Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Ruger Flattop 44 Special

Picking up a couple guns tomorrow locally. One is a Ruger flattop 44 special stainless revolver with the 4 5/8” barrel NIB. He said he bought a blued one and this one years ago and shoots the blued one. He said it was a Lipsey’s run. Anyone know about these or approximate value?
I saw a picture of it and it looks awesome. Being a 44 special fan I think I have to have it.

No Idea of value in $$.

Suspect if I owned one it'd be valued highly.

Pics when you get it please...

The last one I saw for sale was blued, and the pawn shop wanted $500 for it, that was a couple of years ago. I probably should have bought it, but I just wasn't in the mood.

I have the Lipsey flattop, special run, in 45Colt/45acp. It is very well built and very accurate. Pretty sure the 44spl would be as good or better. Don’t know what it would be worth but if your comfortable with the price, buy it.
You will be pleased.

Deflave has one. I don't know if he's current on values or not.

My flattop is the 44 Mag. version.

Do it or you will regret it.

I have one of the blued Lipseys models in 4 5/8ths. Very good gun. I've run several different loads in it,but the one I settled on uses a Rim Rock 260 grain "Keith" style bullet over 8.5 grains Power Pistol. I have the choice of several revolvers, but the flat top is the one I usually grab when we are out and about in the desert or mountains.

The last time I saw one listed for sale a while back was iirc about 550$, but in todays climate? Who knows. I say if the price seems reasonable to you, grab it.

The Flattop in .44 Special was a very popular conversion for a long, long time.

Ruger finally made it a factory offering after Lipsey's agreed to purchase 500 outright.

This is one of the original 500:



The original 500 sold so quickly that Ruger decided to make it a production run. There is not a difference in the original 500 vs the productions runs as far as I know.

Price is going to be whatever you're willing to give. Just the way things are today. I would not pay more than $600 but if my heart was insanely set on it, I'd go $700.

Maybe.

This is what I have. Wonderful gun.

They are pretty handy little sixguns. The .45 Convertible quickly became a favorite single action.

Nice gun! Will it withstand heavy 44 Magnum loads like the NMSBH does?

I have the Lipsey special edition with the Bisley Grip/Hammer and laminated grips. I load a 250 gr Keith SWC over 7.5 gr (USE AT OWN RISK) of Unique....the old Skeeter load. Works well in my gun.

That's my go to load as well.

Nice 6 guns fellas! Very nice.

Indeed. I bought an Old Model Flattop conversion from Hamilton Bowen many years ago. Beautiful piece that shoots well. I do need to drag it out as it's been years since I have shot it.

Think of the .44 mag Flattops as a NMSBH with the protective ears on the sides of the rear side milled off. It is essentially the same gun in terms of strength.

The ,44 Special and .45 Convertible Flattops are built on a smaller frame. I traded my new model .44 mag FT off a few years ago as I already had an original, 7.5" (which is a pretty uncommon barrel length, only 1,000 were made). The new ones have a 6.5" tube. Good guns, and they will handle pretty much anything you are going to want to put through them.

Most people wrists and tolerance for recoil are going to give in before the gun does.

I'll second the comment on the nice looking guns, but nothing I like more than seeing a well worn specimen like Mackays flat top 44. Has that been there done that look.

I also have a Lipsey FT. It's a 44 special, 5 1/2.

It's very accurate, has great/proper internal dimensions, & is my favorite SA.

Beauty.

Mine has the Bisley grip. I'm really fond of this one. When I look over my collection of revolvers with the thought of which one would be the keeper if I could have only one, this one is a top contender. The leather is a Barranti EK#5, correctly handed of course.

Always liked the Bisley grips

I’ve got a stainless 4 5/8 357 with a 9mm cylinder and a 4 5/8 44spl both NIB. Nice guns but so behind on firing a bunch lol.

McKay pretty much nailed the answer to your question. Not much I can add.

I think I paid $589 or so new when I bought mine. The various Lipseys I've seen for sale used in recent years have been in the $5-600 range. In today's market I wouldn't be surprised to see them fetch all of $600 or more.

Recently sold one of the stainless guns for around $650 if memory serves, but it’s none too reliable of late. Had Dave Clements make me a 44 on the anniversary 357 flat top back when they were new. Beautiful gun and a great shooter. Daughter had already claimed it when I go belly up.

Old70

Thank you to both of you. So the ears are only there to protect the sight. I alway thought they would add strength.

I have a stainless Ruger Bisley chambered in 45 Colt. It’s one of my favorite handguns to shoot. Ross Seyfried wrote a good article that can be found on the web about the Lipsey 44 Special flattop specifically asked about by the OP

Bisley's are nice. Mine is also a 45.



It's the second 45 Colt I've owned. Long ago I owned a 44 Mag.

I don’t have a picture hosting service but my Bisley looks just like that only stainless and a 5.5” or there abouts barrel and I have a matching Cold Steel stainless Trail Master.

Got it. Haven’t shot it yet though!

Congrats. Very nice.