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Thread: Ruger 44 mag flat top.

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    GOPHER SLAYER's Avatar
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    Ruger 44 mag flat top.

    I took my Granddaughter to the range today and had a great time. There was a man shooting a Ruger Flat Top in 44Mag. He was shooting full bore hair of the dog ammo. I walked over to the bench they were shooting from and asked to see the pistol. He handed it to me and I couldn't believe what great shape it was in. He said it was his dad's and he didn't shoot it much. I told him you shouldn't either, at least not with that ammo. He said, why not, it says 44Mag. I told him I have seen several of them in gun shops years ago with the top strap curled up and the top half of the cylinder no where in sight. I also told him that's why they changed the design.The pistol had a four digit serial # beginning with 9 so it could have been a first year production. He said he took it to a gun shop and the man told him it had been re blued so it was not worth as much as it would have if it had been left as new. I told him it was still a very valuable pistol no matter what the man said. I also told him it would probably bring a thousand dollars in today's market. If you really want one, where are you going to buy it? I had one years ago with a four digit # beginning with 7. I wish I still had it.
    A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    A 4 digit FT 44 with the number 9 being the first digit, would have been a 3rd year production gun. It would have been a "Type 2," Type 2A, or even a Type 3." A few details on parts make the differences. A Type 2 in very good shape & not reblued is worth about $900,, while a Type 2A or Type 3 in original condition & in good shape would be worth about $800. A reblue reduces the value by about $200.
    This info comes from the Red Eagle News Reference & price guide.

    And you are correct in that it really shouldn't be shooting "rocks & dynamite" loads.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Contender, I only hope the man believed what I told him and doesn't keep shooting that ammo until he blows up the pistol and looses parts of his anatomy. I do wish the so called gunsmith he took it to would have told him what I did. Those pistols were made on the original Ruger .357 single action frame. Elmer Kieth warned Bill Ruger that the frame was too small. The man who had the 44 Ruger today didn't know who Elmer Kieth was. What a pity. I should have told the man to shoot 44 Specials in the pistol. Tell me something contender. Do you ever see these old Fat Tops for sale? I never do.
    A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    You are quite correct about not shooting full power loads in the old Ft. And yes,, Elmer did advise on the Super over the original.

    As for these OM FT's for sale. Yes,, I've seen 4 for sale in the last month. But I've been more aware of them, and look at ALL Om Rugers I come across. Just a few weeks ago, in Ohio at the OGCA summer show/meeting,, I saw one, walking around the show FS. Sadly, it's condition & the asking price was not what any of the 25 or so Ruger collectors who were there & saw it felt was a fair buy. There were 2 others FS at this show,, and I know one of them sold. And I saw another one sell on the Ruger Forum a little while back. Heck,, if you really want to talk rare,, I barely missed a mahogany boxed, long frame Super just last week. Only about 300 of those made.
    I did buy an OM 357/9mm convertible, with the "D" prefix serial number at the OGCA show. That one cost me $475.

    The OM FT 44's have a production number of around 23,000. Actually more than the OM 45's that were built.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy Arkansas Paul's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GOPHER SLAYER View Post
    Do you ever see these old Fat Tops for sale? I never do.

    I actually saw one on Armslist a couple months ago.
    It was $595 but it was in rough condition, finish wise.
    Nearly all of the bluing was gone and the grips were worn, but the ad said it locked up tight.

    If I had one, I would shoot the snot out of it, but probably with mostly Specials.
    Life is a series of bullseyes and backstraps - Ted Nugent

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    The 44 Flat Top I have talked about was in perfect condition. I don't believe it had been re blued. That is just what the man in the gun shop told the owner. He had no idea. When I looked at i,t the stamped lettering on the barrel was perfect with no over buffed letters. I have seen many guns ruined by over buffing or done by the new kid in the shop. If the pistol I saw yesterday was in a gun shop in California it would not have a price on it of $600. The flat top Rugers are very much in demand. A .357 recently sold on this sight for well over $600.The SFT is just too big and heavy. I had one and hated it. A man at work heard me talking about it and offered to trade me a .357 three screw for it. I said OK if you give me $50 to boot. He went for it. I still have the 3 screw but I would prefer the 44 Flat Top. I wish I had taken a picture of the pistol I saw yesterday. I tell you , it would be like buying a new 44 Flat Top in today's gun market. I went on the Ruger forum trying to find a 44 Flat Top for sale but I didn't see a selling section. Maybe it was the wrong site.
    A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy glaciers's Avatar
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    Contender1, I have a flat top 10" 44 serial #23,xxx about a 85% to 90% bluing, tight gun. I was hoping you could shed some light about the 10", value, numbers made, so on.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    GS; I know some GOOD gunsmiths who can re-blue a gun to where you have a HARD time telling it from original. There are a few tricks to know for sure. (I always pull the cylinder,, and check the firing pin bushing. One of the little items not normally removed for a re-blue job.)
    Also,, a really good high intensity flashlight, along with a magnifier can reveal polish marks etc.
    And I know in Ca,, your laws may make some guns sell for more than they will in other places. Many of us collectors contribute to a survey annually by the RENE on gun values. We post real world prices we'd pay for a certain gun. This information is shared with the publishers of the Blue Book. I usually contribute to that guide.

