New Model Blackhawk in .44 Special

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200Apples

200Apples

Mojave Lever Crew
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.44 Special enthusiasts had waited nearly 55 years! for this Ruger-produced chambering, and in a medium-frame New Model Blackhawk. If you wanted a .44 Special Blackhawk, you sent your flattop .357 to a custom gunmaker. This .44 Special Blackhawk may have been part of the original Lipsey's 2009 (give or take) run of 1000 5-1/2" barrels, according to the serial number.

Although there is some distress in the blued finish, this gun is fundamentally brand new, made roughly seven years ago. I found it as a pair; two consecutively-numbered New Model .44 Specials. Due to the California's ridiculous "One handgun every 30 days" limit, I must wait until the middle of next month to bring the second .44 Special Blackawk home...

Meanwhile, here're two pictures. I haven't shot it yet, but I did just clean the barrel and cylinder's chambers, added a very small drop of oil to the firing pin, either side of the hammer base and of course to the base pin and cylinder pin bore. As mentioned, the blueing shows some distress from having been laid against plastic and virtually immobile for most of the last seven years, but that's ok with me. I bought these to serve as shooters!

Thanks for looking.

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200Apples

Sweet find and it will have a twin to keep it company! Love my .44 Special Flattop Blackhawk!

 
Sweet! I had one of these a couple years ago, but had to sell it off to get family things- didn't even get a chance to fire it! I ask you to fire a couple of shots for me!
 
One of my early handguns was a .44 Special. The .44 is a near perfect handgun caliber. I decided I needed a .44 Mag and had to trade my .44 Special in. I still miss that old .44 S&W.:oops:
 
I surely hope to one day soon get a Blackhawk .45 Colt with the .45 ACP conversion cylinder.

It's on the short list, for sure and for certain! :D
 
... had to sell it off to get family things- didn't even get a chance to fire it! I ask you to fire a couple of shots for me!
Click to expand...

I'd be honored to. I'll even dedicate a separate target! to the enterprise...



I still miss that old .44 S&W.:oops:
Click to expand...

Ah, yes... the exaltation of the Mighty Magnum has had many tragic consequences... According to Taffin, Ol' Uncle Elmer was (somewhat-) promised a .44 Special Blackhawk chambering by Bill Ruger as the Blackhawk underwent early development in the late mid-'50s. Then that empty magnum brass made it's dubious appearance and the rest, as they say, is history.
 
I don't mean to "one-up" anyone, but my .44 Special story.

A few years ago (ca. 1960) I converted a New Service .45 Colt to .44 Special for my first .44 Special. I was involuntarily separated from this gun when it was stolen from the gun shop where I had it in for repair. I went without a .44 Special until I bought a Charter .44 Special around 1975. I traded that for a Magnum and for a long time was .44 Special poor. Then about fifteen years ago or so came across a .357 Magnum Ruger Blackhawk which went to Dave Clements for conversion. Since that time I have accumulated a number of .44 Specials:



There are two Colts,a Ruger, and a Cimarron/Uberti. Since that photo was taken, I've added this Ruger:




And, just recently I bought 300 .44 Special cases, brand new, and are of the balloon head type.

Bob Wright

P.S. No need to caution me about using balloon head cases. My first reloading was with balloon head cases.
 
BobWright said:
I don't mean to "one-up" anyone, but my .44 Special story.

A few years ago (ca. 1960) I converted a New Service .45 Colt to .44 Special for my first .44 Special. I was involuntarily separated from this gun when it was stolen from the gun shop where I had it in for repair. I went without a .44 Special until I bought a Charter .44 Special around 1975. I traded that for a Magnum and for a long time was .44 Special poor. Then about fifteen years ago or so came across a .357 Magnum Ruger Blackhawk which went to Dave Clements for conversion. Since that time I have accumulated a number of .44 Specials:



There are two Colts,a Ruger, and a Cimarron/Uberti. Since that photo was taken, I've added this Ruger:




And, just recently I bought 300 .44 Special cases, brand new, and are of the balloon head type.

