44 Special Flattop - What model grips are shared?

[Glupy]

I thought that I had the Ruger grip frame issue understood until I tried to order grips for my 2010 44 Special Flattop.

The grips from my 45 NM Blackhawk don't fit. The grips from my original Vaquero fit the 45 NM Blackhawk but don't fit the 44 Special. Isn't the 44 Special a NM Blackhawk?

The forward part of the 45 NMB grips are too long to fit the 44 Special.

The 44th Anniversary Flattop Blackhawk don't match the original Vaquero or the NM Blackhawk or the 44 Special.

Are the 44 Special grips from the Super Blackhawk or something else?

Dave

 

[BlackEagle]

They should be the same as the 50th Anniversary .44 magnum Flat Top (not sure about the 44th Anniversary ones :shock: .)

 

[CraigC]

Same as both 50th anniversary Blackhawks and New Vaqueros.

 

[Glupy]

Same as both 50th anniversary Blackhawks and New Vaqueros.

CraigC is right. Why the heck did Ruger do that?

Now I need more grips. Thank you all for the help.

Dave

 

[gak]

They did it to emulate the Colts shape and size and not coincidentally the original (OM) grips/frame from the 50s etc. Its called a "new" XR3 grip or gripframe (to distinguish from the OM's same size (original XR3) but which is ever so slightly different in fit (may swap but with some mods??). So, as has been stated, since they used the smaller mid-frame of the 5Oth Anniversary .357s and New Vaqueros--an insistence by many as the .44 Sp is a natural for (and building on the large frame would be considered by many to be redundnt with .44 Mags) --they use basically the same grips.

To confuse things further, the 50th Anniversary .44 Mag marries the smaller (mid-frame) grips with the regular large cylinder frame of the large NM Blackhawks/Super BHs.

 

[pvtschultz]

Everyone is correct so far. I'll reiterate and summarize.

The following factory chamberings use the same "New" XR3 grip frame and grips:
New Vaquero, 44 Spcl Vaquero, 44 Spcl Flattop NM Blackhawk, 357 Mag and 44 Mag 50th Anniversary Flattop NM Blackhawks, and Montado. Ruger has been inconsistent with the use of "New Vaquero" on the 2006 and later made Vaqueros. The one consistency is the use of the three digit 510 serial number prefix. There are a lot of distributor exclusive revolvers right now and I haven't had a chance to verify how Ruger is labeling them.

 

[Axehandle]

Life continues to become more complicated. Just noted last week that when the little ears that extend into the cylinder frame were eliminated on the newest Ruger grip frames there was a boss inside the grip frame that went away too. Means that the grips made to fit my FT 44 Special Bisley will not fit my 22/32/357/41/44mag/45 older Ruger unless an extra relief is cut.... I'll try to post a picture or two tonight..