My Ruger Flattop 44 special

[Bazoo]

I bought this off gunbroker a while back. I didn’t care for the Xr3 size grip frame so I added the XR3-red sized frame. I went with stainless because I seen a Taffin article with a similar gun and fell in love.

So far it’s been accurate within my ability to shoot it. I don’t have a mechanical rest and I can’t sandbag a handgun without giving me carpal tunnel flair ups. Sitting, rested off my knees it does 2-3” at 25 yards but could do better if I could see better and hold better.

I think this is from the original lipseys run according to my research. I’ve wanted one of these a while and finally got it to happen.

Holster is a simply rugged sourdough pancake with IWB tabs. It’s actually very comfortable.

Thanks for looking.

https://i.postimg.cc/xdJkR5FY/B2-ECB96-A-809-A-40-A3-B96-E-1527-D4559382.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/QNkF0HSB/EB9-A3650-5-AAC-4-CE7-8-F35-B18-D4-F20-B7-FD.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Jt07h7fm)

https://i.postimg.cc/x8HhywLH/5-B106009-13-F2-4-EC6-9026-54-AA72068-C85.jpg (https://postimg.cc/BPSmJwYQ)

[Thumbcocker]

They are some sweet 6 guns. Here is one I made a 2 tone.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211010/cac7970de277f49c52c6d3dd602857d4.jpg

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[david s]

The two tone looks pretty sweet. Among my many firearm regrets is not picking up one of the Flat Top 44 Specials when they first appeared.

[Iwsbull]

I was thinking of getting a sourdough holster for mine as well, how is the retention or would you recommend getting the strap for open carry in the field? 290099

[Bazoo]

Retention is good. It isn’t super tight but is molded good. I haven’t worn it owb yet, but iwb there is no chance it will come up on you. If I was going to be riding hard trail 4wheeler or horse, I’d probably want the retention strap.

[Sasquatch-1]

Very nice.

This is how I choose to set off my 357 convertible.

290108

[rintinglen]

290117290118
This one of my favorite firearms. It handles the Skeeter load wonderfully well, carries easily in the pancake holster I made and is more accurate than any 44 I ever had. But I do like the two-tone look on that frame. I am still kicking myself for not buying a Bisley Model when they were readily available.

[Jtarm]

Cool holster. What make?

[stubshaft]

I also carry my 5 1/2" Lipsey Bisley Flattop in a Simply Rugged pancake when hunting. I wear it OWB and have not had any problems with retention.

[6string]

Very nice revolvers! I missed these when they first came out. But, the temptation grew after I read an interesting article by Ross Seyfried. He got a pair of these, gave them each an initial test, and decided to address the thread choke at the breech.
One he fire lapped, the other he had Taylor throated.

here's the article:
https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/ross-seyfried-lipseys-ruger-flattop-44-special-bisley-revolvers/

I imagine a number of you guys have tried this. Thoughts?

[pworley1]

Very nice Rugers.

[alamogunr]

I tried finding a Lipsey Flat Top stainless. No luck whatsoever. Called Lipsey and was told that Ruger is not building much beyond semi-autos.

Finally, bit the bullet and bought a FA 97 in .44 Spec. Well satisfied(and broke).

[white eagle]

I have a bisley flat top 44 special and it is my favorite pistol
carry mine in a El Paso saddlery western holster
did I say it was my favorite

[Good Cheer]

Anybody using Lyman #429478?

[Iwsbull]

I use the MP 640 mold with large hp and an Accurate mold 43-258J. The swc shot great at near Keith load and the hp likes a milder load of longshot.

[rkrcpa]

I have one from the original Lipsey's run but it pretty much stays in the safe
https://i.imgur.com/5Pe0cnS.jpg?1

My preference is for the Bisley grip version
https://i.imgur.com/iTMlb9z.jpg?2

[Bazoo]

Nice pictures all.

I have started wearing the sourdough holster OWB. It’s very comfortable that way too. The angle and ride height are just right for me. Retention is good, no chance of loosing the gun during anything other than the roughest activity.

So far, the best load I’ve tried is 7.0 unique with the RCBS 44-250-K. I haven’t tried the skeeter load yet but will shortly.

[Char-Gar]

Some of us got a head-up these were coming out and I got my order in to Lipsey's ASAP and got one of the first 500. It is a 5.5" bbl revolver. Best darn Ruger I have every owned. I have done nothing to it except a grip change and a rear sight blade change.

[JoeJames]

I tried finding a Lipsey Flat Top stainless. No luck whatsoever. Called Lipsey and was told that Ruger is not building much beyond semi-autos.