Bob Wright

P.S. No need to caution me about using balloon head cases. My first reloading was with balloon head cases.
Click to expand...

Beautiful! You have the best single actions around. I hope to someday (soon) own a single action revolver of my own.
 
I don't mean to "one-up" anyone, but my .44 Special story...
Click to expand...

Are you kidding? Bob, no worries, there. You and your collection of thumb busters have been some of the inspiration for the effort to improve the contents of my armory. You are always welcome to add your two bits! Please!

Bob's post reiteraties what is was that those who loved the .44 Special had to go through just to have a Ruger chambered thusly... and as mentioned earlier, finally! after 55 years, Ruger, with the influence of Jason Cloessner of Lipsey's, whipped up initial batches of 1000 guns fitted with 4-5/8" barrels, and a 1000 guns fitted with 5-1/2". They sold quickly, and the New Model flattop in .44 Special became a regular catalog item... That was in 2010, and sometime between then and now, Ruger ceased production. There should be some on a shelf or two, somewhere, so, if you want one, get lookin!
 
Most recently, December 15 or so, I saw a Flat Top Blackhawk .44 Special with 5 1/2" barrel and a similar Bisley. These in Memphis.

As I've posted elsewhere, I've got an Uberti Open Top Navy on order. I seriously considered ordering it in .44 Special but decided on .38 Special. I wanted recoil to be nil in an open top gun and figured I could get recoil to about .22 R.F. level with 125 gr. cast bullet loads in the .38.


Bob Wright
 
BobWright

Beautiful collection of .44 Specials! Love the stag grips on you latest addition, the Ruger Flattop Blackhawk. Are they by Sack Peterson by any chance?
 
I like the New Flattops but am kind of sorry they quit using aluminum grip frames. Steel is Quality but a 42 oz .44 Special is heavier than it needs to be.
 
Picked up a used one a few years ago and like it. Looking for some pachmayrs or hogues as my arthritic knuckle is taking a beating from that shorter grip frame.
Nice packin gun for the farm.
 
bannockburn said:
BobWright

Beautiful collection of .44 Specials! Love the stag grips on you latest addition, the Ruger Flattop Blackhawk. Are they by Sack Peterson by any chance?
Click to expand...

I do not know the maker, they are not marked. They were on a used New Vaquero I saw in a local gun shop. I bought the gun, replaced the grips, and bought this .44 to fit those grips, then sold the Vaquero.

Bob Wright
 
As always Bob, you amaze me. My only, Ruger SA is a Montado. But I own a few Colts. One is standard blue and case hardened 5 1/2 inch, but has a factory Nickel Cylinder
 
Bob Wright:

I want to be you when I grow up! :)

I am still working on my FIRST single action, a Ruger Blackhawk 5.5" barrel model in .45 Colt with .45 ACP conversion cylinder, blued, with faux ivory grips!! :D
 
I like the .44 Special, thanks for sharing everyone. The new Blackhawk on the smaller frame is perfect for the .44 Special.
 
Frank V said:
I like the .44 Special, thanks for sharing everyone. The new Blackhawk on the smaller frame is perfect for the .44 Special.
Click to expand...

Yes! But for my choice, I will take the .45 Colt Blackhawk on the large frame. This allows me to fire the Buffalo Bore loads with no undue strain. LOVE it!! :D
 
I paid somewhere between the guns' MSRP when new and what their street price might have been. Then again, the finish is "challenged" from a long-term storage oversight and the grip frames are fitted with some bizzare, hidden hammer lock (until one chooses to use it, then a grip panel is drilled through)... making aftermarket grip selection more difficult.
 
I have the new flattop Blackhawk in .44 Special. I bought it in honor of Elmer Keith as I have read Elmer's writing and books since I came to know about him in the early 60's. Those of you who know about him know what I mean.
 
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