    glaciers; You have a desirable gun. Your gun is known as a BKH-40 model. It has the features of a "Type 4". A straight slot ERH, the barrel address doesn't have the Eagle. Serial number range for those is; 17150 to 24088. However, the actual production numbers are around 1500 guns. An honest NRA grading of 85%-90% would put the value at about $1500. If you have the original box, marked with BKH-40,, and it's in good condition,, the box is also worth about $1500. If you have the outer brown cardboard shipper,,, even more,, as those are SUPER scarce.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy glaciers's Avatar
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    Well the story is, I got this gun from Stanley's Gun Room on South Main in Santa Ana, California in the late 60's, back when most of California still was in the USA. The gun was stolen from Stan's shop along with other handguns, and recovered within the same week. There are a few marks from being in a canvas sack that contribute to the lower blue percentage, nothing bad, also holster ware. So no box or extras. The unfortunate thing is it was changed to the Ruger brass frame and did not come with the original aluminum frame. At least I assume it did not come from Ruger with the brass frame. So I don't know what that brass frame would do to the value. But.................
    Thanks for the information.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Contender, I do not disagree with your assessment of the pistol in question among collectors but the people I am talking about don't care about collecting. They just want the smaller frame Flat Top to shoot, mostly with 44 Specials and those a little warm if you like. I, like most of us older shooters have regrets about the great guns we have sold and the one near the top of my list is the 44 Mag Flat Top I sold over a quarter of a century ago. To help with the point I am trying to make I will tell you about a S&W Chief,s Special I bought in a yard sale for $125. It had a three inch barrel and square butt. The pistol was easy to conceal in a jacket pocket and I could keep a soda can rolling at twenty feet with no trouble. Well, in a fit of madness I traded it off. Several years ago S&W brought back some of their classics and my little .38 was in the catalog, if you had a thousand bucks to spare. Point is, I wanted it to shoot, not to stick in a safe. There will never ever be any more of the Flat Tops in any caliber so if you want one to shoot you have to be willing to pay the price. At my age it is not on my shopping list.
    A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    glaciers, your gun may be worth a little more,, depending upon the condition. A LOT depends upon that. And a brass grip frame. If it's a Ruger brass g/f,, (pull the grips, and see if the frame is marked; MR3DB) that piece alone is worth in the neighborhood of $250-$300. An original XR3 g/f will cost around $100,, and a proper set of period correct grips,, $75-$100. The brassie grips,, depending upon the vintage,, from about $40-$75. So,,,, if you wanted to put it back as shipped,, (easily done,) you could sell the brass g/f & grips,, buy the correct stuff & pocket some money. And,,, no,, none of those guns were ever shipped with the brass g/f. Brass was an option offered much later. And the brass is the same shape as the Super Blackhawk.

    Gopher Slayer,, I fully understand your thinking. There are shooters & there are collectors. A shooter doesn't care about details & condition as a collector will. I bought my first FT44, totally shooter grade,, a Type 2, 4 digit,, for $160 in 2001. I have a couple more now,, and I have seen several for sale in different places. And a shooter grade,,,now,, depending on a few things,, from $600-$700 for most of us. Sadly,, you live in a state where the restrictions have made some guns more desirable due to them NOT being subject to many of the stupid laws y'all have to deal with. But,, if you got away from Ca.,,, you'd be able to find stuff if you did a little searching.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy glaciers's Avatar
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    Contender1
    Yes it's a MR3DB frame with Ruger wood grips. The grips have been on there since I purchase it in the late 60's. To be honest, after looking it over it's 80% to 85%. I always wanted a 6 1/2" FT 44. But, so many guns, so little money, and time.
    And thanks, again for the info.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Well, even in poorer condition,, it's still a desirable gun to own by any budding collector. If you collect,, and don't have a 10" version,, then any silid one is desirable until you can "trade up!" Still can be worth from $1200 to $1500 depending upon how critical an eye a collector has & how much the "want factor" is. I'm going to send you a PM with a question.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy Hardcast's Avatar
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    A good friend has one with a 3 digit serial number. It's in very nice condition. I told him "I'll give you $300.00 for it". He replied "Yea, I'll bet you would, ha ha".

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Now Hardcast,,, don'tcha go & give us poor gun traders a bad name like those nasty fishermen who always catch & release those whoppers!

    Seriously,,, when it comes to buying, selling & trading,, a good policy to remember is this; "If the seller offers you a steal of a deal (and he's trustworthy,) give them their asking price & don't offer less. That way,, when they find out later it's worth more,, they can't get mad at you for paying their asking price. If the price offered is fair, and in the ball park of it's true value,, then depending upon the personalities of each party,, haggling is a fun form of making a deal. And of course,, if a gun is well over priced,, then politely decline, and walk away."
    The above advice was given to me many years ago by a very true Southern Gentleman who was well liked & respected in the gun trading community.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Contender, you gave some very good advice and I couldn't agree more. As my dear Mom used to say," that boy has a head full of sense".
    Last edited by GOPHER SLAYER; 08-06-2019 at 01:52 PM.
    A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Hardcast's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by contender1 View Post
    Now Hardcast,,, don'tcha go & give us poor gun traders a bad name like those nasty fishermen who always catch & release those whoppers!
    He is a very close friend and knew I was pulling his leg.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    If we can't pull the chain of our friends,, why have friends?

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I have a NM FT BH 44 magnum (50th Anniversary) and enjoy shooting full bore 44 Magnum loads in it. No problems like with the original OM FTBH.

    Attachment 246395

    Attachment 246396
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy McLintock's Avatar
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    Actually, all the 44 Flattops were on the larger Ruger frame, same size as the Super, 30 Carbine, 45 Colts and 41 Mags. One of the main differences between it and the Super, besides the ears to improve sight protection, was the unfluted cylinder of the Super. This one change made the Super quite a bit stronger in the cylinder area. I took a 30 Carbine cylinder, had it rebored for 44 WCF for shooting black powder loads and it works great in my 44 Flattop.
    McLintock

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