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An answer to Colt's Detective Special and Smith & Wesson's Chiefs Special, the Ruger Speed-Six revolver was intended for use by plainclothes detectives and others desiring a more concealable handgun. The revolver, a variant of the Ruger Security-Six and Service-Six, incorporates fixed sights and a round-butt frame, and was available in .357 Mag., .38 Spl., .38 S&W (.380-200), and 9 mm Luger. The standard barrel lengths available were the same as those for the Service-Six, but also included a 3" length in certain law-enforcement contract orders, until the agencies using the revolver ultimately adopted .40 cal. semi-automatic pistols. For more on the the Ruger Speed-Six revolver, watch this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
Bitten by the cowboy handgun bug early on—and influenced by no less an innovator than Elmer Keith—the author finds that, in the search for the ultimate single-action revolver, perfection is an elusive target.
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, Auto-Ordnance teamed up with Altered Arsenal to create a specially crafted version of the M1 carbine.