Ruger 44 Special Flattop

[shoot-n-lead]

I was just over on the Ruger website...it appears that Ruger has dropped the 44 Special Flattop from it's catalog. Does anyone know when this happened...I must have missed it.

The 44 Special is only available with the Bisley gripframe as a Lipsey's Exclusive.

I understand that the 44 Special is a niche gun and that Ruger has to make money...but the 44 Special revolvers have been some of the best quality revolvers that Ruger has ever produced...and just a great firearm by any standard of measure. If they have dropped it as a regular production revolver, it is a shame.

[kingstrider]

I had one when they first came out and thought it was kind of meh. Not sure when they dropped them, probably due to poor sales.

[shoot-n-lead]

I had one when they first came out and thought it was kind of meh. Not sure when they dropped them, probably due to poor sales.

Yeah...but,it ain't as meh as that GP100...and it never generated the complaints of that dog.

[Nueces]

More evidence that one needs to jump on a good gun as soon as it shows itself. Such decisions can look dumb in real time, but darn smart years later.

[Thumbcocker]

Got 4 of them all shoot very well.

[Dale53]

I bought a 5.5" blued Lipsey Special Flattop and a 4 5/8" SS Talo Flattop .44 Special and consider both of them some of the finest Single Action revolvers, ever! I had a trigger job done to each of them and they both will shoot well under 1" at 25 yards off a rest.

I assumed that they were limited editions at the time so I jumped on them. They were, and are, superb field revolvers with a variety of loads. My standard field load is a 250 gr. Keith bullet ahead of 7.5 grs. Of Unique (the Skeeter load). It is an excellent field load as well as a superb self defense load.

FWIW,
Dale53

[shoot-n-lead]

I bought a 5.5" blued Lipsey Special Flattop and a 4 5/8" SS Talo Flattop .44 Special and consider both of them some of the finest Single Action revolvers, ever! I had a trigger job done to each of them and they both will shoot well under 1" at 25 yards off a rest.

I assumed that they were limited editions at the time so I jumped on them. They were, and are, superb field revolvers with a variety of loads. My standard field load is a 250 gr. Keith bullet ahead of 7.5 grs. Of Unique (the Skeeter load). It is an excellent field load as well as a superb self defense load.

FWIW,
Dale53

I have the same revolvers and I bought them when they were limited editions. After these first and second runs, Ruger made the blue guns, regular catalogs items...but, I guess they have stopped production of them, now.

[rintinglen]

I'm glad I got mine when I did. It is superb. I am saving my shekels for the Bisley Stainless now and hoping the money arrives before the guns are gone.
Why wasn't I born rich instead of beautiful, or delusional.

[Beagle333]

Well I guess I had better grab one of those Bisleys from Lipseys before they're gone, if that is the last of the .44 specials. :shock:

[376Steyr]

In my experience, the .44 Special market is a great way for a manufacturer to sell a limited number of guns to a relatively small number of enthusiasts, who snap them up immediately, but then the market is saturated, and sales drop off, and the model is dropped. After a few years go by, and umpteen articles are written about how great the .44 Special is, there is a new crop of buyers, and another chance to sell a few .44 Specials. Moral of the story: Buy a .44 Special whenever you get the chance, it probably won't be there later.

[shoot-n-lead]

In my experience, the .44 Special market is a great way for a manufacturer to sell a limited number of guns to a relatively small number of enthusiasts, who snap them up immediately, but then the market is saturated, and sales drop off, and the model is dropped. After a few years go by, and umpteen articles are written about how great the .44 Special is, there is a new crop of buyers, and another chance to sell a few .44 Specials. Moral of the story: Buy a .44 Special whenever you get the chance, it probably won't be there later.

I agree...and, also, the 44 special is a reloader's cartridge...if you don't reload it is expensive to shoot IF you can even find the ammo. There tons of gun shops across this country that never stock 44 special ammo.

[Beagle333]

Since I do want one before they disappear, I wrote to Ruger this morning and asked about the availability of .44sp flattops.
The reply:

Dear Chuck,

The 44 flattops are now exclusively through Lipsey’s, and most of them went out of production. If you happen to find one, grab it while you can. They are now in limited supply. Thank you for your email.

so, it's official. Get em while you can.


(I put mine on layaway this morning!!):D

[white eagle]

I have a 4.5" Bisley model flat top and absolutely love that gun
shoots like a dream very accurate and easy to carry
I like Dale53 shoot Skeeter's load most of the time but every
once in awhile I load it up with 2400 like ol Elmer did
this is the gun that I will carry from now until I can no longer hunt