Senior Citizen Ruger

44caliberkid · May 12, 2022, 03:55 PM

Just got this 3 screw Ruger flat top, 44 Magnum, made in 1957, the year I was born. It’s in great condition, no turn line. The loading gate has turned a lovely dark plum color and the grips have faded a little and warped, so I ordered a set of reproduction stocks to use while shooting. I’ve always liked the round trigger guard and fluted cylinder over the Super Blackhawk style. The coffee clatch at the LGS I had it shipped to were ooing and awing over it when I went in to pick it up. I’ve been buying a lot of “I always wanted” guns because now I can afford them. Sort of like classic cars.

TailGator · May 12, 2022, 04:00 PM

I'll second the oohs and aahs. Congrats.

hub1home · May 12, 2022, 04:06 PM

Very nice!

TJB101 · May 12, 2022, 04:23 PM

That’s a beauty

Pahoo · May 12, 2022, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Senior Citizen

I prefer to use words like "Vintage" or "Classic" and you can probably guess why !!
Single action, flat top !!! how much better can it get. Lucky you and great find !!!

Be Safe !!!

Bob Wright · May 12, 2022, 09:36 PM

There were no Rugers made the year I was born!

Bob Wright

dahermit · May 12, 2022, 11:17 PM

I had one of those .44 Magnum Flat Tops. Mine had a one inch shorter barrel than yours and had wooden grips. Sadly, it was lost to a house fire... melted the aluminum alloy frame.

Polinese · May 13, 2022, 08:20 AM

That is gorgeous, I'd never guess it was made when it was.

arquebus357 · May 13, 2022, 11:22 AM

dahermit said "I had one of those .44 Magnum Flat Tops. Mine had a one inch shorter barrel than yours and had wooden grips. Sadly, it was lost to a house fire... melted the aluminum alloy frame."

Can't tell if that's a true story or another version of the "my boat sunk" story. If true, I'm sorry for your loss.

Anyway...lovely piece. Ruger should have stayed with the 3 screws instead of going with the pins.

No Rugers on my birth date either.

44caliberkid · May 13, 2022, 04:39 PM

Fired first shots today, using vintage ammo, when the factories loaded to 1400 fps. 240 grain, copper washed, SWC. Distance is 25 yards. I had forgotten how wicked the recoil is with the stock grip.

Prof Young · May 13, 2022, 07:23 PM

Sweet! Enjoy it, enjoy it, enjoy it!

Hawg · May 14, 2022, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dahermit

I had one of those .44 Magnum Flat Tops. Mine had a one inch shorter barrel than yours and had wooden grips. Sadly, it was lost to a house fire... melted the aluminum alloy frame.

You mean it melted the grip frame?

dahermit · May 14, 2022, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arquebus357

dahermit said "I had one of those .44 Magnum Flat Tops. Mine had a one inch shorter barrel than yours and had wooden grips. Sadly, it was lost to a house fire... melted the aluminum alloy frame."

Can't tell if that's a true story or another version of the "my boat sunk" story. If true, I'm sorry for your loss.

Anyway...lovely piece. Ruger should have stayed with the 3 screws instead of going with the pins.

No Rugers on my birth date either.

I am not in the habit of making things up. Are you?

As I remember, I had a problem with that flat top. The ejection rod housing was held on with a screw at the front. Instead of the hole for that screw being threaded, they had pressed a threaded bushing into the hole in which to screw that screw into. That bushing ended up coming loose during recoil. My local gunsmith (Rex Pedersen's dad) tried soft soldering it back in, but soft solder was not strong enough and it popped out again. He ended up silver soldering it back into place which, due to the heat burned the blue off in that area of the barrel. Nevertheless, the bushing never came loose again.

Note: Rex Pedersen was a gun engraver of some note years ago.

Convinced of my veracity now?

rodfac · May 14, 2022, 10:33 AM

Beautiful...simply beautiful. Rod

jackmoser65 · May 14, 2022, 12:56 PM

I don't doubt the veracity of the story but they didn't make them shorter than that. There was a few 7.5's and 10 inch guns but not 5.5's.

