I've acquired a couple of 3 screw flat tops...

[parliament]

Hey guys! I've acquired a couple of Ruger 3 screw flat tops, both have been customized. The snubbie has a serial number of 15648, according to Ruger's website I think that makes production year 1959. As you can see in the pics the barrel has been cut and it has custom grips and has been beautifully engraved. It's a 44 mag. Any idea of a value?

The other one is a 44 special (which I can't find on Ruger's reference or in the blue book). It is a updated flat top with the "ears" around the rear sight to protect it. I has been magna-ported and has custom grips as well. Serial is 30-35930, I can't find that number in Ruger's reference. Any idea of an age or value?

Both revolvers are 99%. Both revolvers also have the "4-click" hammer and no transfer bar so they haven't been modified in that way. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

[hittman]

I believe only the snubby is a flattop.
Don't think Ruger made any 44 Specials until the New Models.
Looks like the 44 Special started out as a 357 Magnum in about 1970.

You'll get estimates all over the board on value.
Some get super excited about engraving, non-wood grips and holes in the barrel.
Others will de-value them just as much.

As long as YOU like them ~ nothing else matters!
Great score.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

30-35930 would not have been a factory flattop, but a 1970 .357 Blackhawk, sometimes known as the "protected rear sight" version due to what you have called the "ears" being added to the frame on both sides of the rear sight. This was done on both the ..357 guns as well as the .44s.

Your gun has obviously been converted to .44 Special, a somewhat common customization on the Old Model .357 guns.

Nice guns. They will appeal more to the "custom gun" crowd than to collectors of the traditional Old Model Rugers.

:mrgreen:

 

[CraigC]

IMHO, the .44Spl is not a flat-top but is going to be worth more because it looks like a proper custom and screams Bowen to me. Is it not wearing a S&W barrel? It's a shame that it's ported. If you can prove who did the work and it is a well known gunsmith, it would easily fetch replacement value. Probably $1500-$2000. The grips look like CLC and would be marked as such on the inside.

The .44Mag is a less well done "custom". The ejector boss was not removed and the engraving is not too great. A lot more shading than scrolls and it was not refinished afterwards.

 

[hittman]

If that's not a S&W barrel on the 44, it sure looks like a S&W front site!

 

[parliament]

It's engraved "Sturm ruger and co Inc Southport, conn U.S.A on the side of the barrel, it does look like a smith barrel tho!

 

[Ale-8(1)]

How long is the barrel on that .44? It appears shorter than "stock".

 

[hittman]

By the placement of the Sturm Ruger info on the barrel I'd guess it started life as a 6.5".

 

[Ale-8(1)]

By the placement of the Sturm Ruger info on the barrel I'd guess it started life as a 6.5".

Yeah, that was my suspicion. Looks like about 4" or so.

:wink:

 

[hittman]

Agreed, 3.75 to 4" was my guess too.

 

[PotatoJudge]

Redhawk barrel on that 44 special?

That's definitely the nicer of the two guns and does look Bowen-ish

 

[parliament]

Agree, after handling them both a bit and inspecting the 44 special is a nicer gun. I took the grips off to inspect and they are indeed clc grips

 

[rugerguy]

Both are nice guns, no matter who did them, and each is done in its own way, style...as for the barrel ,interesting as the top and the bottom side of the barrel are so "different" single action is not the same configuration at the frame as double action ,,,sooo lots would have to been removed at the bottom rear to "fit" or lots "added" to the top to get the raised rib effect.........and as noted the location of the Ruger logo should "splain" it all....would have to look at the measure any redhawk barrel as to how much to remove, let alone are the threads the same???? or recut to match/fit the single action.........yes seen many of the 44 special "upgrades" built on the 3 screw Blackhawks, some leave the "ears", some remove them, "flatten" the top out,,,again, NICE guns in total...... :wink:

 

[jgt]

The snubnose looks like someone used leather working tools to "engrave" it with. I looks better than the Wolf & Klar Smith & Wesson snubnose I had once.

 

[CraigC]

Definitely a S&W barrel that was cleaned off and remarked with the Ruger barrel address. Looking at the first pics, it looks like the barrel address is well centered between the frame and muzzle.

...as for the barrel ,interesting as the top and the bottom side of the barrel are so "different" single action is not the same configuration at the frame as double action ,,,sooo lots would have to been removed at the bottom rear to "fit" or lots "added" to the top to get the raised rib effect........

When S&W barrels are installed on Ruger single actions, they are shortened from the rear. Both to get rid of the ejector lug/shroud and cut a fresh set of threads compatible with the Ruger frame. So they must start out a good bit longer than the finished product. That's probably a 6" model 29 barrel.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Have to admit I hadn't noticed the "rib" on the barrel. Pretty much voids my thought that it is a cut-down Ruger tube. The addition of the Ruger roll-marking is a nice touch, whatever barrel it started out as. That's a real "pro" job, indeed.

 

[parliament]

Thanks for all of the input guys, I do appreciate it! I'm thinking I will most likely sell the snub or 44 mag and possibly keep the 44 special.... I sort of planned on selling both but the 44 special is soooo nice!

 

[CraigC]

It is and if I were inclined to sell one and keep the other, that'd be my choice as well. I would just about bet money it was a Bowen job.

 

[parliament]

I emailed Bowen and here is there response:

Dear Sir:

Thanks for yours of the 8th.

Hard to say for sure without recourse to a search of our records. Most are paper and go back for decades so this takes a great deal of time. Accordingly, we charge $75 to review them and prepare a letter of provenance.

The down-and-dirty way to know is look at the breech-end of the cylinder. If there is a small 'B' in a shield (our proof mark) and probably the last two or three digits of the sn., chances are it is ours. Not dispositive without a serial-number check but unless we forgot (more likely now) or someone is faking it, it would be likely our work.

Hope this will help; thanks for your interest.

Sincerely yours,

Hamilton S. Bowen
Bowen Classic Arms Corp

 

[parliament]

and here it is!