S&W 65-3, Ruger Security Six, or Ruger Speed Six for carry?

Does the exposed ejector on the M65-3 pose a problem? Are they in danger of getting banged up or is this rare and not cause for concern?
 
I haven't heard of a failure due to the exposed ejector, but suppose it's possible.

Most of the ejector related problems I've heard of have to do with fouling of the star, which is completely unaffected by presence or lack of shroud. I've also heard of issues with the ejector which were actually caused by alignment problems with the cylinder crane, usually due to improper screw settings.

In other words, I don't worry about the exposed ejectors on my 3" 13 or my wife's 3" 65.
 
I REALLY wish that S&W 65-3 was capable of a steady diet of .357. I like having a gun that is more powerful than what I need because I don't believe in spending what money I have on something with limited capabilities, even if I'm not going to use it to its fullest extent that much
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As in all things in life, its a tradeoff. I love the 3" 65. Carry one quite a bit and, shoot it pretty often. I generally practice with .38 Special or, with the Bitteroot Valley .357 Magnum 158 GR SWC. Its doing about 1000 FPS. A good solid load that doesn't beat my hands up.

Think of a K frame as a nice sports sedan. Its generally quite agreeable, easy to handle, nimble and fun to own. Usually, you drive it fairly normal, but, its capable of 130 MPH and, its fun to stomp the gas every once in a while. But, if you drove it, all day everyday maxed out and regularly doing 130 on the freeway, chances are, its not going to hold up as well, or as long, until major repairs are needed.

The 3 inch 65 is a great gun, for what it is. You can buy a nice old Highway Patrolman and shoot full house Magnums until you run out of money, but, it sure ain't as easy to to tote around all day.

They are all great guns. This is the definition of a "First world problem."
 
"First world problem" had me rolling at my desk. Very true, SGT. Very true.

Your analogy of the sports sedan is very insightful. Thank you. Trade off indeed. I really like the durability of those Ruger Sixes but they're all 4 inchers. The M65-3 is a 3" and that really sells it for me.

MLeake, thank you for the details on the exposed ejector. That puts my mind at ease.

::Sigh:: You guys know what's probably going to happen, right? :\ I 'm probably going to get the M65-3 first and then save up for the Ruger Security Six if it's still availabe. Actually, it's more of just a question of which comes first.

Although, question: anyone know of a website where I can get a replacement hammer for the Security Six? The fact that it's slightly bobbed bugs me. I know parts are hard to come by but I'm hoping they're out there, maybe as new-old stock.
 
If you can't find one on gunbroker, you might be out of luck. I seem to recall that Ruger was one of those companies that will not sell parts to their weapons, and they require you to send it to them for any gunsmithing. I am not sure if they still have hammers on hand for a Six gun.

And I think the sports car analogy is a bit off. Some guys have experienced a cracked forcing cone with relatively few rounds, while others have gotten thousands of rounds with no problems. So it's hit or miss.

If you go for a 65 (and they are a great gun), stick to 158 grain .357 and limit the use to maybe 10% of your shooting. Keep the fps to around 1100 and keep that forcing cone clean. I'm sure the gun will be fine.
 
T'were it my decision, out of the three choices, I'd buy the 3" K Frame for concealed carry. 99% of the time I would feed it +P 158 FBI loads and go about my business.
As long as you don't make a habit of pistol whipping assailants the ejector rod should be fine. A 28 would probably be a better choice for buffaloing ner-do-wells... ;)

I personally would hesitate and think long and hard before buying a Ruger (or anything else for that matter) that has already been modified for competition without knowing what else had been done to it, and who had done the work... but would have no problem with any other lightly used 4" Six for open carry, a 2-3/4" for concealed.

But you know what they say about opinions... :D

Go snag that K Frame before someone else walks away with it.
 
Thanks, Azaz, for the link. And thank you, Homerboy, for the input.

Baba Louie, you bring up a good point about the competition work. I hadn't thought of that. What all is usually done in gunsmithing for competition work, aside from a trigger job?
 
What all is usually done in gunsmithing for competition work, aside from a trigger job?
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Standard tuning usually includes action job, chamfering of the cylinder charge holes, and installation of a fiber optic front sight. Conversion to DAO is common, but I wouldn't consider it "standard" (though it is on my match guns).

In all, tuning for competition doesn't generally involve anything radical, so just because it might be so tuned doesn't mean it's frail, temperamental or worn out. Or even close. Probably quite the opposite, in fact, and it's likely to be a pleasure to shoot. Any gun should be checked out closely to be sure it's in spec, though. The most common issue with true comp revos is usually a light trigger pull leading to reliability issues with factory ammo, but that's easy enough to fix.

Another issue with any modified Ruger was eluded to earlier: Some parts (e.g., the hammer, firing pin, etc) aren't sold by Ruger, so if one of these pieces of unobtainium breaks, the gun has to go back to Ruger. And they'll put it back to factory condition if it's been modified, which would be a bummer for someone who went to the trouble of tuning theirs for competition.
 
Gotcha. Thank you. I haven't had a chance to hold the comp Security Six in my hand yet so I don't know what it feels like in operation. That definitely helps me gauge what to anticipate.

So how much would be a reasonable price for a good condition Ruger stainless Security Six w/a 4" barrel and a trigger job? $400? $350? More than $400?
 
Homerboy, would it be the same for a stainless Security Six in good condition with a trigger job or would that command a higher price tag?
 
+1 on the 65 3", tho all are stout reliable revolvers.

My Model 65 3" caught my attention on a gun show table, I rushed home and culled two handguns and traded for the 65. I don't remember what I traded and don't care. It has a finish and trigger pull smoothed by use. I bobbed the hammer and put some Hogue rubber grips on it.
 
F6Boomer, this one has factory slim wood grips (not the target grips), which I assume makes it better for carry but I'm wondering if you or anyone else has any experience with them and how they feel in your hand, especially if you have average to smallish hands (I'm 5'7" 165lbs).
 
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If I am carrying a wheelgun I usually carry 145gr Silvertips in my L frame 586 no dash. but it is not a ccw.

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Very nice, armsmaster! A truly magnificent behemoth.

So what price should I offer for a good condition stainless Ruger Security Six with a 4" barrel and trigger job? I assume under $400 but just wanted to ask what you guys thought so as not to accidentally lowball the seller. It's down to that or the M65-3.
 
I would not spend more than $400 cash for a 4" Security Six, and even that is a tad high in my opinion, but it would have to be very nice. I don't think the trigger job adds much to the value. I bought a perfect Service Six in 4" (no box, though) for $345 on gunbroker. With shipping and FFL it came to about $400. A 2.5" Six would bring about $50 to $75 more than a 4".

One thing I really like about the Rugers is how you can completely disassemble them with only a dime if you don't have a screwdriver. if you do buy the 4" Ruger, you can change the factory skinny grips to factory wood targets. CDNN has factory wood Ruger grips for $10.

As for rubber on the 65, I had the Pachmayr boot grips and it felt great. For conceal carry, the wood is better because it doesn't grip to clothes

If you're going to conceal carry, the Ruger shouldn't even be an option. That 1" does make a difference, not to mention the square butt on the 4". The 65 is the way to go as long as you understand that you're not going to be shooting alot of .357, and even then, make it 158 grain. And clean that forcing cone well. For open carry, home defense, or range use, I'd go for the 4" Ruger.
 
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