value of 3 screw 4 number blackhawk

My friend just traded for this older 44 mag blackhawk, 3 screw, 4 number serial number. Hoping to get some help on the value. Has Micro rear sight and a red ramp front sight. Locks up tight and shoots great. The trigger pull feels like less that a pound. The grip frame is shiney, aluminum, stainless steel or nickel plated. Not sure. Rest of the gun is blue. The barrel is 6 1/2 inches long. Does not have the transfer bar.

Nice. Not one a Collector would drool upon........
JMHO

Flatgate,do you know what the grip frame is made of? Thanks

The front sight has been changed, the grip frame looks original but polished. The base pin appears to be a type 2A, it does fall in that serial number range, I think. The wood looks good too. It probably shipped late 57 or early 58. Nice ole 44 indeed.

Sharpblade7777,

It should be a XR3 grip frame which is made of aluminum. Black anodizing has been removed. Take of the grips and look for XR3 cast into frame. May also have Alcoa.

Let us know.

The red plastic inserted into front sight cut detracts the most value as a good condition XR3 grip frame can easily be a replacement. Grips are excellent!

SATCOM

SATCOM said:

Sharpblade7777,

It should be a XR3 grip frame which is made of aluminum. Black anodizing has been removed. Take of the grips and look for XR3 cast into frame. May also have Alcoa.

Let us know.

The red plastic inserted into front sight cut detracts the most value as a good condition XR3 grip frame can easily be a replacement. Grips are excellent!

SATCOM

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Satcom, my friend was here for only about an hour and a half so I don,t actually have the gun with me now to check under the grips. I thought the grip frame looked like polished aluminum but wasn't aware they came that way that long ago. The most amazing thing about it was that light trigger pull. It had been worked on to the point I thought it was unsafe. He said he may take it to a gunsmith and have him try to make it a little heavier. It was hard to shoot it and not have it go off before you were ready. Thanks for the info.

obviously, with the trigger job as well as the red ramp 'insert',t has become a "shooter" any and all the parts are out there to put it back to original,bit more work as to replacing the front blade or welding it up , and recutting it......not that hard for a GOOD gunsmith
still a fine looking old 44 flatop.....we like it

A trigger pull that light strongly suggests someone has "worked" on the internals. I would, indeed, have it checked out by a good 'smith before using it much. Have your friend check to see if the hammer will fall from half cock if pushed on at the rear or if the trigger is pulled. Telltale signs of someone having gotten too frisky with the stones on the internals. Usually not too hard to fix; at worst, a new hammer and trigger.

Someone polished out the gripframe, a common modification. Doesn't hurt a thing except for collector value. As others stated, replacing the grip frame with a black anodized unit and replacing the rear sight would put it in original condition, if that matters to your friend. If he just wants a good shooter, just get those internals checked out and he's good to go. Love me some OM flattop .44s! My favorite Rugers.

Does anyone have an idea what the resale value would be? Thanks

Well, as the above folks have pointed out, it's likely a Type 2A Flattop 44. The polished grip frame as well as the red ramp insert detract for the value. The grip frame could be replaced, but the red insert hurts the value a lot.
And if the internals are indeed overworked, then a set of replacement parts can cost.

So, a good condition 44 Flattop like that, unmolested would bring $1000-$1100. That one, in the described condition would be no more than $500.

contender said:

Well, as the above folks have pointed out, it's likely a Type 2A Flattop 44. The polished grip frame as well as the red ramp insert detract for the value. The grip frame could be replaced, but the red insert hurts the value a lot.
And if the internals are indeed overworked, then a set of replacement parts can cost.

So, a good condition 44 Flattop like that, unmolested would bring $1000-$1100. That one, in the described condition would be no more than $500.

Click to expand...

Thank you so much for that info. Just what I wanted to know.