New Lipsey's Exclusive Flattop Models

I expect to see a bunch of 50th year .357's going into retirement, now that a regular shooter can be had, and in SS even. My wife had to dispatch a snake yesterday with her S&W .22 Magnum M351. I suggested that she might need a SS 4.62" Flat top .357 with CCI shot ammo for a more effective snake gun and she agreed that it would go well with her 92 Winchester SRC in .357. Bob!! :mrgreen:

I've got a hankering for one of the stainless jobs, but I'm not at all well versed in Ruger SAs. Perhaps the posse here can bring to light the following questions:

1. How do these differ from the Williams specials listed here?
http://ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkDE/models.html
Are those also on the medium frame or is that the large frame?

2. How do the size and weight of the Lipsey's models compare to a Single-Six? How about relative to a large-frame Blackhawk?

3. I checked out the holster selection at shopruger.com and nothing is even mentioned about a medium frame (and I am aware that the new vaqueros are also on the medium frame). Which holster size would fit correctly or would I need a custom deal?

Thanks y'all!

Question 1) The Williams special is on the large frame. Easy to spot because of the hump around the rear sight. NM flattops don't have that hump.

Question 2) Size of course is just a little smaller. see here at Gunblast talking about the .44 Special. Also Gunblast on the New Vaquero has some cylinder/frame comparisions which exactly the same for the flattop BHs. The Single-Six is 'way' smaller and shouldn't even be compared.

Question 3) I holster mine in the same holster as I use for my large frames. Just a tiny bit looser in the holster.


My .357 and .327 both came in this afternoon. Pick up tomorrow! Just in time for the weekend.

To add to Rclark's very correct information, on holsters I use Galco's SAO model for a field holster. It's made in all barrel lengths, but I have a 5.5" for the shorter guns and a 7.5" for the longer guns. Presently, as far as I could tell, Both Bianchi and Galco only make their #1 and the SAO, respectively, for the 6.5" Single Six/Seven. I was lucky enough to find a new Bianchi #1 in my collection of stuff that fit my 5.5" Single Seven perfectly. One, is of course, welcome to peruse the catalogs and web sites to investigate. I should be getting my 5.5" Blued 357 today. I've got a bunch of 9mm ammo that was given to me that needs to be empty brass for my next 1000 round run of ammo. Bob!! :mrgreen:

Whenever somebody gets theirs & has the time, I would very much like to know the chamber length of the 357 cyl.

Thanks in advance. gunzo

Got my .357 at lunch today.

The .327 though is on way back. The front sight was loose. Thought maybe the screw was loose but it was tight. Didn't accept it.

That said, the blued .357 appears to work correctly, bore looks good (I'll clean and put a light in there tonight), both cylinders fit, ammo drops into the the cylinders ok. Gate latch works smooth. The trigger actually isn't bad for a factory untuned revolver. The grip panels fit surprised me as it fits very well. The grip frame fit to cylinder frame is good. Both cylinders fit. I'll do the gap measurement when I get back from work tonight. The base pin came right out, and put back no problem. Anyway, time for work, but so far it looks like all is as it should be. Can't wait to shoot it!

{edited} Barrel gap is .007 ... A bit much I'd say, but we'll see how it does. All clean and ready to go.

I would very much like to know the chamber length of the 357 cyl.

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In the New Vaquero article referenced above you have measurements of the cylinder (same as the New Vaquero). Assume that is what you want to know as the 6 chambers are standard length and will fit a .357 or .38 Special cartridge.

Now I need to decide if I want blue or SS and what barrel length.

I got my 5.5" blue 357 in this afternoon. I managed to fire about 50 rounds of 9mm before the loading gate spring managed to dislocate itself and tie up the gun. I managed to get the cylinder out but I'm unable to replace it. I'll have to get my Ruger armorer to look at it tomorrow. It does shoot very well, at least, with 9mm ball ammo. BTW, since others asked, the 357 cylinder measures 1.59" long with a diameter of 1.675". Not exactly pleased at this time. Bob!!

rangerbob said:

I got my 5.5" blue 357 in this afternoon. I managed to fire about 50 rounds of 9mm before the loading gate spring managed to dislocate itself and tie up the gun. I managed to get the cylinder out but I'm unable to replace it. I'll have to get my Ruger armorer to look at it tomorrow. It does shoot very well, at least, with 9mm ball ammo. BTW, since others asked, the 357 cylinder measures 1.59" long with a diameter of 1.675". Not exactly pleased at this time. Bob!!

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I wouldn't pay a smith for this. I'd send it back to Ruger.