Finally, bit the bullet and bought a FA 97 in .44 Spec. Well satisfied(and broke).I first had a Lipsey BH in blued, but not long after that my cousin who had a pawn shop called me and I traded the blued one plus $50 boot for the one in stainless. It is way more accurate that I am.[

ATTACH=CONFIG]291272[/ATTACH]

[Bazoo]

I did try the skeeter load today and it was just as accurate and pleasant as the 7.0 load. I’m going to play at the other end too. I’d like a mild shooting special. Maybe 200 grains and 4.0 of bullseye area. Guess we’ll see what I come up with.

[AnthonyB]

I have the standard and Bisley models, both with the 4 5/8 inch barrel. They really are special revolvers. I have been shooting the Skeeter load in both but am also ready to drop down to a milder 200 grain load. Will be following your progress with much interest.
Tony

[rintinglen]

Anybody using Lyman #429478?

I have that mold (Somewhere,:roll:) but I did not have much luck with it. Groups were half again as large as I was getting with the heavier, Keith type boolits. It does not shoot nearly as well in my 44's as I would like. The most accurate lighter boolit I have found is the 429-215, but that is a gas-check design.

[JoeJames]

I sold my S&W Model 629 not long after I got the Lipsey Ruger 44 Special mostly because I had no use for it anymore. I prefer more sedate but accurate 44 Special loads running around 894 fps. I saw no reason to try to crank them back up to near 44 Magnum velocities with the Skeeter load. But obviously the 44 Special has room for different tastes.

[Bazoo]

I understand not wanting to hotrod the special. The skeeter load is nowhere near a 44 magnum though, in either pressure or velocity. It’s too hot for general plinking I find. But it’s nice to know it’s there if I want it.

When I had a 44 magnum, I generally shot special to skeeter loads. Occasionally I’d shoot magnums and starting magnums but I always found myself using the special or +p special loads.

The itch to swap spurred me to get the flattop special. Coupled with drooling over a picture or two in a Taffin article. I’ve always had that itch to swap unfortunately. It’s caused me to get rid of some nice guns.

The 7.0 unique load I tried leaded very minor with a 50/50 ww/Pb +Sn alloy. The 7.5 unique skeeter load leaded much more. I think the alloy is too soft for that pressure. I’ll try some with WW+Sn alloy next. If I don’t get sidetracked on another project.

[eastbank]

291306291307 as i like shooting double action i opted for a four inch 624 in 44 spl.

[Thumbcocker]

Nothing wrong with those Smiths. They had real rifling. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211106/f5ccaf75e095cad0045bf5cb59e44488.jpg

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[curioushooter]

Love it. Really like the stainless two-tone. Kinda wish my 5.5" Bisley looked that way.

What I'd really like is a BRASS frame though, but not with a "Dragoon" finger biter trigger guard.

I've frankly been amazed at 44 special in these revolvers. Outstanding cartridge. The skeeter load (7.5 grains of Unique with a 429421) is outstanding all around load, and it frankly feels like a target load in these heavy revolvers. It works with pretty much any SWC about 250-260 grains. There is of course the near 44 magnum Keith loads, which frankly run about as powerful as much modern 44 mag ammo. I get 1250 FPS from my Blackhawk using the H&G503 MP bullet and 16.5 grains of 2400. I've chrononed a lot of new 44 mag ammo back when I had one and it was about that fast.

And there is a whole fun word in between these loads. I am beginning to favor 9 grains of Herco with 503 bullet which runs just under 1100 FPS, or just sub sonic. Very potent, not punishing, and surprisingly quiet.

[Rodfac]

Having read everything Skeeter wrote about the .44 Spl back in the early '70's, I was overjoyed when Lipsey's announced Ruger would make a trial run of Flat Top BH's in that wonderful caliber. I read the release, and made the call immediately, getting one of the first 4-5/8" bbl'd ones & it turned out to be all that I'd hoped over those long decades of waiting. (1st Pic below of a 25 yd group shot with it just after I got it). Over the past decade it's turned out to be the single most accurate revolver that I've ever owned.

Then, somewhat later, less than a year IIRC, I found a 5-1/2" Lipsey's model at the Knob Creek Range Gun Shop here in KY. It was new and at a good price and I promptly bought it, but feeling somewhat disloyal to my original 4-5/8" model. As it turned out, the 5-1/2" bbl'd gun was no more accurate (even with that add'l inter-sight distance) than its shorter stable mate. And, too, it's not as comfortable while carrying in a high-rise OWB holster. I much prefer the shorter bbl. as a result.

