Ruger .44 Carbine Trigger Housing

[Rum River]

My cousin has a Ruger .44 carbine built in 1973. Over twenty years ago he and a buddy were (in my cousin's own words) really dumb and broke the infamous tab off the front of the trigger housing. It's been sitting ever since, a bag of lonely parts in a big plastic bag with no hope for the future.

When asked, I relented and said I would see if I could help him get it fixed.

So…..I'm looking for a trigger guard housing to fit this rifle.

There were/are three variations out there:

• The earliest has the tab at the front of the housing, and does not have the button in the magazine well which allows you to unload the magazine without jacking all rounds through the chamber.
• The second has the tab at the front of the housing, and does have the button in the magazine well which allows you to unload the magazine without jacking all rounds through the chamber.
• The newest has a redesigned tab or lump at the front of the housing, and does have the button in the magazine well which allows you to unload the magazine without jacking all rounds through the chamber. This housing will require some machining on the mating surfaces in the bottom front of the steel receiver on the rifle.

The second variation is the one I need, but if all else fails the third can be made to work.
I've already checked with Numrich, Classic Firearms & Parts, Jack First, etc.

Anybody got a lead?
Thank you…………………….