4-5/8" .44 Special Ruger Blackhawk, New Model flat top came home today

[200Apples]

I purchased this 10 days ago from a private party seller here in southern California. I could not believe my eyes when I saw it posted For Sale on another, local, gun forum. These things don't grow on trees. I found it while looking for a well-used .357 single action to serve as a plinker and a companion piece for two .357-chambered lever carbines.

I have yet to confirm this .44 Special Ruger New Model Blackhawk's serial number as being 1 of a run of 1000 TALO distributor exclusive, but that's the story, anyway. This is my poor-man's Freedom Arms Model 97! *laughing*, but in a sweet, Special-sized, "perfect packin' pistol" package. Grips are black pearl plastic from Altamont.

 

[adcoch1]

That with a non fluted cylinder in 44 mag is my dream gun... Nice find!

 

[bannockburn]

200Apples

Great find there in sunny California! Like the contrast between the stainless steel and the plastic black pearl stocks. Mine is just the other way around; blued with American Holly wood grips.

I like to think of it as my "Skeeter Skelton Special".

 

[Charlie98]

OP, looks like you have a Belt Mtn base pin, too.

My Lipsey's .44SPC Flattop is about as good as a boat anchor right now, it came from the factory with some pretty serious accuracy issues. Looks like the person who had yours tried to get it squared away... let us know how it shoots.

 

[200Apples]

Thanks fellers. Yes, Charlie, it was nice of the seller to include that base pin upgrade. Sorry to hear about your gun's accuracy issue, but if it's one of the Lipsey's run, that is a real disappointment.

I'll post up 10 and 15-yard targets here by the end of the week.

 

[FN in MT]

An acquaintance from my gun club bought one of these and he ended up sending it back, terribly inaccurate.

It came back with another cylinder and was reasonably accurate. Couldn't hold a candle to my FA M-97 in .44 Spcl though.

I'm no Ruger fan, but I DO like a few of their special run single actions. I'm tempted to buy one of the TALO birdshead grip, Vaquero's. But I'm a bit hesitant as they seem to have ongoing QC issues.

 

[Charlie98]

I had my cylinder throats reamed, that helped a tad, but it's got the torque bulge in the barrel. I'm going to try to lap it out. I really want to like this pistol... it's way handier than my Vaquero, and balances well.

 

[DPris]

Mine has tight .427 chambers, but it's decently accurate.
Quite like it.
Denis

 

[200Apples]

Mine has tight .427 chambers, but it's decently accurate.

Which is it (since there are now two different guns mentioned in this thread)? The blued gun? or the TALO stainless...

 

[Charlie98]

For reference, mine is the blued 5.5" Lipsey's... the machinist said my cylinder throats were all over the place.

 

[DPris]

Mine is the older original 4.75 blued Lipsey's.

Ruger HAS been all over the place on .44 Special throats among their various offerings.
The first .44 Spec GP I had here had very inconsistent throats.
The second one was standardized at .430.
My Flattop is tight, but at least it's consistent.
Denis

 

[200Apples]

Denis, I haven't taken this 4-5/8" stainless flat top to the range yet, but I did attempt a crude measurement of the cylinder throats by using some .44 cal hardcast pills that measured .430". Seems the throats are at the smallest .4305", possibly .431. I won't know for sure until I get to some pin gauges. The barrel bore is mirror-smooth and it's bore light reflection indicates no constriction at the barrel/frame threads.

My two blued, 5-1/2" .44 Special NM flat tops measure slightly tighter, possibly .430". They cleanly digest Magtech's 44B, a 240 gr LFN that launches at a leisurely 770 fps.

I did just phone Ruger CS. This stainless' serial number shipped Sept. 2015 and was ordered by TALO, but after digging online I suspect there were more of these made for TALO after it's initial 1000-piece order. That's all I have for now.

 

[DPris]

Ruger's had a definite problem in deciding what diameter to standardize on among all of their .44 Special models.
I've discussed it with 'em more than once & a large part of it was a lack of internal company communication.

Whichever size you get, just consider yourself lucky if all the chambers are the SAME size.
Denis

 

[RealGun]

Nice Talo. Count me among the blued Flat Top owners whose gun went back for a new cylinder.

 

[expat_alaska]

That with a non fluted cylinder in 44 mag is my dream gun... Nice find!

Just find a Ruger .44 Mag SBH 3-screw squareback TG (forget about the New Model with the danged hammer/trigger "safety" and the terrible trigger pull) with a 7-1/2" barrel and cut it down, or not. It has a non-fluted cylinder and a Ruger Blackhawk round trigger guard will fit, if needed. I never had a problem with the squareback TG. I reloaded .44 Special (100 cases) for many years and the pressures were so low that the cases lasted forever. Pleasant to shoot and very accurate out of my 7-1/2" gun, much more so than any .44 Mag round. And the 7-1/2" barrel has a better sight radius.

 

[adcoch1]

Just find a Ruger .44 Mag SBH 3-screw squareback TG (forget about the New Model with the danged hammer/trigger "safety" and the terrible trigger pull) with a 7-1/2" barrel and cut it down, or not. It has a non-fluted cylinder and a Ruger Blackhawk round trigger guard will fit, if needed. I never had a problem with the squareback TG. I reloaded .44 Special (100 cases) for many years and the pressures were so low that the cases lasted forever. Pleasant to shoot and very accurate out of my 7-1/2" gun, much more so than any .44 Mag round. And the 7-1/2" barrel has a better sight radius.

View attachment 779109

I have an old abused finish one I cut down to 4 7/8" and its awesome for usability, but the OP gun is beautiful too.

 

[RealGun]

If the Talo is like the other Flat Tops, it will index on the loading gate. That's why I have three different cartridge guns in Flat Top plus my Single Seven, same thing. I have compromised or should say would again on 45 Colt for lack of a Flat Top available. Was never interested in free spin pawls. Just noting that this gun is likely different in some respects from other Blackhawks, aside from the Talo features.

 

[Riomouse911]

Man, those are purrrty!!

Nice pickup!

If I didn't have so many other firearm wants, one of those would certainly be nice to have/shoot.

Let us know how she groups!

 

[200Apples]

Let us know how she groups!

Well, it just so happens...

Took the stainless Special flat top to the range yesterday, along with a newly-acquired 1965 Dakota .357...

The range has installed overhead LED lighting in the shooting bays, and it's not at all like ambient daylight, or incandescent light (check the multiple shadows of the guns on the bench)... makes it hard to focus on the rear sight on the Dakota, and at 10 yards there were holes all over the paper. I brought the target to 7 yards, and it became a little easier... still can't see the rear notch in the receiver very well. It's much easier in daylight. The small holes belong to the Dakota, the large holes, naturally, the .44. Check the top right target area: 10 shots offhand, yards. The Ruger shoots very well but that was with a 240 plated RNFP. I had some lead earlier, but used 'em up on the 10 yrd target.

And this Dakota is a hoot! I ran that Fiocchi .357 Magnum loaded with 158 grain "copper metal jacket" flat points and then some .38 Blazer (brass) 125 grain ball. Neat-lookin' piece, too. Wanted a plinker and got one.

 

[Charlie98]

Nice!

 

[bannockburn]

200Aples

Given the indoor lighting situation I think both guns did fairly well. That target on the upper left looks to have a pretty decent group (I'm guessing that's from the Ruger Flattop).

At the one indoor range I use the lighting downrange is a little lacking making for quite a few shadows on the target at various distances.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Looks a beaut and I really like them black stocks.