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speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:53 am
by Stonebuster
I saw a SS-32 P with the hole for the lanyard in the bottom of grip frame. The serial number is on the side of the grip frame at the bottom. It's been lettered as such by Ruger. Anyone know what contract it may have been made for?According to the letter it didn't ship to Davidson in Greensboro, NC for several years after manufacture date

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:29 am
by RoninPA
If it didn't ship to Davidsons for several years after it was made, it probably was an overrun gun from the French contract. Ruger periodically did/does warehouse "clean ups" and sends guns like this to different distributors. Davidsons seemed to get a lot of these. Knowing the serial number would be a help to better identify.

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:17 am
by Stonebuster
Thanks Ron. SN 159-09520 March '83 shipped Feb '89.

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:25 am
by Mohavesam
Huh. That's earlier than I would have thought for a 159- gun. ?
Davidson's and Ruger have always been tied at the hip. More so in Prescott, given their facilities are only a mile apart. I've actually had to go into Davidson's to find grips and other parts (they didn't buy just completed guns).

The SpeedSix was made and sold for a few years after the SecuritySix and other models were discontinued. Still, the late-production, final design Six series guns remain my favorites due to engineering advances the early models did not have.

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 7:28 am
by rkrcpa
I just acquired a similar Speed Six with the lanyard hole. Is there more information available regarding this variation? Was this standard on the later models or a special run item?

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2021 3:32 pm
by RoninPA
Lanyard holes in the grip were NOT standard issue. Pretty much the only ones that were made that way were contract guns, typically it would be specified in the contract with the buyer.

Info for the different overseas contracts is very hard to come by. The Ruger letters may say where they went but not much more than that. If you were to find a good "insider" at Ruger who might have access to older records and was amenable to doing some searches you might be able to find out more. However, I just don't think that will happen in these "trying" times. Even now, the folks (who do one great job on doing research for us who request it) staffing the "Letters" section aren't able to freely move around inside Ruger. It will get better but it will take a while.

159- serial numbers got started in 1982 so it probably was, as said, a clean-up gun since the shipping date appears to be after Ruger ceased production of the Six series guns.

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:46 am
by chet15
On both of these guns with the lanyard hole in the bottom of the grip frame, is there a large space between the prefix and five digits of the serial number to accommodate the threaded hole between them? Or does the threaded hole go right into the serial number?

Oops, nevermind… I see now that the serial number is on the side of the grip frame bottom on at least one of them.
Chet15

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:50 am
by chet15
Stonebuster wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:53 am I saw a SS-32 P with the hole for the lanyard in the bottom of grip frame. The serial number is on the side of the grip frame at the bottom. It's been lettered as such by Ruger. Anyone know what contract it may have been made for?According to the letter it didn't ship to Davidson in Greensboro, NC for several years after manufacture date
Looks like these were French contract....
From the "Reference of Ruger Firearms Volume 2"

SS-32P Manurhin (French contract) with unusually shaped grip frame. Known s/n 159-38735. This revolver is cut for a lanyard loop, has the Ruger address on the left side of the cylinder frame and the serial number on the right side of the cylinder frame. 1 known. Extremely rare. Note that one other revolver, model SS-32 with standard grips is known (s/n 159-37278) that has a different style of lanyard loop mortised into the bottom rear of the grip frame with the loop itself not being present. This may also be an overrun of a Manurhin contract, but this particular revolver was shipped with approximately 300 just like it for a law enforcement contract in the U.S.

Chet15

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 1:24 pm
by rkrcpa
chet15 wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:50 am
Stonebuster wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:53 am I saw a SS-32 P with the hole for the lanyard in the bottom of grip frame. The serial number is on the side of the grip frame at the bottom. It's been lettered as such by Ruger. Anyone know what contract it may have been made for?According to the letter it didn't ship to Davidson in Greensboro, NC for several years after manufacture date
Looks like these were French contract....
From the "Reference of Ruger Firearms Volume 2"

SS-32P Manurhin (French contract) with unusually shaped grip frame. Known s/n 159-38735. This revolver is cut for a lanyard loop, has the Ruger address on the left side of the cylinder frame and the serial number on the right side of the cylinder frame. 1 known. Extremely rare. Note that one other revolver, model SS-32 with standard grips is known (s/n 159-37278) that has a different style of lanyard loop mortised into the bottom rear of the grip frame with the loop itself not being present. This may also be an overrun of a Manurhin contract, but this particular revolver was shipped with approximately 300 just like it for a law enforcement contract in the U.S.

Chet15
The Speed Six I just acquired has the mortise in the bottom of the grip frame. When I get a chance I'll try to get some decent pictures.

Re: speed six 2.75" SS-32P

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 10:14 am
by rkrcpa
My new to me Speed Six

As acquired:

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And with wood grips that show the lanyard mortise

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Were the rubber grips standard on the later Speed Sixes or were these accessories?

The front sight is flat on top, I thought they were all ramped.

The lanyard mortise was a complete surprise, had never even heard of them having that.