Bill Ruger's Buntline .44 Magnum

[flattop44]

Thought I would post this one for you to see, I am really happy to be the proud caretaker of it for a while!! It is #5001 with a 15" barrel and it is the only one in existence!
FT44

BKH4 #5001 with 15" barrel

BKH4 #5001 with 15" barrel

[arcticruger]

Pretty cool..

[chet15]

A great piece of history there!!

[outta_ammo]

Very cool!

I'm guessing it's a tad muzzle heavy...

[gunman42782]

That's just amazing! I didn't even know it existed! I don't remember ever even reading about that.

[Hawkeye28]

What a super gun! My mems say that there was another that was cut back to 10"!

[T.A. Workman]

Good for you !
Terry

[JAYDAWG]

Mr. Hamm......

As usual. AMAZING

Cheers,
JaydaWg

[Coogs]

Very nice piece! Held that many years ago thanks to Jimmy Dillon.....Bill, maybe you can relate the exact story...but there were two of those made and the other was eventually cut back (at the factory, I think) to 10"

[flattop44]

Yep, you are correct. Bill Ruger had two 15" Buntlines made, #5000 and #5001. He sent this one, #5001, to Remington for testing. Later Bill Ruger decided to just make 10" .44 Flattops, so they cut the barrel on #5000 and shipped it out through normal channels. Mr. Ruger told Jack Behn, Company employee, to just pick up #5001 from Remington and keep it. It went to Jack on Sept 19, 1958. Then sometime later famed .44 Blackhawk collector Jimmy Dillon got it, then Layne Pierce, then lucky me!!
FT44