Took it to the range yesterday and I was shooting 3 inch groups at 15 yards double action off hand standing.

The action on this is incredible. Feels smoother than any SW I've ever owned and I've owned a few!

The top strap will be milled for a dovetail for a Novak front sight. I saw that the GP100's Match Champions have a Novak dovetail for front sight, and I am waiting to hear back from Novak sights to see what is available for this project.

Just thought I would share, and open to any suggestions on the project.
I had thought about doing the shortening myself, but opted for a professional job.

As stated before, the hammer is a Bisley hammer welded onto the Security six hammer, and there is an old thread here somewhere on that project. Silky smooth cocking with this hammer one handed, not too long for double action.

Enclosed is a photo of the proposed shortened Ruger SS by photoshop so I could get an idea of how it's going to look.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg ShortenedSS.jpg (69.1 KB, 1449 views)
__________________
From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"
HighValleyRanch is offline  
Old December 4, 2016, 10:05 PM   #2
B-Shot
Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2016
Posts: 77
The photoshop picture looks like a winner to me. I don't think you can always put a dollar value on something customized to your wants/needs
B-Shot is offline  
Old December 4, 2016, 10:38 PM   #3
Deaf Smith
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 31, 2000
Location: Texican!
Posts: 4,453
Why not just get a 2 3/4 inch Security Six, keep the barrel as-is and modify the rest?

Notice my Security Six below. I made it round butt.



Just add the modified hammer you are proposing (looks like a Blackhawk Bisley hammer.)

Deaf
__________________
“To you who call yourselves ‘men of peace,’ I say, you are not safe without men of action by your side” Thucydides
Deaf Smith is offline  
Old December 4, 2016, 10:46 PM   #4
HighValleyRanch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2005
Posts: 4,066
Live in California

Hah, because I live in the unfree state of California, so finding a security six is like finding gold.
I cannot buy one online, have it imported from out of state.

The only way to get one is happen on one close by for sale for face to face purchase second hand.

That's why.
And since I already have done the action and hammer to suit my needs, shortening it is easier than any of the above.

wish I could, I'd get another in a heart beat.
__________________
From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"
HighValleyRanch is offline  
Old December 5, 2016, 08:40 AM   #5
macsr01
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2006
Posts: 100
Nice Ruger, I just recently picked up a Service Six. The more I read about and shoot this gun, the more I love it. Definitely like what you've done with yours.
__________________
May Fortune find you worthy of it’s company, and Death unable to find you at all....
macsr01 is offline  
Old December 5, 2016, 11:52 PM   #6
Sarge
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 12, 2002
Location: MO
Posts: 5,457
Quote:
I found a gunsmith who will shorted, crown and cut a dovetail for a windage adjustable front sight on the shortened revolver. I plan to ditch the adjustable rear sight and manufacture a fixed combat sight for the rear that will fit the rear cutout and match the front sight for point of impact.
You're a sick puppy HVR. Glad I ain't the only one

Please keep us posted on this.
__________________
People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.
Sarge is offline  
Old December 11, 2016, 11:02 AM   #7
Stargater53
Member
 
Join Date: October 17, 2014
Posts: 94
The great thing about the Security-Six is that it comes with a 2.75-inch barrel, so it's almost up to 3 inches out of the box. One not-so-great aspect of the gun is there's a lot of variance in the size of the barrel. In the photo below, the lighter barrel is my favorite. But in other configurations, the barrels are too heavy.



Ruger also should have put a round-grip on all of their Security-Sixes. That way a person could choose between square and round grips. But square grips can only accommodate square grips. As in the above photo, I've rounded the grips with a grinder, but it was easy.



This is the Heavy Barrel version. It might be cheaper to just find the gun you need on the Internet, as the variety was sort of built into the gun.




.