Lastly, I found & bought the most useful of those Ruger Flat Tops, the stainless steel 4-5/8" bbl'd one. It's proven to be my usual carry choice for work around the farm when I feel like toting a 45 oz. revolver, leaving me with no worries about bluing/rust problems. Both are essentially equal in terms of accuracy, and have similarly good/excellent triggers.

For all three of these Ruger Flat Tops, I've performed the "poor boy's trigger job" modification. (Lifting one of the trigger return spring arms off its peg.) This simple procedure has left them with a nice let off at an estimated 4 lb. trigger pull weight...my preference for any SA sixgun.

Loads are easy in all of them: Skelton's justly famous daily working load: 7.5 gr of Unique backing any quality 240 gr LSWC for ~950 fps from 4-1/2 to 5-1/2" bbl's. This load has worked very well indeed in every .44, Mag or Spl, that I've shot to include all the Rugers as well as a Colt SAA 5-1/2" and an original Smith M-24 w/6-1/2" bbl. All of them will plunk a cylinder full into less than 2" at 25 yds all day long.

And their moderate recoil allows plenty of practice without beating up the shooter. BTW, that same load (7.5 gr of Unique) is also a winner with Lyman's 429215 gc (220 gr) and their equally great 429244 gc (250+ gr). My mold cabinet also has Lyman' 429421 and Mihec's MP 433-244 solid and HP, MP 432-256 solid, and RCBS' 43-250? Can't remember it's exact designation but it's a Keith 240-250 gr look alike. All do outstanding work with Skeeter's old prescription. Too, I'll add that I've not had a lick of trouble from leading with any of them. My alloy is: ACWW +1-2% tin sized to 0.430" and lubed with 50-50 beeswax/alox.

When I've run low on Unique, I've had equal accuracy and velocity with a grain more of Herco, and a half a grain less of Win 231. I'd contend that these loads are good for most any lawful purpose, here in the lower 48, that can be handled by a sixgun...further, inside 50 yds, I'd say they're good for all but the big bears anywhere.

These are just some musings from an old but dyed in the wool . 44 Special aficionado. Pics: 1st is the original Lipsey's .44 Spl with a pair of my stocks replacing the factory 'cheese cutters'. The 2nd is the SS version, again with set of home-made grips in black & white ebony. YMMv, Rod

https://i.postimg.cc/ry1jJz5D/Dave_44_Tgt_Pic.jpg (https://postimg.cc/235njkcY)

https://i.postimg.cc/RhYZ8N7v/Ruger-44-SS-B-W-grips.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Rodfac]

Very nice 624 Eastbank. That's one of my 'grail' guns, tho I'm running out of time...75 yo now. I understand there was some sort of problem with the heat treating on 624 cylinders, IIRC. Was yours subject to the Smith recall? Best regards, Rod

[AnthonyB]

Very nice 624 Eastbank. That's one of my 'grail' guns, tho I'm running out of time...75 yo now. I understand there was some sort of problem with the heat treating on 624 cylinders, IIRC. Was yours subject to the Smith recall? Best regards, Rod
Rodfac, I have one of the “problem” 624s. Bought mine at the Nation’s Gun Show in Dulles, VA. Mine will chamber a 44 Mag round, though a too-long round will obviously tie up the cylinder. Never found corroboration, but I think the faulty chambering and not heat treating was the problem. Smith has no more cylinders and will supposedly issue any revolver in the lineup as a replacement if one of the revolvers is sent in for work. Mine has a big note to never do that!
Tony

[Bazoo]

Eastbank, very very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Rod, howdy neighbor. Thanks for sharing your experiences. That stainless model is very nice.

[Dale53]

Rod;
That is EXCELLENT shooting, my friend. When those flattops hit the market, I got a blued 5.5” barreled one and put my favored Pachmayr grips on it. It shoots like a “House Afire”. I also got a SS Flat Top with a 4 5/8” barrel for field use. It shoots as well as the blued one. I had a trigger job done on each of them. I left the SS stocks as issued and it meets John Taffin’s criteria as a perfect packing pistol.

I mostly use the Skeeter load but 4.0 grs. Of Red Dot behind a 200 gr Group Buy wadcutter works extremely well for a nice target and small game load!

FWIW,
Dale53

[Bazoo]

I agree with Dale, that is excellent shooting.

Mine had some creep when I got it. But it had a lighter hammer spring. I put a standard Blackhawk spring in it. It helped with a solid hammer hit as well as improved the creep. The free spin pawl Ruger uses has a nub on the bottom that makes it move back from the cylinder ratchet. With the light spring, I was getting the hammer not all the way down after a dry fire. I prefer a standard spring feel anyways.

When I changed grip frames I put an older hammer in as the original one didn’t match the ears well enough. The hammer base was proud. The hammer I used improved the trigger pull and it’s clean and fairly crisp.

I also removed the protrusion on the transfer bar. Reports are that it’ll eventually break the transfer bar, though I’ve not had one long enough to do it. I just filed it flush. I have a bit more to go, but only a few thousands. If I dry fire it, and press on the back of the hammer, it will pin the transfer bar. Just polishing the transfer bar will likely make it just right.

[Green Frog]

This thread has really piqued my interest. At the ripe old age of 72, I’ve owned and shot a respectable variety of firearms, long and short. Through all of this, the only caliber I’ve never owned that I still see as a gap in my life is a 44 Special. I’ve owned a Model 29 S&W, but never a Model 24/624 nor a Flat Top Ruger in 44 Spl, so this is about the only thing I’d really go out of my way to acquire. When I visit my friend who owns both I can experience them both vicariously, but I still walk away empty handed and heavy of heart. :cry:

Keep this up and maybe I’ll figure out which minor organ I can do without to trade for one of these neat little guns, the smallest of the true big bores, IMHO.

Froggie

[Good Cheer]

I have that mold (Somewhere,:roll:) but I did not have much luck with it. Groups were half again as large as I was getting with the heavier, Keith type boolits. It does not shoot nearly as well in my 44's as I would like. The most accurate lighter boolit I have found is the 429-215, but that is a gas-check design.

Thanks for the feed back. It's a mold I intend to try out and have just been busy with other things.

[DHDeal]

I bought the 4 5/8" SS Bisley version a couple years back. I had some nicely figured Walnut grips made for it, spent some time on the internals for a nice pull, and put Bowen rear and Garza front sights on it. No warts on my revolver.

About the only bullets that have been down the barrel are the PB and GC 432-640 powder coated. It doesn't seem to matter whether I use the large or small HP pins. Universal, Longshot, or HS6 shoot well with HS6 used most. I mostly stay in the so called tier II level (Brian Pearce).

They're great revolvers!

[umwminer]

If any of you gents run onto a Lipsey’s .44sp Bisley for sale that you don’t want for yourself, please let me know .

[curioushooter]

I got the 5.5" model simply because Ohio requires 5" of barrel length to hunt deer.

[7x57Hunter]

291870

Here is mine, recently acquired.

[Iwsbull]

Nice

[Bazoo]

Well I still am enjoying working with the 44 flattop. I been carrying it every day for bout a year now. I’ve worked up some decent loads. When my eyes and hands are fresh, I’ve occasionally printed groups in the 1” at 15-20yards range with a few of my loads.

[Thumbcocker]

They are very good guns. Ruger got them right. Probably my favorite revolvers.

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[Bazoo]

Here’s a couple targets with a load I use a lot as a general purpose. This is as good as I can do when I’m not having a bad hand or eye day. I once could do better but I’m happy enough with it.

6 shots on one, followed immediately by 12 on another. Please disregard the 22 bullet holes.
https://i.postimg.cc/vT1pfYhD/E25345-F4-744-B-48-DF-B122-F5-AEA6-ED68-E7.jpg (https://postimg.cc/hQByqqHq)

[Bazoo]

This might be of interest to some. I sectioned some 44 special brass and some 44 magnum brass (some was already cut to special length) to see what variation it has.

Note there is a difference between the RP special and magnum brass.
https://i.postimg.cc/1Rk75n4V/842-CC98-C-5-DFF-4714-B1-B8-AE474480-F29-B.jpg (https://postimg.cc/LhV3xstm)

[murf205]

Bazoo, that is a classic if one ever was and kudo's to all the other Ruger 44 pics and the great shooting all you guys did. I used to suffer (literally) from magnumitis when I was younger but later I discovered that the 44 spl would do the same thing at 50 yds the 44 would do at 100yds and I could'nt recall but a couple of times the magnum was used that far away anyhow. My son bought a Lipsey's Ruger flat top and that did it! I found one of the last nickel Model 24 S&W's to get out of the factory before they quit nickeling guns. I'm not sure whether the rifling is EDM or cut but it is no slouch since I opened the cylinder throats from .428 to .432. and probably due to the inherent accuracy of the spl round. It is almost as accurate as my 1929 Hand Ejector 44 spl. It looks better with the Herretts stocks. Froggie, you just 'gotta get a 44 spl.300822300823300824300825300827