I got my Flat Top fixed. My smith and LE buddy for nearly forty years had it up and running in less than a minute. He reports that the problem with the spring is not unheard of and is a quick fix if one knows how. Brought it home and fired a few 38's through it. It shoots well, indeed. BTW, the fix was a freebe, no disassembly required( we got each others back). If the rain ever quits, more shooting is planned. Off to resize and prime a few hundred 38 Special brass. Bob!! :mrgreen:

Glad you got to shoot yours, and you got the problem fixed.... I, on the other hand,went out to the range this morning, but the rifle people had the range closed for some high power long range shooting ..... And tomorrow it's closed because of hunter safety course all day . Next week end they have a shooting match. Well, maybe the boss man will let me sneak out on a week day ...

rangerbob said:

I got my Flat Top fixed. My smith and LE buddy for nearly forty years had it up and running in less than a minute. He reports that the problem with the spring is not unheard of and is a quick fix if one knows how. Brought it home and fired a few 38's through it. It shoots well, indeed. BTW, the fix was a freebe, no disassembly required( we got each others back). If the rain ever quits, more shooting is planned. Off to resize and prime a few hundred 38 Special brass. Bob!! :mrgreen:

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Awesome :!: Sometimes they pop out cus they weren't snapped in quite right to start with. Happens to me every once in a while during reassembly. Glad it didn't have to go back.

Rclark, et al, I appreciate the comments. I'm lucky that I have 115 acres and 2 ranges(when they are not waterlogged). I finished the weekend by loading 700 rounds of 38 Special +p 158 cast SWC ammo. BTW, my buddy is a full time training officer with our local SO and is a certified armorer for everything and builds rifles as well. He works Saturdays at one of our LGS repairing guns. Bob!! 8)

You are lucky! I 'will' get out and shoot the .357/9mm ... I will! .

My .327 Single Seven did show up today. This time all is well. Laid my money down and out the door... Good to go! Other than 'gritty' feel of action which I can clean up.... Measured 0.313 throats according to plug gauges, and 0.007 gap.

Rclark, I got my 5.5" Single Seven in October and I've yet to shoot it. And it's not due to lack of ammo, 500 rounds of new Starline brass and 100 gr. XTPs and 4 boxes of American Eagle factory JHP. Like you, busy at everything else. Loading a 1000 round run of 357 Sig with 125 HAP. Bob!! :mrgreen:

Got to shoot both guns over lunch today. Late getting back to work!

First the .357:

I shot just 6 shots of 115g 9mm through it, just to make sure it went bang. The off-hand shots went way low but grouped ok (they better for measly ~12 yards!). Almost off the 8x11 paper shooting for middle (5" low?)... So 9mm cylinder works ... done with that, put it away. So popped in the .357 cylinder and test. Same thing with 158s! Had to crank the rear sight quite high before it was hitting where it should. Another words the front sight is way to high. I see some filing coming on the front sight as I want to get the rear sight back in the slot, but not bottomed out. Other than that it shot very well. At around 12 yards off-hand, 4 make one hole, 5th opening the group to 7/8", and I pulled one way right (2" from group). Just needs tuned up properly now to remove the creep, smooth up the action, and get down to around 2# pull. I like it, just needs some work ... as Rugers usually do!

Now the .327. Out of the 50 rounds of .32 H&R Mag, ~10 primers were 'punctured'. So will look at the firing pin tonight. Note that with my Baby Vaquero this did not happen. Plus the loads are 'normal' pressure loads! Also, it sometimes 'hung' while trying to cock. No not hanging up on the transfer bar from what I can tell. So be looking into that as well. Shot ok though! Sights are right where I think they should be. So all good but for these two minor issues.

With both guns, I was still able to reach out and touch the 77 yard targets once sighted in... So I think accuracy isn't going to be a problem.

Anyway, that is my short review. Both guns are really going to be fun, once the quirks are ironed out!!!!

Just got my Flattop with the 5 1/2 inch barrel. It shoots way low also.

It shoots way low also.

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Sounds like a trend! ...

Just filed down the front sight. Took about a 1/16" off of it. See how that goes. I want the gun to shoot to POA (with my pet 158g SWC load at around 1000fps) with the rear sight almost level with the flat top with a little lea-way to go down some more with a different load (if necessary). From how high I had to raise the rear sight, I probably will have to do some more filing, but at this stage ... better to little than to much!!! Have to wait for the weekend to try it out again and bring the file and protective tape with me.

I just got my Lipsey's 357/9mm in SS home. Beautiful gun, will shoot it this weekend. At little disappointed though in that the 357 cylinder has and area that didn't get finished/polished properly and looks scuffed from light machine marks. I guess I will call Ruger and hope I can just send the cylinder for polishing and not the whole gun.

I noticed when I shot 9mm's and 38's, I had to raise my rear sight quite a bit as well. I suspect the sights are regulated for 158 gr. full house 357's. It's hard to make sights work with 3 different calibers with almost infinite loadings. It's finally stopped raining here in Louisiana. In between mowing this weekend, I'm going to try some 357's in my 5.5". Bob!! :mrgreen: