How bad are Scope Mount Holes on Early Flat top 44?...

Well hello i am new here but not new to Firearms...my first new gun when i was a kid was a New Model stainless 357 with the 4 5/8" barrel....well i have not had a Ruger in a lot of years and Dad was just able to find himself a 1956 Ruger Flat top 44 mag and i just ran across this one today...according to the serial number...i think it is a 1959 and barrel is 7.5" and has round trigger guard and fluted cylinder too....gun looks very good...expect for two large holes in top of the frame and a good size scuff on the barrel where it looks like a scope mount was installed on this...i was told it does have the scope and mount included...how much does this detract from value?.could the holes be tig welded and frame reblued or touched up?....i do not have any pics sadly...any help with this would so be appreciated...thanks in advance God Bless,John

Welcome to the Forum.

And oh good Lord what a shame! IF I remember correctly the 7.5" 44 flattops are pretty rare. Be horrible if one of the rare ones got all boogered up.

Regardless, it'll make a heck of a great shooter and yeah it affects the value. How much? Depends on who is buying it. For me, the extra holes are a deal breaker unless the gun is a give-away price.

The holes have a huge effect on value, forget any collector premium. If the price is right, however, it might make a great project gun. Bluing usually doesn't cover a weld very evenly but a color case finish does. Might be a good candidate for that sort of custom, along with other touches like a custom front sight and steel Power Custom grip frame.

I agree it should come at a much reduced price. But as for a shooter, it won't even know they are there, just appearance. CraigC makes a good point on welds and color case finishing, it is it's own steel camo so to speak. But flush plug screws would be my resolve if I were to buy it and want them filled.

but like was said, it's still a goody at heart,,,,

I agree with most of what's been said. Really too bad those are desirable in original
condition. Still a good gun just no collector value. Enjoy it. ps

Well hello and thank u for the great info...well i do not think the shop realizes how much it effects the price...they are asking 599.00 for it...i am told it had just two cylinders shot thru it when the original owner decided it was too much gun for them.....Gun looks nice new...i though it wiuld kill the value but i agree it would be the perfect shooter....how rare is the 7.5" barrel?.... I am going back tomorrow to try and put a deal together...hope to be around the 500 range ....thank u for all the help...even has the original box and the svope and mount they removed and factory walnut grips too....God Bless,John

I'd buy it. With the box is a BIG plus. They will only go up in price.
Eric

well that was my initial thought after seeing it...i was just very hesitant with these holes...i hope they will deal with me and i can put something together...if i can get it..i will post some actual pics...it is very nice and if the holes were not there..it almost looks new...no signs of any markings on the cylinder or grips and anywhere other than where the scope is....thank u for all the great info...God Bless,John
never thought i would consider a 7.5" flat top 44 Ruger...now i will need to find a very nice Lawrence Holster too...

It would make a fine shooter. The holes can be filled with plug screws. The box could be sold to make it a little sweeter deal.

Greetings, and welcome to the Forum, good info above, BUT if that has the original OM box as well as it being a "true" 7 1/2 inch OM 44 flatop, then it is a NO brainer,,,YES< the holes kill "top collectors value" but it is what it is....those holes cost the value about $250 EACH in loss.....
can it be fixed, and fixed PROPERLY, yes by someone who "knows " just what they are doing......will not get into a metallurgy class as to the "whys and wherefores of welding 4140 chrome moly castings", but it can be done,,,,,trouble is even when done "perfectly" and yes we've done more than our share back when we had the shop,,,,the fact that it has to be "reblued" makes the gun NOT have the "original" finish, and there goes the value.....GOOD gun, great shooter, and worth about double what you will pay for it , if its the right "packaging".......

good luck, and GO for it............. 8) :roll: :wink:

Were it me, a consummate customizer of Ruger sixguns, if the rare barrel has any value as a part, I'd sell it. I'd also sell the box to a happy collector. I'd have my gunsmith weld up the holes, tune it, fit a new barrel 4 5/8" to 5½" in length, cut from a premium blank and fitted with a custom front sight. I'd have him replace the XR3 grip (which would go somewhere else to replace an XR3-RED) with a steel Colt style grip frame from Power Custom. The whole thing would be polished. The frame, loading gate, hammer and trigger would be color case hardened and the rest blued. Then I'd have a gripmaker fit some new grips of highly figured walnut. Then after sitting and staring at it for a week, I'd go shoot it.

What you describe is a shooter's dream, as long as the seller realizes that the holes kill completely any collector's premium on the price. Were I negotiating to buy, I'd make it clear that I want it and I am no collector -- but then no collector would even look at it twice.

If that gun was done "right" and in the box, most any collector would be hard pressed NOT to buy it, its just that the "value" would be in a different ball park......there are many out there that have been drilled and tapped and redone, and back in the system..and the "new" owners may have NO clue. :shock:
yes, the "concept" of a pseudo custom, rebarrel, case colors, etc, would be great on a gun cheap enough, and YES, the "parts" ( or as I say , the total sum of all the parts) for the box and a "special" length barrel would be quite the find, and of considerable value on their own........
interesting problem and I would love to have to make that decision, as I said above "a NO brainer" 8) :roll: :wink:

hey can i ask all of u this....how bad would it be to plug the holes with plug screws with very small allen key or slot?...if they are almost invisible would that not be almost as good as refinishing the frame?....it can only be original once and i think to most of us who shoot and in this particular configuration...better to leave good enough alone?....see my plans are to shoot it...
i am told they make set screws with micro heads now and my thinking of they do...this might be a fair compromise...thank u all for the great info and comments...truly help so much....
one more question...will the scope that was mounted on this have any value?.....i am going back tomorrow to look at it and the mount?....and the box and paperwork that is included too..i am told
God Bless,John

if you want to keep it the most simple, easiest of all, get a couple of "positive stop" plug screws, should be size 6 x48 from Midway or better yet Brownells,,,,they have a small "cap" (head) on them so they will NOT screw in , go through...looks "neat & clean".........leave it be, you will still be FAR ahead.........

besides the fact if that is the original box for a 7 1/2 inch old model flatop, you'll get ALL your money back just selling the box..... 8) :roll: :wink:

well i guess i should ask u all this...what should this box look like?....color and markings?....what scope was available back when this was new and scope mount should it have?...i am told all this work was done when it was brand new...i want to be sure i do not forget anything before i see it again tomorrow...God Bless and thank all of u...truly appreciate it ....John

What did you pay for it? Leave the scope on and shoot the heck out of it!

well just a quick update...i own this now...serial is 1998x...the scope mount is no way i would leave it...wait till u see what they screwed down to this...it was a mess...i was able to this cheaper due to this.....i will get some pics up soon....i am now a proud owner of a 7.5" flat top 44 mag....thank u all for the great help and encouragement too...God Bless,John

most likely a Bushnell Phantom scope with a couple of screw-in stud ( posts) that the mount slipped down over,,,,can look pretty ugly when done badly, or mismounted...BUT that was the way to go back then, IF done correctly......still drilled and tapped is "bad" for a collectible firearm

the original box should be a yellow/black end, two piece ( telescoping ) by 1959 not sure if the catalog number was BKH-4 or BKH-47, hell, I cannot recall seeing or even having one..... :shock: :wink:

The collectors may cry today but it would've been a state of the art hunting sixgun in its time.