gun shop find

[Lloyd Smale]

went it the gun shop the other day and the owner who knows i like rugers came out of the back with a flattop .357 a good solid tight gun with some bluing wear. when i asked how much he appologized and said he had to get $300 for it. Needless to say i bought it on the spot. Now i have to come up with more money for another conversion project!!

[daddywpb]

Wow! Wish I could run across something like that. A Great gun and a great buy!

[44 Man]

Now fella's, guess I have to play the devil's advocate on this one.  I enjoy my Rugers as much as anyone.  And I enjoy making a gun over into my idea of the perfect carry gun.  I also would jump at a flattop .44 in an instant, but I would shoot only warm .44 spl loads in it (900 to 1000 fps).  I've thought many times about a .357 to .44 spl conversion, and decided, No thank you.  They make great carry guns, I'll give you that.  But when all that work is done; installing a .44 bbl, cut and remount the front sight, and reboring the cylinder; you still have to refinish, and deal with the aluminum grip frame.  Just seems easier to me to pick up a Colt New Frontier in .44 spl and cut the bbl to your carry preference.  About the same price after all the work on the Ruger.  About the same weight.  Both would be 5 shooters (keep an empty under the hammer).  But the Colt is a lot prettier (and has a steel grip frame).  You put in a wolff mainspring and a wire trigger/bolt spring, and all of the hullabaloo about Colt spring breakage goes away.  Your Ruger is a wonderful find, even better at the price you paid.  Enjoy your conversion and shoot it a lot.  I just thought I would stir the pot a little with my thoughts.  44 Man

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got two of them now a .41 mag and a 44 special and though i respect your opinion theres just something about having one made just the way you want them that brings a little more pride to ownership. My .41 has the al. grip frame polished and i think it looks nice the .44 has had a steel old army grip frame fitted. I dont know what to do with this one. I dont like the alum grip frames that much but this one has the old colt size frame on it. I guess ill have to talk to Bowen and get some advise on this one.

Now fella's, guess I have to play the devil's advocate on this one.  I enjoy my Rugers as much as anyone.  And I enjoy making a gun over into my idea of the perfect carry gun.  I also would jump at a flattop .44 in an instant, but I would shoot only warm .44 spl loads in it (900 to 1000 fps).  I've thought many times about a .357 to .44 spl conversion, and decided, No thank you.  They make great carry guns, I'll give you that.  But when all that work is done; installing a .44 bbl, cut and remount the front sight, and reboring the cylinder; you still have to refinish, and deal with the aluminum grip frame.  Just seems easier to me to pick up a Colt New Frontier in .44 spl and cut the bbl to your carry preference.  About the same price after all the work on the Ruger.  About the same weight.  Both would be 5 shooters (keep an empty under the hammer).  But the Colt is a lot prettier (and has a steel grip frame).  You put in a wolff mainspring and a wire trigger/bolt spring, and all of the hullabaloo about Colt spring breakage goes away.  Your Ruger is a wonderful find, even better at the price you paid.  Enjoy your conversion and shoot it a lot.  I just thought I would stir the pot a little with my thoughts.  44 Man

[44 Man]

Lloyd, you just mentioned a conversion that had completely slipped my mind.  The 41 mag!  Now you are talking!  There are too many other possibilities for .44spl, such as a Colt/clone with a 3 1/2" bbl and round butt with thinned grips.  But when you talk 41 Mag, that would be a sweetheart packing gun.  Hummmmm......you got me thinking.  By the way, how much snow do you have?   44 Man

[Lloyd Smale]

weve been getting hit pretty hard with the snow lately snowmobiles are running all over the place. Youd probably like the other gun im haveing built right now its an old model single six thats going to be a roundbutted 4 inch 41 special 5 shot..

Lloyd, you just mentioned a conversion that had completely slipped my mind.  The 41 mag!  Now you are talking!  There are too many other possibilities for .44spl, such as a Colt/clone with a 3 1/2" bbl and round butt with thinned grips.  But when you talk 41 Mag, that would be a sweetheart packing gun.  Hummmmm......you got me thinking.  By the way, how much snow do you have?   44 Man

[44 Man]

Sounds sweet!  I had Ken Kelly (Mag-na-port) build me a NMBH .45 colt up with a round butt alum grip frame and cut the bbl to 4".  It was one sweet gun!  I especially liked the 4" barrel.  He put a polish and blue on it that you could comb your hair in (if I had any!).  I had a stupid attack and decided I was going to only shoot .44s, no .45s and sold it and all my dies etc.  Then last summer I fell into a Hartford .45 cheap.  I was going to use the frame for a short barreled .44 conversion, but I made the mistake of shooting it before I pulled the .45 bbl.  That gun was a shooter and a keeper.  So..........had to buy new dies, etc (again!).....seems like we would learn after a while, doesn't it?  I'll make a point to get a motorcycle ride up there this summer and we can burn some powder and discuss the merits of various conversions.  I have a SBH 5" that Ken has lavished over also.  I keep thinking of that 4" barrel and wanting to have this one cut (again).  It's a lot of work for one inch, but we want what we want don't we.  (This is where an old flattop .44 mag would be nice.  Cut it to 4" and RB it)  44 Man

[Tc300mag1]

Good Deal i saw a Flattop Ruger 357 about a week ago and they want $500+ for it

[Lloyd Smale]

come on up well take the linebaughs out and exersize them. I got a new one of those comming too. Its a round butted 4 inch stainless vaquaro in .500 should be a cute little pop gun.

Sounds sweet!  I had Ken Kelly (Mag-na-port) build me a NMBH .45 colt up with a round butt alum grip frame and cut the bbl to 4".  It was one sweet gun!  I especially liked the 4" barrel.  He put a polish and blue on it that you could comb your hair in (if I had any!).  I had a stupid attack and decided I was going to only shoot .44s, no .45s and sold it and all my dies etc.  Then last summer I fell into a Hartford .45 cheap.  I was going to use the frame for a short barreled .44 conversion, but I made the mistake of shooting it before I pulled the .45 bbl.  That gun was a shooter and a keeper.  So..........had to buy new dies, etc (again!).....seems like we would learn after a while, doesn't it?  I'll make a point to get a motorcycle ride up there this summer and we can burn some powder and discuss the merits of various conversions.  I have a SBH 5" that Ken has lavished over also.  I keep thinking of that 4" barrel and wanting to have this one cut (again).  It's a lot of work for one inch, but we want what we want don't we.  (This is where an old flattop .44 mag would be nice.  Cut it to 4" and RB it)  44 Man

[BruceP]

Great find, good deal. The part of this thread that interest me most so far is the five shot single six 41 special. I have a new model single six Bisley .22lr that I have had passing thoughts of making a 32 H&R mag. or even a .38 special if that would fit. I never thought about the 41 special being workable.
BruceP

[Lloyd Smale]

the gunsmith thats doing mine says they will only work on a old model single six. Something about the loading gate. I know that clemments and others will do them in 38 special though.

Great find, good deal. The part of this thread that interest me most so far is the five shot single six 41 special. I have a new model single six Bisley .22lr that I have had passing thoughts of making a 32 H&R mag. or even a .38 special if that would fit. I never thought about the 41 special being workable.
BruceP

[44 Man]

Lloyd, I'll take you up on shooting those Linebaugh's.  Only problem with coming up on the Motorcycle is that you can't carry enough ammo.  I went shooting once and grabbed about 400 rounds of .45acp and tossed into the saddlebag.  I had a big crack in the back of it after I had ridden about 100 miles, so I don't do that anymore.  I'll just have to pick one or two guns and a couple of hundred rounds and call it good enough.  Sounds like you are enjoying some great toys!   44 Man

[Lloyd Smale]

dont even worry about guns or ammo I have plenty of both for you to use and a place to crash for the night. Just shoot me a pm when you want to do it.

Lloyd, I'll take you up on shooting those Linebaugh's.  Only problem with coming up on the Motorcycle is that you can't carry enough ammo.  I went shooting once and grabbed about 400 rounds of .45acp and tossed into the saddlebag.  I had a big crack in the back of it after I had ridden about 100 miles, so I don't do that anymore.  I'll just have to pick one or two guns and a couple of hundred rounds and call it good enough.  Sounds like you are enjoying some great toys!   44 Man

[John A]

I fell into a well used 357 Flat Top and had it converted to, now get this, 401 Power Mag! As I have had a Herters 401 PM for years and liking the round but not the revolver, I decided to buid a 401 on an old model Ruger. There are a ton of 40 cal pistol bullets on the market now not to metion cast bullets for the 38-40 and brass is easily made from 41 mag brass so I have something not many people have, a 40 cal Mag! Most people don't know it but Colt designed a magnum back in the early 60 called the 400 Colt Mag that never was released. I shoot 265gr cast bullets out of my 401 at around 1200fps and it is one of the most accurate revolvers and cartridge combo that I have.

John Anderson
www.rockislandballistics.com