Ruger's First .44 Magnum....

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Bob Wright

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I've heard the story that Ruger made their first .44 Magnum Blackhawk using the mid-size frame of the .357 Magnum Blackhawk, but in testing, it "blew up" resulting in the introduction of the MR-44 frame.

I remember reading somewhere, and can't remember where, this was the situation: They were firing the revolver into a large vat of water, the gun was held vertically and fired downward into the water. To control the splash from the impact, a rubber membrane was stretched across the vat. Firing tests revealed a bulged barrel which led Ruger engineers to beef up the frame.

Subsequent research revealed that water droplets had splashed up through the opening, the bullet entrance through the membrane, and had entered the bore of the test gun. These water droplets has led to the barrel bulging. The gun had actually withstood the pressure tests.

It seems to me this was stated either by Elmer Keith or maybe Skeeter Skelton, after an interview with Bill Ruger.

Does anyone have any further light on this?


Bob Wright
 

Rclark

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All I remember is Keith was to get one of those medium frame .44s after a NRA Convention, but it was packed up already for shipment and Ruger decided to run proof loads through them once back at the factory ... and they failed (That is what Keith says in his book anyway). Hence the large frame (and cylinder) came into being. Never read the water story anywhere.
 

tom black

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Bob I've gone through all of my Keith stuff and can't find it but remember reading the same story years ago.
Tom
 

Muley Gil

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daveg.inkc said:
Suppose that information is in R. L. Wilson's book ? " Ruger and His Guns". Many stories in there.

I just checked Wilson's book and didn't find the info there. However, I do remember reading that, just don't remember where.
 

gunzo

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Excited to see another post on this when I came here this morning, hoping someone had the answer.

I've read the story as well, more than once, & was sure I'd quickly get the answer of who told it. I have 2 Keith & 2 Skelton books at arms reach. I looked, & if the story is in any of those, I missed it. I'm not a gambler, but would just about bet Keith told it, buuuuut?

While typing this, I thought of Taffin. I don't have any of his books, but I've read his works quite a bit. Maybe him?
He did write one book completely dedicated to 44's as I recall.
 

gunzo

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I looked again. Keith did write it. Where it first appeared is unknown to me, but the story is on page 321 of Sixguns by Keith, the 1961 Revised edition.

That was the first book it went too while searching for the answer, but I just hadn't read far enough into the chapter.

Whew, maybe my memory will hang with me a few more year.
 

Rclark

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Wasn't aware of a 'revised' 61 edition. I only have his '55 and '61 books. Page 321 of the '61 Sixguns doesn't have the water story on it. Reading to 323 (heading 'Ruger Handgun development') he just states 'He {Ruger} decided to proof fire it, and the gun blew up'... Of course this is a paperback 'reprint' of the original, so page numbering probably can be different.
 

gunzo

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Rclark, I might be confused of the topic.
Seems I've been reading too quickly lately it seems I failed to realize the main part of the question might be the "water story" rather than the fact of the the basic story of just the gun blowing up.

Please excuse my mix up.
 

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