.44 Specials

[Ray Newman]

Colleagues can anyone provide an estimate of the original MSRP for these two Ruger revolvers:

Ruger Bisley grip catalogue# NVB445-Spcl. S/N#520-232XX. 44 Spec'l. Flat Top Blackhawk small frame. One of a special run made for and distributed by Lipsey's 5.5" barrel, blued.

Ruger Blackhawk catalogue# NVB445-Spcl, s/n #520-190XX. 44 Spec'l. Regular grip Flat Top Blackhawk, small frame. One of a special run made for and distributed by Lipsey's. 5.5" barrel, blued.

I bought both in 2008-2009 "on a whim." Both are unfired, with box and Ruger paperwork. Getting so that age and medical infirmaries are causing me to curtail my shooting. I've been offered US $350-425 each, but that seems a low price. And they were not listed on the Ruger site when I did an on-line catalogue search.

Thanks for any help.

 

[hittman]

I'd call Lipsey's.

 

[Ray Newman]

Hittman: tried that the other day and was "stuck on hold." Gave up out of frustration.

 

[ProfessorWes]

That does seem awfully low. I paid $500 back in 2013 for my 5.5" Bisley Flattop .44 SPL; it was lightly used with perhaps fifty rounds through it before the original owner decided he'd rather have a Glock. Box, papers, all there. A brand new one would have been perhaps $75 higher at the time (that was while I was still living in the KC metro).

I've added another hundred or so to the round count, but it still looks brand new. Would love to trade it for a standard grip .44 SPL flattop with the 4 5/8" barrel length, but I suspect one of those in similar condition to mine would require me to throw in at least a couple hundred dollars along with it . . . Like you said, they aren't being made any more.

My other 5.5" .44 SPL flattop (standard grip) came from the original Lipsey's run, and it was $500 NIB from the same dealer. That was a couple of years before the Bisleys came out, though, and $500 was the going rate. I think my Bisley version was also from the first Lipsey's run of those, but I'm not sure.

 

[bigbillyboy]

I bought two of these , have shot one and put the other as a collectible . I think they were about $450 each . In my estimate these would be $ 900 dollar guns now .

 

[Ray Newman]

BigBillyBoy: US $900.00??

 

[Rclark]

If I was buying (I like .44 Special), $700-$800 would be tempting, $600 (each) I'd snap 'em up. Anything above that would be in the PT Barnum category. My 2 cents worth... BTW, all .44 Specials are on the 'medium' frame. The small frame is the Single Six frame. Know what you mean though .

I already have my pair and are shooters, not safe queens. Although the plow handle .44 gets out a lot more often.

 

[bigbillyboy]

BigBillyBoy: US $900.00??

Yes .

 

[Ray Newman]

BigBillyBoy: guess I have not kept up prices and values. Now I know why 2-3 of the prospective buyers were so willing and quick to "make a deal" with me.

 

[Ray Newman]

RClark thanks for your thoughts. I had a rough idea of about US $650 - 700.00 but wasn't sure if I was delusional or in the ballpark price range.

 

[Silcott]

Seems like the last few I've seen were around $800-$900

 

[bigbillyboy]

BigBillyBoy: guess I have not kept up prices and values. Now I know why 2-3 of the prospective buyers were so willing and quick to "make a deal" with me.

I was looking at gunbroker just now . Take a look, only 7 44 special blackhawks listed total .You will be shocked at asking prices

 

[Rclark]

Who buys off there through? Those prices are usually way inflated.

 

[Ray Newman]

BigBillyBoy: looked on gunbroker and all I can say about the prices is "unbelievable".

 

[Hawk-in-Wi]

here's a link to Gunbrokers close auctions , you can see there are several 44 spl. that have sold for pretty darn good money

just look for the 44 spl with a bid placed

GunBroker.com - Login

GunBroker.com - Login

www.gunbroker.com

 

[ProfessorWes]

If I was buying (I like .44 Special), $700-$800 would be tempting, $600 (each) I'd snap 'em up. Anything above that would be in the PT Barnum category. My 2 cents worth... BTW, all .44 Specials are on the 'medium' frame. The small frame is the Single Six frame. Know what you mean though .

I already have my pair and are shooters, not safe queens. Although the plow handle .44 gets out a lot more often.

My plow-handled Lipsey's flattop 5.5" .44 SPL is my favorite revolver. I wouldn't mind selling or trading the Bisley - eight hundred bucks? Seriously? - but I'm not getting rid of that one. And my flattop 50th .357 is second on the list.

Actually, now that I think about it, I paid $500 each for all three of my flattops, although only the Bisley was bought used.

 

[Rclark]

My plow-handled Lipsey's flattop 5.5" .44 SPL is my favorite revolver.

. The three revolvers that I shoot the most are the medium frame flattops, .357, .44 Special, and .45 Colt. All blued, all 5 1/2", all tuned the same, and same grip style. Doesn't get any better. No how! Most of my other adjustable sighed revolvers are gathering dust. Because of that, I really don't have any desire to buy anything else (a good thing with the prices today for revolvers)... Of course a .45 Colt New Vaquero (tuned as well) and Cimarron .45 Colt Model P pick up the slack on the fixed sight front. Again all 5 1/2" barrels.

Mine too were in the $400-$550 range if I remember right.

 

[rammerjammer]

I've been keeping an eye on 44 Special Blackhawks and Vaqueros on Gunbroker for about 4 years. Prices have skyrocketed since the pandemic.

I bought my first the Talo stainless Blackhawk in about December of 2019 for around $475. Now those are selling for $800-1000, a few have gone for over $1000 but not often.

If they really are NIB I'd put them on Gunbroker with starting bids of $700 with a Buy it Now option of $1000. Someone may just bite for the Buy it Now.

Most of the 44 Special Rugers listed at $1200 or above have been sitting there for months on end.

Priced right and your Blackhawks will sell quick. Anything less than $700 it had better have been sold to a friend.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Lipsey's still lists the blue and stainless Bisley guns, and while none are available, they show current MSRP of $899 for blue and $1019 for stainless.

Original MSRP 15 years ago would likely have been $200-300 less.

 

[rugerguy]

yes good info above and they are indeed double or more, of what you say you were offered, do not be in any hurry,,,good stuff.....