#3 .44 magnum serial numbers

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das5833

Bearcat
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
27
I (actually me and the missus) am the happy new owner of a couple of #3's in .44 magnum. Very recent purchases, specific for whitetail deer hunting on our homestead in north central Indiana. Picked them up through the efforts of of a couple of forum members, Heliman and Bearstopper, who I'd like to publicly thank here- they both are good guys.
That said, I've been reading the last several #3 .44 magnum posts with a lot of interest, and it strikes me that the ongoing myth of "only 200" of these rifles being manufactured by Ruger is still out there. I've been in touch with Chad, the RENE publisher, via PM and email, and our recent discussion centered on just how difficult it would be to try to come up with a definitive answer to that question. The bottom line is that the only way to do it would be to try to create a listing of #3 .44 magnum serial numbers. We thought that the forum would be a good place to start.
So, we're going to give it a try. I know that everyone who owns one is not a forum member, but maybe with forum members adding information, and adding information about other rifles they are aware of, we can get an idea of how many of these were actually made. 200 is a big number, but not insurmountable, over time.
So, how about it? I'll start- mine are 132-42984, & 132-43147. There- 1% of the list is done already...
Let's see how many we can dig out, guys. If Ruger can't/ won't tell us, maybe, over time, we can find out for ourselves. What do you say?
 

das5833

Bearcat
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
27
Another thought came to me after I wrote the original post. I'm sure there are plenty of guys out there that have bought and sold these rifles in the past- if you have serial number records from those transactions, please post them. Doesn't matter who owns it now- we're just trying to confirm the ones that are (or were) in existence.
 

RugerHound

Hunter
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Messages
2,289
Location
Casa Grande, Arizona
Those of us that visit all the on-line used gun sites can also make note of SNs & report them as well. Not that long ago there were several sets of No 3s that were sold and SNs were published in the ads.

I know I'll be asking!
 

das5833

Bearcat
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
27
Found one that I was considering buying to add to the list. #132-55373. Checked the older posts and found a few that haven't showed up here so far. Right now we are up to 10. 5% of the rumored total number after one day...

Is there a way to post this list somewhere, where people can just add to it, as information becomes available? If people could check the list first, that would eliminate duplication, as more and more of these numbers show up. Posting the list in numerical order would make it easier to search for duplicates.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to do any of this, or if it even possible here. Suggestions?
 

RugerHound

Hunter
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Messages
2,289
Location
Casa Grande, Arizona
The fellow with the .44 NIB has been trying to peddle that one for a while, as has the chap with the collection. Gonna see if I can find out about the .44 in the 6-gun group. $3900 would be about 650 a pop + shipping, which isn't really too bad for a complete group of No. 3s. I might take the opportunity to discuss a deal with him if they don't move at 3900. :)
 
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
41
Location
Florida
RH,
Throwing a curve ball out to you. Just checked mine, 132-39669 unfired 44 mag. I sold one to a RF member last year. I'll see if I can find sn for that one.
Thanks,
Jimmy
 

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