1958 Ruger 4.75" Flattop .357, including grip frame pic

[dudleydoright]

Well here's a shot of the grip frame.

And a couple of the original shots. I'll be working on some better one's later today I hope. Chores come first.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Neat gun.

The plum coloration was a result of the reaction between the silica content of the chrome-moly steel alloy and the bluing process. It is a desired variation to collectors.

PM headed your way.

 

[rugerguy]

nah, I think its more in the picture and reflection, no 'nickel' in an "alloy' grip frame,,,,,besides, not consistant between the pictures,,,,NICE gun.
Is the entire gun, that 'plum' out in the sunlight.....?? Only one we saw, about that 'plum' is the one that 'radical Rod' has, and its a 3 digit serial number...........

 

[street]

You have a nice looking gun but some one has changed out the Grip Frame, and grips. Your gun should have the XR3 grip frame but it appears to be a XR3-RED. And the grips have stainless steel hdwe. which makes it 1974 or later set of grips.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

nah, I think its more in the picture and reflection, no 'nickel' in an "alloy' grip frame,,,,,besides, not consistant between the pictures,,,,NICE gun.
Is the entire gun, that 'plum' out in the sunlight.....?? Only one we saw, about that 'plum' is the one that 'radical Rod' has, and its a 3 digit serial number...........

Yep what Rugerguy says.
The only part that should be plum is the frame. Not the cyl, gripframe.ejector rod housing ,or the barrel. Unless it has been reblued. Then who knows.
Yea the grips are not right along with the grip frame. Well it looks like the right frame with the wrong grips??????????
Botoom line it is an Outstanding looking gun. Just go shoot the crap out of it and don't worry about what us old farts say.
LOOKS GREAT,
Jim

 

[308longdistance]

Looks like SN 16988.........1958 vintage. Original grips would be hard rubber. Grips on the left.

Nothing wrong with the grips you have, but if you are looking for original the above photo is what to look for.

I agree , looks like the right grip frame, wrong hardware on the grips.

 

[contender]

If you want to make sure about the gripframe,,,, just pull off the stocks, and look at the markings on it. If it says XR3 it's correct. If it's something else,,, say XR3-RED then there may have been some modifications to the gripframe. But, definately, the medallions are wrong, and the pic above shows the proper grips for that gun.

 

[dudleydoright]

Hey everyone, Thanks for the information. I guess the "plum" coloring all over is the result of using the flash on my camera. The gate is plum colored; but the rest of the pistol is original blue. Since I'm a Kalifornicator it will be a few more days until I can bring her home. I can take some better pic's then.

I shudder to think what a pair of original grips might be going for these days.

Thanks Again.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I shudder to think what a pair of original grips might be going for these days.

Thanks Again.

[/quote]

A nice set of black rubber ones go for around $100
Jim

 

[oregon73]

I shudder to think what a pair of original grips might be going for these days.

Thanks Again.

A nice set of black rubber ones go for around $100
Jim[/quote]

Yep, about a hundred bucks for a nice original pair of grips.

That grip frame sure looks like it has a straight backstrap with no flare at the end. That would make it XR-3. So either someone altered a pair of XR3-RED grips to make them fit the smaller XR3 frame, or they altered a pair of XR3 grips with new medallions and stainless steel hardware. If only these 50+ year old guns could talk we could figure out what was done to them!

Nice, nice flattop, by the way! I'd buy every 4-5/8'' flattop I could find, even if it didn't have correct grips! I bet it will be an excellent shooter!

Rob

 

[Ale-8(1)]

To me it looks like the grip frame has been swapped out, brcause it appears the "ears" on either side of the hammer are a little taller than the adjacent main frame . . . but it could just be the pictures. This can be settled as Contender has mentioned by simply pulling off the left grip panel and observing the marking on the grip frame.

Regardless, it's still a very nice example, and even if it wears the improper grip frame and grips, these things can be corrected.

 

[Hashknife Hartley]

And you could buy XR-3 grips just like those on the gun from Brownell' at one time, I have a set of them that came on a .44 Flattop shooter.
HH

 

[flatgate]

Me, being "johnny come lately" can only summarize my friends posts....

I agree, not the original grip frame due to the horrible mismatch.
I agree, not the original grips, of course, and I bet they are from Lett and were sold as "replacements" for early Ruger owners. (I have one pair in my parts box.)

Neat ol' Flattop, nonetheless!

flatgate

 

[Bob Wright]

My 1958 vintage Flat Top Blackhawk came with Ruger supplied walnut grips, at $5.00 extra. The black hard rubber grips were included in the box. Not sure who put them on the gun, whether at the factroy or the dealer.
But the price was $87.50 + $5.00 for $92.50 plus California sales tax.

Bob Wright

 

[dudleydoright]

Picture of grip frame now in place.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I believe that's what Chet15 would call a "large G Alcoa XR3" grip frame, used perhaps thru mid-1957.
Your serial number would seem to indicate mid-to-late 1958 shipment.

I still say that particular grip frame wasn't shipped on that particular gun, but I could certainly be wrong about that.

And I gotta say I haven't seen a grip frame with all the little "pits" or "punch marks" displayed on that one. Quite interesting.

Anybody else??

 

[dudleydoright]

My 1958 vintage Flat Top Blackhawk came with Ruger supplied walnut grips, at $5.00 extra. The black hard rubber grips were included in the box. Not sure who put them on the gun, whether at the factroy or the dealer.
But the price was $87.50 + $5.00 for $92.50 plus California sales tax.

Bob Wright

Do yours have the stainlees screw and insert?

 

[flatgate]

A follow up on the grips.....

This is a 50th Anniv. .44 Flattop with Lett's XR-3 replacements. I changed out the "furniture" on the grip and filled in the grip dowel hole (it was located to fit the '53-'62 XR-3) and redrilled it to fit the XR-3L grip frame on the 50th Anniv. gun. (for some nutty reason Ruger moved the grip dowel.... :roll: )

flatgate

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I had a set of XR3-RED's just like those made by Lett just before they closed their doors. I acquired the "blackbirds" and black escutcheons from a couple of the good guys here and sent them to Lett for installation.

I like 'em a lot.

 

[mike722]

let me know if you are interested in some original black rubber grips..have a nice available..