ltwguns.com

The first one started out as a .357 Flat Top born in 1957. Re-bored & re-chambered to .44 Special, frame & Hammer case colored by Turnbull, deluxe action tune, locking base pin and Bowen front sight, the oversize stag grips were match polished to the frame. It likes 250 gr Keith bullets @ 1000fps.


The second one started out as a 6 1/2" .44 Flat Top born in 1957. Exterior was pretty rough, bore & chambers were mint. Frame & hammer case colred by Turnbull, deluxe action tune, barrel cut & crowned, Bowen front sight & checkered Ruger grips. It like 250 gr Keith bullets @ 1200 fps and Federal Cast Core 300 gr factory ammo. If you see finger prints in the picture they could belong to Gary Eastridge!

Thanks!! for sharing those with us! They are awesome !!

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GO-FOR-IT

those are gorgeous...that case coloring is amazing. thanks for sharing-cam

Hamilton does do great stuff with Rugers! I would like to have him convert one of the new BlackHawk .357's to .44 Special. One day...

Rob

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We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. George Orwell

I have to remind myself to stay out of the revolver section. Those guns are beautiful and the last thing I need is another gun addiction.

Started out as a battered .357 Flat Top. Turnbull did the case coloring after Bowen did the metal prep, Bowen's deluxe action tune, 7 1/2" barrel from a Ruger .30 Carbine (.308" diameter), Bowen front sight, custom cylinders in .32-20 and .32 magnum.

An exceedingly fun revolver to shoot!

thats nice mike, how does it shoot with the two calibers?-cam

Got to meet Mike at a Tulsa gunshow a few weeks back. Super guy with some seriously neat toys!!!

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Gary Eastridge
http://www.randgfirearms.com

great-looking revolvers!

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Thanks very much,
Robert (13.45)
NRA Benefactor Life member

All 3 of the pictured Bowens are stunning.

I live about 20 miles from his shop and have met him at gun shows.

I need to pick up a Ruger (or 2) to have him work it (or them) up.

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Chris Hall

I have wondered may times about the 44 special conversions. I know that the bullets are heavier, but with the newer loadings from Buffalo Bore and Double Tap in 357 Magnum, don't you get more firepower staying with the 357? don't mean to turn this into a caliber war, and I know this was a Skeeter Skelton favorite, just asking from more modern guys with experience.

I think that the .44 special is more a question of style than firepower. I admit that I was infuenced by Skeeter and John Taffin on the .44 Special conversion. You need to spend time with a .44 Special to really appreciate it.
The .357 is more difficult to control in the hotter loadings. The .44 special is a gentler cartridge from a shooters standpoint but does not give up anything in the way of terminal ballistics in proper loadings. A 255 grain hardcast lead bullet @ 1000fps will do just about anything that needs doing with a handgun. I can hit 100 yard targets with a .44 special easier than with a 1911 .45 and with less muzzle blast than a .357.

There have been very few recent factory .44 special loads that demonstarte the versatility of the cartridge and since I did not handload in 1998 and 1999 I talked to all the ammo makers about bringing out a heavy .44 speacil load as the only loads available were 200grain @ 1000fps from Blazer and 246 lead @ 800 from Remington and Winchester.

Tim Sundles at Buffalo Bore was the only manufacturer interested in my project and even then I had to order 10,000 rounds to get the project done. Try explaining to your wife why UPS just dropped of 10,000 rounds of pistol ammunition! The load was a 255 grain LBT WFN GC (lead bullet technology wide flat nose gas check) @ 1000fps. Presures were suitable for older Smith & Wesson and Colt revolvers. Ammo was consistently accurate. Bufalo Bore now offers other high performance .44 special loads and at $60.00 per box of 50. I prefer their load with the Keith Style bullet over the WFN.

Thanks for the reply. I have wondered about these for a while. I also remember John Taffin's experience with full power 44 magnum loads in the original 44 flat top, and wonder if this is similar to the 50th anniversary in recoil.