RugerSociety.com

So who got the prototype .357 flattop case???

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-MAHOGA ... _cvip=true

I don't know, I was watching it and then the bidding went crazy at the end. The bidder ID is hidden on Ebay. Is this one of the original 3 boxes? It looks brand new to me.
Bennett

LOL. I don't know who payed that much, but that's just crazy. Just a home made box.

Suggest a review of This Box on pages 301(lower left corner of page) and 302(other variants) in Dougan's latest book. This is a very rare box, it would seem. Photos did not indicate a home made box........Instead, the workmanship seemed rather intricate..........Looks like now one of four..........

Just an Amazing Find!
Congratulations to who ever made the snag,,

Terry

Hawkeye28 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:03 am Suggest a review of This Box on pages 301(lower left corner of page) and 302(other variants) in Dougan's latest book. This is a very rare box, it would seem. Photos did not indicate a home made box........Instead, the workmanship seemed rather intricate..........Looks like now one of four..........

I stand corrected sir!

That would be the 2nd or third known of that type now, for the .357 flattop. I do note the hinges are different than at least one other known .357 ft case.
There is also a case known for a Single-Six.
Would be nice to come up with some documentation from Ruger as to the status of these cases. Gates was obviously in the presentation case making business. They did the mahogany cases for the Super Blackhawk, and I'm not so sure they aren't the same manufacturer who did the Colorado Centennial cases since I just found out when Gates in Antrim, NH had their fire in late 1960, they picked up and moved to West Peterborough, NH... which also happens to be where the Colorado Centennial cases came from in 1975 (I just need to verify the manufacturer).
Anyway, with Gates being in the presentation case manufacturing business, did they have wares like the .357 FT case and the Single-Six case of this type available to the public?
Chet15

Kinda neat really, I recall many years ago Bob Campbell an I often talked about these so called proto type cases and not sure if it was Rich M or John D who had them or access to them,,,I did do some home work way back in the old days as the hardware ( latches and hinges) for these cases as well as the S-47 mahogany cases , the hardware came from a company here in Solon,Ohio....I talked with them and they no longer had those listed in the catalog nor the contact info for the company in Italy, who made them....also there was a couple of 'Ruger ' folks ( collectors) that were making the replica mahogany inserts for these case, .nice job too..............

Gates Corporation in Antrim, NH also manufactured the dark blue/black presentation cases for S&W's 44 Magnum and a very few cases for the .357 Combat Magnum (1956-1960). They supplied these cases until S&W switched to the mahogany case in early 1960 and began making them in house.

The price paid for the .357 Blackhawk case seems like a bargain to me. I would have thought it would a have sold for at least five times what it did.

Bill

It might have if I had known about it.
FT44