[jwp475]

Excellent article by Ross Seyfried

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/ross-seyfried-lipseys-ruger-flattop-44-special-bisley-revolvers/

 

[MikeG]

Wow. I may have to get one of those! Just to go with the wife's .357, of course

 

[HardBall]

Great article!

 

[William Iorg]

Good article.
Ross is using Marshals fire lap compound.
Thanks again to Rocky Raab for pointing this hand gun out to us. We are having fun with it.

 

[jodum]

Great article. Many of the reasons I love the 44 special. I have the new standard Blackhawk in 44 special but now I have my eyes set on the Bisley version. Another great feature of this gun is that it is built on the 357 magnum frame which makes it extremely carryable,

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Great article. Many of the reasons I love the 44 special. I have the new standard Blackhawk in 44 special but now I have my eyes set on the Bisley version. Another great feature of this gun is that it is built on the 357 magnum frame which makes it extremely carryable,

Are you quite certain of the ".357 frame"? I don't believe Ruger builds that many different frames. I always thought the .44 specials were the same frame as my "50th Anniversary Flat Top" .44 mag. Anyhow, I'm very pleased with that flat top with both .44 special and magnum loads and see no reason to limit myself to .44 special only.

 

[Rocky Raab]

Joe, the new flattop differs slightly in some dimensions from an original flattop. Where it varies, the new one is a bit beefier, but it is still smaller than the standard Blackhawk. I don't have a 50th Anniversary model, but do have examples of the two others for direct comparison. The "feel" is the same for the new gun, which delights me.

 

[Bigbore4me]

I picked a Lipsey's Bisley 44 Spl a few weeks back. The only thing I had to have done was a trigger job. Shoots extremely well and built to tight tolerances. I'm very impressed.

 

[BenT]

Mine shoots great , haven't done anything with it.

 

[MikeG]

Like Rocky says they just have a different feel. For one thing they balance better with a steel grip frame. Much more like an original Colt. I got my wife one of the .357 50th anniversary flat-tops and tempted to get one for myself. Ross' article will probably push me over the edge; he is a bad influence, indeed!

Never had the urge to get a .44 special till now.

 

[ironhead7544]

Ive had a 5 1/2 Flat Top 44 Special for some time now. The frame is quite a bit smaller than a Super Blackhawk. The steel grip fame has gone back to the old style thats very much like the SAA and fits my hand nicely. The bore is .430 and throats .432. Accuracy has been very good but theres a .001 constriction at the junction. Havent bore lapped it yet. Action is the best out of the box I have ever found. Im very pleased and can recommend this revolver highly. Just my .02.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

We hear a lot of subjective opinions like "it's lighter, it's slimmer, it's cooler" but how about some actual measurements? I'll kick it off, my flat top .44 mag has a cylinder diameter of 1.730" which I believe is the same as a new model blackhawk. Can anyone post the diameter of the Lipseys .44 special? How about a new Vaquero?

 

[Whitworth]

That's a great, and thorough piece -- basically what I have come to expect from Ross. It's nice to see him write a handgun article again!

 

[William Iorg]

My 44 Bisley cylinder is 1.611” long and 1.675” in diameter.

 

[Rocky Raab]

I tossed my sheet of dimensions from the Bisley versus an original flattop, but recall that the Bisley cylinder is a bit fatter, as is the top strap. The barrel is a bit beefier, also. The grip frame is a good bit narrower, however.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I found the answer here. http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-44Flattop.htm
Interesting article and he lists the cylinder diameter for Lipsey's .44 flat top as 1.677", quite a bit smaller than my flat top .44 mag at 1.730" and right in line with the original .357 flat top.
I find my .44 mag is quite pleasant to shoot with any .44 special load, even Elmer Keith loads, but for full bore .44 magnums the plastic grips are a bit rough and the back of the trigger guard raps the knuckle of my second finger. For a .44 magnum I think Ruger got it right with the Super Blackhawk. But a 240-250 grain SWC at 1,000-1200 fps seems like plenty of gun for my uses.

 

[MikeG]

My wife's flattop .357 cylinder is 1.675" in diameter and 1.586" from front to back, not counting the rim recess or the extension on the front that contacts the frame.

Ruger got it right with the flattop, except for the ugly stocks... a problem that can be fixed...