Last edited by Stargater53; December 11, 2016 at 11:30 AM.
Stargater53 is offline  
Old December 11, 2016, 11:21 AM   #8
mavracer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 27, 2008
Location: midwest
Posts: 4,209
A short barreled Ruger six for carry, I like how you think.
__________________
rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6
Quote:
originally posted my Mike Irwin
My handguns are are for one purpose only, though...
The starter gun on the "Fat man's mad dash tactical retreat."
mavracer is offline  
Old December 11, 2016, 05:31 PM   #9
dscampbell
Member
 
Join Date: August 28, 2011
Location: Central valley of California
Posts: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by HighValleyRanch View Post
Hah, because I live in the unfree state of California, so finding a security six is like finding gold.

I cannot buy one online, have it imported from out of state.



The only way to get one is happen on one close by for sale for face to face purchase second hand.



That's why.

And since I already have done the action and hammer to suit my needs, shortening it is easier than any of the above.



wish I could, I'd get another in a heart beat.


Yep. There are some good aspects to living in California but our insanely restrictive gun laws are not one of them. I would love to move out of state but the property I live on has been in the family for over 70 years and it is like living in a national park


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
dscampbell is offline  
Old December 11, 2016, 08:10 PM   #10
agtman
Junior member
 
Join Date: July 26, 2001
Location: midwest
Posts: 2,374
Awesome pics, thanks!
agtman is offline  
Old December 12, 2016, 07:20 PM   #11
HighValleyRanch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2005
Posts: 4,066
Thanks all for the suggestions and input. Project on hold for the time being while I decide on sending to a professional smith or trying to do it myself.

How many would attempt to do this themselves vs. how many would decide to send to a smith. Cost is going to be about 200.00 for the barrel shortening, crowning, dovetail cut and cost for front sight as well as shipping.

Cost for doing it myself would be at minimal, 15.00 for a blank sight blade.
And DIY crown with a brass head screw or buy the proper crowning tool for 100.00?

Satisfaction of learning and doing it yourself or having it professionally done so value of resale is not lost.
__________________
From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"
HighValleyRanch is offline  
Old December 13, 2016, 12:32 AM   #12
Sgt127
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 13, 2002
Posts: 1,053
For $200, I'd let the gunsmith take a chance screwing it up...and finding me another one.

I'd do the RB on the frame though. Barrel crowns and dovetails are a little trickier.
Sgt127 is offline  
Old December 17, 2016, 01:45 AM   #13
WC145
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 18, 2008
Location: Downeast Maine
Posts: 1,836
Sounds like a great project. Personally, I don't have the skills or the equipment to do that sort of work so I would choose to have it done by a professional gunsmith. In fact, just last week I sent a beater S&W M28 Highway Patrolman to Mark Hartshorne at Pinnacle High Performance to be turned into a 3" round butt .41 magnum using a titanium cylinder and 4" M58 barrel.

To me, knowing the work is done right and that the gun is properly timed and set up is worth the cost of having a pro handle the work.
__________________
"If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it. The felon does not fear the police, and he fears neither judge or jury. Therefore what he must be taught to fear is his victim." - LtCol Jeff Cooper
WC145 is offline  
Old September 25, 2018, 02:26 PM   #14
HighValleyRanch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2005
Posts: 4,066
Well, after two years, my project is just about to come true.
This is the gun I wanted:


I've come close to hacking off the barrel a few times, and last go round removed the rear sight in anticpation of making the cut. But I've alway set it aside to ponder for while.

Well today, I put a deposit on a blue 2 3/4" Ruger Police Sevice Six. It's in good shape, and I plan to change all the guts off my Secuirty six over to the new gun to end up with the above proposed gun. This saves me all the cost and work of shortening the existin gun's barrel. I can then simply sell the 4" Security six for the same amount as I'm paying for the Service six and end up doing the project for free!

Can't wait to complete my long time dream gun........but due to CA's crappy gun laws, I have to wait until October 8th to even start the paper work, and then wait another ten days to recived the gun. SO basically three more weeks plus! Oh well, I can just shoot my 4" until then.

I plan to modify the grip to round butt and make a lanyard ring for it as well.
__________________
From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"
HighValleyRanch is offline  
Old October 19, 2018, 11:16 AM   #15
HighValleyRanch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2005
Posts: 4,066
It's alway great to complete a dream project. I picked up my snub nose Ruger Police Service Six yesterday and switched over the Bisley hammer and grips. so now I have my dream "Cowboy" double action, swing out cylinder revolver.

Instead of cutting the original barrel down, I found the snub nose and the fixed sighted six was the one I was searching for cleaner lines. The only thing I gave up was the darn warning label on the barrel. Oh well, you can't get everything.
I will just thing of it as my "engraved" ruger!LOL

Here's a photo of the new gun and you can see how close it came to my photoshop rendition of what I wanted the original Security Six to come out like (^^^the above photo in the last post is a photoshop rendition). Pretty darn close! The action on the new gun was pretty nice, so I didn't switch over any of the internal parts. Wanted to leave it stock for CCW.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg DSC05626.JPG (243.9 KB, 927 views)
__________________
From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"
HighValleyRanch is offline  
Old October 19, 2018, 04:46 PM   #16
reteach
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 31, 2016
Location: Texas
Posts: 378
Great find, HVR. You're going to enjoy that one. Are you going to shave the grip frame to make it a round butt?
reteach is offline  
Old October 19, 2018, 05:11 PM   #17
shafter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 23, 2009
Posts: 1,624
Very nice looking gun.
shafter is offline  
Old October 19, 2018, 05:22 PM   #18
HighValleyRanch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2005
Posts: 4,066
Thanks, I haven't decided whether to make it round butt or drill a lanyard hole like the security six so that the frame remains somewhat original.
Since the Ruger is marked Police Service Six, tending toward not rounding off as speed six.

The finish looked really drab in the case, but when I finally got it home, it was mostly due to gunk and a good cleaning with hoppes and some oil cleaned it up nicely. The blue is 90 percent there, and darker than my old Secuirty Six. Love the luster of those old blue Rugers.
__________________
From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"
HighValleyRanch is offline  
Old October 20, 2018, 05:13 AM   #19
tallball
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 17, 2014
Posts: 2,444
Nice revolver!
tallball is offline  
Old October 20, 2018, 07:12 AM   #20
jetinteriorguy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 28, 2013
Posts: 3,172
I would take that in a heart beat, and I don't much care for anything Ruger offers in a revolver. I can't stand the full lug look and the finish on any new Ruger stainless guns I've looked at is just horrible, and the prices are way out of line to me. Anyway, I'm sure you'll enjoy that one and I may just have to keep my eyes open for same.
jetinteriorguy is offline  
Old October 20, 2018, 08:15 AM   #21
smee78
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 14, 2008
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 2,918
I'm glad you were able to get another step closer to your finished project. I'm also glad you were able to wait and find a Speed Six, seems a lot closer to what you wanted your project to be. Hope it brings you many years happiness.
__________________
We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are
smee78 is offline  
Old November 2, 2018, 03:41 PM   #22
Gus90
Member
 
Join Date: June 14, 2014
Posts: 37
Can I ask what Bisley hammer you used and where you got it?
Gus90 is offline  
Old November 2, 2018, 05:26 PM   #23
HighValleyRanch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2005
Posts: 4,066
It was a company that made aftermarket bisley hammers for the rugers. Been a while, but maybe it was Power Customs. I emailed the owners and asked if they had any seconds as I only needed the spur, and they sold me one cheaper that their replacement ones. I cut off the bisley spur and then hand a friend who was a expert welder help me weld the spur onto the cutoff secuirty six hammer. I did an entire thread on the project here:
https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...=bisley+hammer
__________________
From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"
HighValleyRanch is offline  
Old November 5, 2018, 08:51 AM   #24
sarge83
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 17, 2000
Posts: 426
I picked up a 3 inch GP100 in stainless a few years back at the local pawn shop for 3 bills and its been a nice piece!
sarge83 is offline  
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.09581 seconds with 11 queries