Stainless 44 Special.

[xtratoy]

I have been kicking myself in the rear end ever since I didn't get one of the stainless 4 5/8" flattops a while ago. I had the chance but was holding out for a stainless 5.5" which never happened. I also foolishly passed on a great price on one of the "goof" 7 1/2" Bisley framed Shootists guns. Even though these were not stainless I knew deep down I should have bought it. Unfortunately all this was happening in a time when I was unemployed. I did get a regular production 5.5" in blue and it shoots as good or better than any other S.A. I own. Today I was able to get the stainless 4 5/8" 44 SPL. I prefer the 5.5" models but that little 4 5/8" stuck in the back of my mind all this time. Plus the fact that all who had one talked about how much they liked theirs. I waited overnight to see if someone would save me some money but it was still there this morning and I am off to the bank to get a money order to send for the gun. Hi, my name is Bill and I am a Ruger Single Action Aholic :shock: :lol:

 

[gramps]

Bill welcome to the forum. This is a society of enablers, and
we feel your pain.
gramps

 

[sash]

Bill, funny you should post this. My local pusher has a stainless .45 on the flattop frame that just speaks to me. I just picked up a blue one 5-1/2", when lo and behold, there appears the one I really wanted in the first place! Back to well for another dipper, I guess!

Welcome to the "aholic" club!

 

[Larry from Bend]

It's one of my very favorite handguns.

 

[sash]

Larry, that's a nice-looking gun. Are those grips from Sack Peterson?

 

[gramps]

I was wanting a .44 special also now that I sort of like SA. 32mag wouldn't trade my 629-3 for his beautiful .44 spcl (He said it took too long to find it, I countered with "look with all the Rugers you own you will never miss it".) Anyway I've ended up buying two .44 mags ss 4 5/8 inch barrels with the non-fluted cylinders. I can still shoot .44 spcls.
gramps

 

[gramps]

It's one of my very favorite handguns.

Ditto here. Enquiring minds want to know, who made the grips.
gramps

 

[xtratoy]

Bill, funny you should post this. My local pusher has a stainless .45 on the flattop frame that just speaks to me. I just picked up a blue one 5-1/2", when lo and behold, there appears the one I really wanted in the first place! Back to well for another dipper, I guess!

Welcome to the "aholic" club!

I feel your pain. :lol: I already have a mid frame 45 colt/45acp stainless flatop :D with a 5.5" barrel. I am your typical accumulator! I just hope this gun shoots as well as my blue 5.5" gun.

 

[WAYNO]

Just so ya don't lose interest... 8)

Wow. Looks like I need to do some gun cleaning! :oops:

WAYNO.

 

[xtratoy]

I have a bunch of 300 gr hard cast bullets I really want to use in the gun. Does anyone have a 44 special load using heavyweight bullets that will be suitable for this revolver?

 

[Larry from Bend]

Larry, that's a nice-looking gun. Are those grips from Sack Peterson?

That's correct.

A view of both panels ---

 

[xtratoy]

Larry , how about a picture from the the rear to see the thickness of the grips. Are they about the same as stock grips? Thicker, thinner?

 

[Lee Martin]

I've shot the hell out of mine...

 

[Larry from Bend]

Larry , how about a picture from the the rear to see the thickness of the grips. Are they about the same as stock grips? Thicker, thinner?

The 44 is out in the truck right now, but although the left grip panel is only a tiny bit thicker than the original plastic grips, the right panel is quite a bit thicker than the left one. If you look closely at the pictures (at the very front of the grip, in front of the emblem) you can see the difference.

 

[xtratoy]

I picked up the 44 Spl today and had a chance to put some rounds through it. It shot great but I was shooting 200 grain bullet at 950 FPS and the rear sight was cranked all the way down and still hitting high at 25 yards. I put a taller front sight I had in the parts drawer that is the stock sight for the Blackhawk 45 Colt with the 7.5" barrel. Now it should be fine with heavier bullets next time out. It came with a Super Blackhawk hammer which would had been great except it was for a blued model and it just doesn't look right. I went to order one and Midway is out of stock until February of 2013. Looks like I will be waiting awhile to swap it out.

 

[williamc]

I had the same issue with mine shooting high. I called Ruger, and they sent me a new sight free of charge. had it installed in 30 min.

You got a great deal on that sixgun! Congrats!

 

[xtratoy]

I had the same issue with mine shooting high. I called Ruger, and they sent me a new sight free of charge. had it installed in 30 min.

You got a great deal on that sixgun! Congrats!

I called Ruger up and they were totally clueless about a replacement front sight that was taller for this gun. They acted like they had never heard of this issue. I even told them that it was the sight for a 7.5" stainless 45 Blackhawk. They tried to sell me a hi-viz sight off of shopruger.com. :roll:

 

[davidj]

Larry , how about a picture from the the rear to see the thickness of the grips. Are they about the same as stock grips? Thicker, thinner?