**4V50 Gary** · May 14, 2022, 01:02 PM

I've never seen a photo of one and it's pristine. Never heard it called a senior citizen either and that's LOL. Those flutes sure make the gun look better than the newer ones too.

dahermit · May 14, 2022, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawg

You mean it melted the grip frame?

Yes. I had no idea that the grip frame was not steel... until looking at it after the fire.

dahermit · May 14, 2022, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackmoser65

I don't doubt the veracity of the story but they didn't make them shorter than that. There was a few 7.5's and 10 inch guns but not 5.5's.

Looking again at the O.P.'s picture, I think you are right. The barrel length of mine likely was the same as his... it has been a long, long time ago.

GeauxTide · May 14, 2022, 01:44 PM

Quote:

There were no Rugers made the year I was born!

Datz rite, Bob Wright. No Rugers made in my birth year of 1948.

44caliberkid · May 14, 2022, 09:02 PM

I titled the post “Senior Citizen “ because we both turned 65 this year.

jackmoser65 · May 16, 2022, 02:14 PM

Forgot to say, it is a really, really nice flat top.

rclark · May 18, 2022, 02:51 PM

Nice! Enjoy it.

May 12, 2022, 09:36 PM	#6
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 3,005	There were no Rugers made the year I was born! Bob Wright __________________ Time spent at the reloading bench is an investment in contentment.

May 13, 2022, 07:23 PM	#11
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,514	Sweet! Sweet! Enjoy it, enjoy it, enjoy it!

May 14, 2022, 10:33 AM	#14
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,657	Beautiful...simply beautiful. Rod __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.

May 14, 2022, 01:02 PM	#16
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,301	I've never seen a photo of one and it's pristine. Never heard it called a senior citizen either and that's LOL. Those flutes sure make the gun look better than the newer ones too. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

May 18, 2022, 02:51 PM	#22
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 2,650	Nice! Enjoy it. __________________ A clinger and deplorable, MAGA, and life NRA member. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes colloquially referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. That said, the .44Spec is right up their too... but the .45 Colt is still the king.

May 12, 2022, 04:00 PM	#2
TailGator Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,809	I'll second the oohs and aahs. Congrats.

May 12, 2022, 04:06 PM	#3
hub1home Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2014 Posts: 182	Very nice!

May 12, 2022, 04:23 PM	#4
TJB101 Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2017 Posts: 498	That’s a beauty

May 12, 2022, 11:17 PM	#7
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	I had one of those .44 Magnum Flat Tops. Mine had a one inch shorter barrel than yours and had wooden grips. Sadly, it was lost to a house fire... melted the aluminum alloy frame.

May 13, 2022, 08:20 AM	#8
Polinese Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2010 Posts: 972	That is gorgeous, I'd never guess it was made when it was.

May 13, 2022, 11:22 AM	#9
arquebus357 Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2016 Location: Atlanta, Georgia area Posts: 455	dahermit said "I had one of those .44 Magnum Flat Tops. Mine had a one inch shorter barrel than yours and had wooden grips. Sadly, it was lost to a house fire... melted the aluminum alloy frame." Can't tell if that's a true story or another version of the "my boat sunk" story. If true, I'm sorry for your loss. Anyway...lovely piece. Ruger should have stayed with the 3 screws instead of going with the pins. No Rugers on my birth date either.

May 14, 2022, 12:56 PM	#15
jackmoser65 Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Posts: 754	I don't doubt the veracity of the story but they didn't make them shorter than that. There was a few 7.5's and 10 inch guns but not 5.5's.

May 14, 2022, 09:02 PM	#20
44caliberkid Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,276	I titled the post “Senior Citizen “ because we both turned 65 this year.

May 16, 2022, 02:14 PM	#21
jackmoser65 Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Posts: 754	Forgot to say, it is a really, really nice flat top.