Type 2 Ruger 44 Flat-top questions

[baxter007]

I'm the guy that asked about the 38 fitz-special last week. Thanks for all the help. I've requested a letter from Colt so we'll see what I truely have. I have another of my grandfather's guns to research. It's a Type 2 Ruger 44 mag Flat-top, 6 1/2" barrel, SN 1804. Probably shipped in 1957. This time he has engraved his SSN and name in a few places. I ground them off with my dremel thinking I was going to trade it to a friend but that fell through. Now I would like to trade or sell it for a small automatic pistol. Is it worth much?

 

[rcmodel]

Engraving pen SS numbers = Bad news.

Ground them off with a Dremel = OMG!!!! :banghead:

It's worth about 1/2 or less then what it would have been worth.

It would take extensive refinishing work to salvage what you have now.

But there might be someone out there that doesn't care about the damage, or someone looking for Ruger Flat-Top parts, or someone able to restore it.

Unfortunately, a dealer will probably offer you next to nothing on a trade now that the
Dremel Deed is Done.

rcmodel

 

[baxter007]

Would it have been better to leave the engraving? I can't imagine leaving the SSN on it. I don't know why my dad and grandfather insisted on doing this!

 

[rcmodel]

Would it have been better to leave the engraving?

In my opinion, it would have been much better. Guns with SS numbers loose value of course, but not nearly as much as ones that have grinder marks.

Engraving pen markings are really not very obtrusive except up really close.
Grinding them off is.

But maybe you are a true artist with a Dremel, I don't know.

It might have been possible to have engraved over a couple numbers & changed them so no one could have stolen your grandfathers identity.

rcmodel

 

[harmonic]

We used to do crap like that. Engraving SS numbers on tools, stereos, etc.

At some point we realized that our SS number is worth more to a criminal than the stereo. I don't know when we stopped.

The flattop is a valuable piece. The engraved SS number destroyed the collecter's value. Your grinding the number off also hurt the value, but not that much more (than was already hurt).

Not unless you could have convinced somebody that the SS number belonged to Gen George Patton, or something.

It would take extensive refinishing work to salvage what you have now.

Not even a refinished flattop would have any collector's value.

If I were you, I'd sell it on gunbroker and list it with no minimum and no reserve. You'll probably get enough to purchase a small semi auto.

 

[smee781]

How much you want for it?