Obsessed with the Flattop 45

by Fowler, Tuesday, November 25, 2014, 14:03 (3656 days ago) @ Dave B

The midframe Flat Top platform from Ruger is a wonderful beast, probably my favorite on the market. Just the right size for most all of the work a handgun can be asked to do. I have a 4 3/4" FA 4757 Linebaugh and it is a wonderful gun as well but it is a bit large for most work.

I had built my #5 44sp on a old model 3 screw Mid Frame Ruger after shooting the heck out of 2 44sp Rugers and loving the handling of each.

The lower gun is the same as yours in 44sp with the Bisley grip, darn near perfection for me, obviously the ivory gripped gun is my #5.

Here is a buck I killed 2 weeks ago with the #5 and a 255gr Keith bullet at 1050fps

The deer dropped at the hit like I had broken his back, the bullet had passed 4" or 5" under his spine but he dropped faster than any deer I have hit with any rifle. Yes this is a mule deer and not a big bull elk, but I have killed upwards of 20 elk and I am confident that that same load will kill a big bull within reasonable ranges just as heavier loads will. I stick with this load because I shoot it so much better than I do heavier loads. I mid ranged load that you can place with precision will beat a thunder boomer that you struggle to hit well with everyday of the week.

Good luck with your load development but that gun is capable of most everything you will ever need a revolver to do in the lower 48 states and probably beyond. Oh and never apolgise for a 45 colt, it is probably the most capable all around handgun cartridge ever created. Still a favorite of mine for sure as evidenced by the 5 or 6 guns in the safe now...