The 44 is out in the truck right now, but although the left grip panel is only a tiny bit thicker than the original plastic grips, the right panel is quite a bit thicker than the left one. If you look closely at the pictures (at the very front of the grip, in front of the emblem) you can see the difference.

The different thicknesses...by your design or did they just come that way? I ask because I ordered some oversized grips and just 1/16" on each side is almost too fat. I am considering sanding them down a little.

 

[Larry from Bend]

Larry , how about a picture from the the rear to see the thickness of the grips. Are they about the same as stock grips? Thicker, thinner?

The 44 is out in the truck right now, but although the left grip panel is only a tiny bit thicker than the original plastic grips, the right panel is quite a bit thicker than the left one. If you look closely at the pictures (at the very front of the grip, in front of the emblem) you can see the difference.

The different thicknesses...by your design or did they just come that way? I ask because I ordered some oversized grips and just 1/16" on each side is almost too fat. I am considering sanding them down a little.

Mine just came that way. I know what you're referring too .... It doesn't take much added width to get grips that are too fat.

 

[Rodfac]

Here's mine...probably my first choice for totin' around the farm. Rod

 

[writwing]

Anyone know where I can get one of those in SS?

 

[xtratoy]

You will have to watch the classifieds and gun auction sites. I believe they were a limited run of 500 for TALO. Can someone verify that?

 

[Larry from Bend]

You will have to watch the classifieds and gun auction sites. I believe they were a limited run of 500 for TALO. Can someone verify that?

Yep -- I believe that's correct. The TALO kinda dribbled out of Ruger between Feb '09 and Sept '10 (approximate dates) and supposedly they shipped 500 during that time. They didn't sell all that well. I got one (new) from Arizona Arms in April '11 that shipped in Sept '10. At that time Arizona Arms charged $500 for it. As I've opined many times; it's a wonderfully finished revolver -- really the best finished Ruger I've handled --- and the most accurate.

I don't see any on GunBroker today.

Good luck with your search.

 

[wheelguner]

Buckeye,
Looks like you and I had the same kind of day. On the way home from work an insistent little voice told me to stop at a newly opened pawn shop near home. I listen to that voice and have yet to regret it. The guy behind the counter told me all used guns were $30 off and I spotted a stainless Ruger SA from 10ft and when I got close I saw it was a flat top 4 5/8"and in 44spc at that. It is the least used, used firearm I have bought..... I mean pristine condition with box, papers, blank warranty card, fired case and the keys still stapled to the warranty card (which is where they'll stay). A quick Google told me it was a TALO Distributors item with a run of a 1000. The lock up is tighter than any production gun I've felt so I hope it will be a shooter. Can you feel me grinning?

 

[gramps]

Nice snag wheel gunner, yep we feel ya grinnin. There a bunch here that will
be envious to boot. Pics and range report is mandatory. Ha ha.
gramps

 

[Major T]

I suppose I was lucky on all counts with my SS .44 Special 4 5/8. I got one of the very first ones. I had to make an early morning run to Dallas Love field. Stopped and had breakfast waiting for my favorite Dallas pusher to open Went in the store, spied the Ruger, wrote the check and came on home. As we were doing the paper work, I commented that I did not know they were available. He replied that it was his first, that it came in just before closing time the day before. Lucky me!

In a moment of stupidity, I had traded away my S & W 24 a few years ago, and had felt semi-naked without a .44 special. My first shot with the Ruger was at a baseball sized target at about 40 yards with a fairly stiff loaded 240 hard cast bullet. Target demolished. Still lucky. I also I count myself fortunate that the money was available without straining the family budget, as my gun stash was low.

Congratulations on your find. I hope you enjoy it as much as i do mine. I use mine a good bit when at relatives' ranches. It is handy (holstered) while driving either a truck or a Mule. The first blood was on a rattle snake that needed his neck shortened, just behind his ears. jack

 

[Hondo44]

I picked up the 44 Spl today and had a chance to put some rounds through it. It shot great but I was shooting 200 grain bullet at 950 FPS and the rear sight was cranked all the way down and still hitting high at 25 yards. I put a taller front sight I had in the parts drawer that is the stock sight for the Blackhawk 45 Colt with the 7.5" barrel. Now it should be fine with heavier bullets next time out. It came with a Super Blackhawk hammer which would had been great except it was for a blued model and it just doesn't look right. I went to order one and Midway is out of stock until February of 2013. Looks like I will be waiting awhile to swap it out.

Just polish off the blue and you'll never know the difference. Hey, I might even have a stainless I'll trade you for the blue one if you didn't have to shorten it to get it in the mid-frame.

 

[xtratoy]

Thanks for the tip and trade offer. I have one on order and plan on swapping the blue Super hammer into my 5.5" blued 44 Special Flattop.

 

[Hondo44]

Oh yeah that's the ticket!

 

[xtratoy]

XR3-RED or NM XR3 grip frame? Stainless or polished blue?