shooter grade flattop $$??

[dcl]

Guys. I have been bitten pretty bad by the Ruger bug. Found a 5 digit,flattop 44 mag that has been USED. It is solid, runs fine,unconverted, no rust. But has alot of handling marks. Looks to me like it was dropped on its left side. Blueing in the 75-80 % range. Solid wood panels. Price started at $900. I know without pics its a crapshoot but is $550 a fair price for a shooter flattop?? any help would be great. thanks. dave

 

[SBH4628]

For a flattop shooter...Go for it

 

[Lee Martin]

$550 is fair, but I'd say tops for that condition.

 

[Dave T]

I paid a bit more for my shooter, but then when I took it out of the shipping box it looked a lot better than the pictures had appeared (smile). Yea, I got lucky.

Dave

 

[G2]

Shooter for that kinda money -vs- condition sounds like all the money to me. These kind of guns end up in my project pile and when one get's working on that it can get out of hand quick.

If its a shooter your looking for I have this one that I have been considering selling.

It has been back to Ruger at some point in it's life and was fitted w/ a Steel Old Army GF, Re-Blued, and converted.

Since I have owned it; Now has the correct Base Pin, Original OM action part's, Clements wide smooth trigger to fill the hole properly in the OA/ GF and sports a Super Hammer.
I have toyed w/ the Brass Frame and chopin it down to 4.6" but havn't yet.
It has not been shot since the the refurbish at Ruger. I'm thinkin $700 shipped. or $650 with a O/M hammer as I could use the Super Hammer on another project I have in mind.

Just a thought.

 

[Axehandle]

Decisions... decisions... The only answer is BOTH!

 

[MADDOG 521]

I found one in .357 mag. that I rated 80/85% similar to yours. I paid $269.99 OTD. I am not a Ruger expert by any means. I was looking for a shooter and I feel that I lucked out. Good luck.

 

[BearStopper]

My shooter cost me 525.00 plus 60.00 in transfer and shipping fees. It had been converted and had the grip frame refinished by Ruger. I paid 150.00 to unconvert it as I didn't like the trigger with the conversion and I am happy with it. Mine has very little handling wear but a fairly heavy cylinder turn line. I am happy with it even with its high price simply because I have not seen a single OM 44 Flattop in the dozen or so shops that I frequent in the 5 or 6 years I have been collecting firearms in quantity. I have seen one 357 flattop in real good condition but they wanted 700.00 for that and I really love the 44.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

My 2 cents worth G2s is a much better deal even without the super hammer. If a dragoon grip frame that is a $300 item.
I bought a nice 90% for $500
Jim

 

[Dale53]

It's not an original Flattop but it sure is a nice Flattop and that is the 50th Anniversary .44 Magnum. My shooting buddy and I got one a bit earlier this year NIB for a really good price. These are superb shooting machines.

You might look around. They were under $400.00:

Here is a gun test from Gun Blast:
http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger_Flattop44.htm

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Axehandle]

Nothing but 4 shooter grade FT 44s here... Price paid varied from $400-$550 except for a $750 gun that is a nice January 1957 shooter... All came with original inards.... I'll trade for more just like them..

 

[DGW1949]

$550 for a rough looking, possably abused 44 ?....Nope not me, flat top or not....been down that sort of road before.
When ya add-in the cost and amount of work it can take just to get the mechanicals on such a gun back up to spec, you'd be better off to buy a nicer gun to start with.....unless said gun was cheap to start with....which $550 aint.

Just my 02 .

DGW

 

[Calthrop]

dcl
I would look very hard at G2's offer and others like it one the Forum. True in the end it will cost you more. there will be a shipping fee. A transfer fee at the FFL and taxes. You will loose the face to face with the owner of the current firearm. I cannot speak for G2 however I know him as a honest and reasonable man. An important question to ask is how much of a down payment a vendor will accept and will they consider monthly payments.

On the other side what do you have to look forward to. Refinishing costs. Possible broken parts. Purchasing OM parts on the internet is a real crap shoot. Even if you know a couple of guys it depends on the law of supply on what they will charge you. Friendship is one thing business is another. Their projects come first.

Did you take this gun to a gunsmith a find out if it worth salvaging? How is the timing? Are all the correct model parts on the gun? How much will it cost to restore and how much will it be worth when you restore it? The truth remains. No matter how much money you put into this gun it will remain a beat up $550 Flatop that has been restored.

IMVHO the best way to use your money as a down payment on a quality gun from the start. Get the value. Then shoot it. Calthop