New guy with a dumb question

Hello to all. I have been collecting SaW for the past three years an while I have a few Rugers , I have never learned about them. The other day I was at the Winston gun show with a friend of mine he pointed out a Ruger flat top 357. It had stag ruger emblem grips. It was a beautiful 3 screw gun with I'm guessing here probably a 4 or 5 inch barrel. The dealer was asking 1300.00 for it. I did not buy or make a offer as I do not know the price range for Rugers. Ok so my dumb question. Are black hawks and flat tops the same revolver? I would like to find one but I am familiar with SaW but totally. New to the older ruger product line. I would like to say however that I was very impressed with it. Thanks.

Stu

Remember that the only dumb questions are the ones never asked. There are 'flat top' and non-flat top Blackhawks. The flat top is one without the raised portion of the top (ears) protecting the adjustable sights. These two photos show the protected ears on the first one and a 'flat top' on the second. BTW they are the same revolver before and after I modified it. This is ONLY an example and is NOT a Blackhawk.

Welcome to the Forum!
As FM has alluded to,,, there are two basic variations of the Blackhawk revolver in the Old Model, 3 screw line. The first ones,,, a Blackhawk 357 introduced in 1955,,, had the top strap "flat" & flush with the rest of the frame. In 1963,,, the "protected ears" came into production, and the Flattops were discontinued.
Now,,, on the gun you saw,,, it's possible the stags were "factory" but it's also possible they were counterfeit. There is a lot of discussion on this subject,,, and even many of us who are old hands at it can be fooled. I'd study a lot before I'd purchase a set of stags & pay the "factory" premium.

Do a little studying in the archives here & you will find a lot of info,, as well as pictures. But I will say an original Flattop 357 with factory stags is a desirable gun. Key thing to do,,, is get the serial number. We can help a lot with that info.

Of course to complicate things, they ARE building flat tops again, Lipsey specials like my .44 special shown. However you can quickly tell the new from the older original by the Mattel cap pistol looking trigger on the newer flat tops.

yes, good info above, there are "flatops" and there are other, newer "flatops" then there is "original,' versus reblued, ,condition IS everything, as well as for the grips, there are 'stags" ( real and even fake) then there are original factory stags, and there in lies the rub, one must do their homework, KNOW what they are actually looking at pricing and trying to put a REAL value on...........you will not be the first one to possibly get "screwed" ,taken for a ride or pay the piper, NOR the first one to stumble on an original, and get a a DEAL ( steal)...yes, I had one guy come to me like that, guy brought over a 357 flatop looking to buy an "original " pair of wood ( walnut ) grips, to replace the "plastic" grips on the gun, as he wanted to take it to his table at the show and sell it....I was in the company of our 'late; friend Bob Campbell, rest his soul, and Bob sat back ,watching, as I looked for some grips, and one of us made the comment, "what are you going to sell or ask for it"??? he said $575, so I said why not I just give you that for it so you do NOT have to pay for another set of grips???? he said " awesome, done deal" and walked away a happy camper, two other dealers happened to be walking by, and asked Bob and I, if those were ivory grips on that 357 mag., #17,xxx serial number 'flatop', said we had to remove them ,look them over, and really decide...needless to say Bob gave me the whole $575 for JUST the gun,, as he had a pair hard rubber grips for it at home and smiled, he still got a "deal", as I kept and gave my wife, a pair of mint factory ivory grips........"free" 8) :wink:

so if you snooze, you may lose, BUT if you do NOT know for certain, do not second guess yourself, if it is ( was) meant to be, it would have happened......... :roll:

Thanks for the help in clearing up the flat top. I was very impressed with the revolver. I will start reading up and watching closer. It looks like I have quite a bit to learn.

When talking about OMs there are other considerations that greatly affect the value. Condition of course is a big one.

But also which variation OM it is. As production proceeded, changes were made. These changes date the gun and the early variations always fetch more. Some of the main variations for the OM flat top is the wavy front sight base, ejector rod knob, grips, etc., and a reference book is not only critical but a wise investment.

Dan,,, you just HAD to tell that story again! As much as I enjoy talking about Bob,,, I'm always green with envy about those ivories.

Yessir, we MISS Bob C., more than one can imagine he was great people and kind of a 'good luck' Charm, he was with me when I got that 6 1/2 inch Super with an "S" and I handed him an "S" flatop at a show one time and said "you should have this" and it was $450-500, and the last time we sat together I got another pair of factory ivory grips for $500, told him to take them, as Laura already had two pairs , way more than anyone REALLY "needs" :roll:
I used to call Bob on the way home from EVERY gun show, check in, give him a report.......

YES, to the books ,cannot have enough pof them and you will still have to KNOW, :LEARN and SEE more to make an educated evaluation of any given gun you may be looking at, I know, I've seen the BEST get fooled, and way too often 8) :wink:

and yes 'sbowenjr', we do know other stuff other than Rugers, I helped Jim and Rich write the Vol. 3 of the" S&W Standard Catalog" :wink: