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Sturm, Ruger & Co, Southport, Conn, USA Sturm, Ruger + Co took out it’s first patent (US 2655839) in 1953, the application being filed in 1946. The Ruger Standard was placed on the market in 1949 and became an immediate success. The Single Six, their first revolver was introduced in 1953 and so they got into the revolver business. Next Sturm, Ruger + Co were making single action “western” revolvers for the “quick draw” craze of the time. Ruger then moved on to the police market with the Police six. The Ruger Speed Six was first introduced in 1973 and is available in blued steel or stainless steel versions. It is available in 2.75” or 4” barrel versions, and in calibers .357 Magnum, .38 Special, 9mm.Parabellum. The primary difference between the Speed six and the Ruger Police six is the fact that this is a round butt revolver for ease of conceal-ability and greater carrying comfort. Designed primarily for law enforcement use, the 9mm.Parabellum cartridge was added to the line for overseas sales and is only now becoming widely sold in the United States. This revolver was manufactured in 1985. During the American bicentennial in 1976, every Ruger produced that year carried the stamp “1776-1976.” Firearms with these markings are slowly becoming quite collectable. Another item for collectors to look for is pre-warning stamp Rugers. In 1978 Ruger made a corporate decision to stamp every gun with a warning for the purchaser to obtain the instruction manual for that particular model and read it. The Ruger Speed six is a double action, solid frame revolver with a six-shot cylinder that swings out to the left. Ejection is manual and simultaneous via an ejector rod, which also serves as the center pin and locks at both fore and aft positions for positive chamber alignment. The rebound system used is different from all it competitors. A hammer transfer bar safety device is incorporated in this revolver. The hammer normally rests on the solid steel above the firing pin, with that portion of the hammer that ordinarily contact the firing pin being cut out. Only then the trigger is pulled fully to the rear, will a transfer bar rise to the level of the firing pin, in order to transmit the energy from the falling hammer through the transfer bar into the firing pin allowing discharge. Unless this occurs, only insufficient energy can be transmitted to the firing pin and therefore even when dropped, the revolver can not discharge. The modern mechanism differs from S+W and Colt and uses coil springs like all modern revolvers. (Ref. ‘Price guide for collector handguns’ by R H Balderson, ‘Pistols of the world’ by Hogg and Weeks p238)

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