Stainless Old Model Flattop .44 Mag

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T.A. WORKMAN

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I sent him a message, asking him if he has requested & received a letter from Ruger on it.
It falls in the Type IV category - 1959, and there were some interesting things (RENE) going on with the .44 Mag. FT during that time frame.
Regardless it is a beautiful piece IMHO.
Terry
Note - He replied back that he has not.
 
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Cholo

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I'm sure others more knowledgeable than I am will chime in. If I were to SWAG it I'd say it's "in the white" meaning the bluing was buffed off, the barrel was shortened, and a SBH grip frame was added. Also, could it be satin nickel?

The rear sight wear (photo 15) doesn't match the gun.
 

contender

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I see several things on this one that points to a "custom" job.
The chopped bbl, the wrong wood grips, the stripped grip frame, and the most obvious,, the date of the gun via the serial number.
Nobody in the gun business had figured out making stainless guns in that era.

I'd say someone has had it customized to look like that. Not hard to do.
 

Xrayist

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Looking at the address on the barrel, it looks to have been polished, and not very well. There were quite a few finishes in the 70's and 80's such as Metaloy, Armaloy, etc. that looked exactly like stainless. This needs a letter from Ruger.
 
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yessir, without seeing the gun, I'd bet it is "Mahovsky Metalife", our shop back in the 11970s, used to have this finish done by Ron Mahovsky in Reno,Pa..... a chromium finish, like 53 on the Rockwell C scale..lots of guns we did for LE ,,looks just like stainless steel and actually wears BETTER....I KNOW there are a few old model RUgers out there we did, gotta be driving the collectors nutz.........so yes, the stainless Rugers did NOT come about until the early 70s with the "new models" and Old Armys, again, buy the gun , NOT the story...........:cool::rolleyes:;)

here are two of mine from 1968 and 1974 and NO , neither is stainless.........

f0CZQNzl.jpg


Ron M.,did really nice work , the Hi Power we built at our shop and Tony Tuscano did the oak leaf pattern engraving............The DWA 15-2VH6, I built when working for Dan Wesson back in the mid 70's............;)
 
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Many years ago my local gunpusher had ordered out several Ruger Old Models, including a SBH. When he opened the box and pulled it out, he discovered that they had shipped him a completely assembled gun IN THE WHITE! He contacted Ruger and they fell all over themselves trying to get him to return it ASAP. He decided to keep it as a conversation piece, which it certainly was. He kept it wiped down with oil to prevent rust, and was glad to show it when asked. I don't recall if he ever got a "letter" on it.

Yes, the serial number on the box and invoice matched the number on the gun, and all the usual "paperwork" was included. I don't know whatever happened to it. He didn't try to sell it.
 
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a magnet will stick to gun alloy versions of stainless steel. no, does NOT stick to the aluminum alloy metal used in the grip frames , so they are usually just "polished" off to the bare metal, and brightened up with a fine grit polish.......
 

Hondo44

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I agree with other posters that it's a carbon steel Old Model in the white. The bluing was stripped off not polished off.. And very nicely done. I've done a few for friends. The best thing about it is that they don't rust. Polished surfaces prevent rust from taking hold in the metal pores with normal care and cleaning.

The biggest giveaway is that Ruger's stainless guns had a blued steel front sight that was pinned to the base.

It's also been retrofitted with the transfer bar kit. Notice the hump on the back of the trigger for the trigger return spring plunger. That's what the receipt is for. Also notice the stamp on top of the box:
"NOTICE PARTS LOCATED UNDER FLAP". Ruger started doing that when some sent their gun in for retrofitting and complained they didn't get their old model parts back because they had thrown them away with the box!
 
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Rclark

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I agree with other posters that it's a carbon steel Old Model in the white.
Yep. Agree. Interesting what some will try to pass off to the unsuspecting. Seems like I remember Ruger SS revolvers first started to appear in 1974... New Models (well, other than the Ruger Old Army which is technically an Old Model :) ) . Still someone did a good job on the gun for those that like the unfinished look ;) .
 
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Dan in MI

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You all know far more than me on this subject, but that is not a flat top box.

Also, has anyone compared how a magnet sticks to a SS versus blue gun? I'm guessing there may be a difference in how much pull/attraction there is.
 
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"Someone explain this one to me. Is it real? A stainless steel 3 screw Flattop .44 Mag with a Super Blackhawk grip frame

RUGER 44 MAGNUM BLACKHAWK STAINLESS 4 5/8 W/ BOX - RARE MINT - Revolvers at GunBroker.com : 943292405

Buy RUGER 44 MAGNUM BLACKHAWK STAINLESS 4 5/8 W/ BOX - RARE MINT: GunBroker is the largest seller of Revolvers Pistols Guns & Firearms All: 943292405
www.gunbroker.com"

Received this from Ruger:

Thank you for contacting Ruger Customer Service.
Your Customer Service Issue # is 10348767


.44 Blackhawk serial number 17244 is a BKH-46, .44 Magnum, blue, 6 1/2" barrel, walnut grips, manufactured and shipped in June 1959


Ruger Customer Service
 

Hondo44

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Those unsightly 2 out of 3 dished out screw holes tell be it was buffed/polished out. Other than that, I agree it was very nicely done.

With that said, you know a whole lot more about these things than I do :)
Your right, I was only referring to how the was removed. Had to be stripped to get all the bluing out of all the nooks and crannise. The screw holes are wallowed out some. And we do occasionally see that on old models from the factory.
 

Hondo44

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You all know far more than me on this subject, but that is not a flat top box.

Also, has anyone compared how a magnet sticks to a SS versus blue gun? I'm guessing there may be a difference in how much pull/attraction there is.
No it's not, you're right. But it is the box Ruger used to return guns in after the transfer bar retrofit which that gun has had done.
 

Hondo44

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Received this from Ruger:

Thank you for contacting Ruger Customer Service.
Your Customer Service Issue # is 10348767


.44 Blackhawk serial number 17244 is a BKH-46, .44 Magnum, blue, 6 1/2" barrel, walnut grips, manufactured and shipped in June 1959


Ruger Customer Service
Yes it's been established that the gun was made in in 1959 and did not come with a 4 5/8" barrel. The original barrel has been cut. Did you call them or get the letter?
 
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