bisley conversion

[back40]

i recently picked up a blakchawk .45 convertible. I'm considering doing a bisley conversion on it. I currently have a lipsey's .44 mag super blackhawk bisley and love the way it handles, even with heavy loads.

my main questions are how much actual fitting does the grip frame typically require? also, are the trigger and hammer typically drop in pieces?

this is a blued gun, and the grip frame will be stainless if that makes a difference.

 

[yugorpk]

The trigger and the hammer are drop ins. The grip frames as delivered arent even close to being drop ins. Get yourself a good draw file , some sandpaper and some flitz polish and have at it. Last one I did took me about 3 hours of handwork then you couldnt tell it wasnt original.

 

[cfullgraf]

What yugorpk said.

Mechanically and functionally, you do not have to do any fitting but the grip frame will be larger than the cylinder frame and require fitting to look nice.

The Bisley hammer and trigger are different than the standard Blackhawk hammer and trigger so you will probably want to get those as well.

After fitting the grip frame, polish it with a series of finer grit sand paper. I used wet/dry sandpaper starting at 320 grit or so and ending up at 2000 grit. Then polish with with Flitz or something similar. Polishing alone takes several hours but the results are worth it.

Also, get the various roll pins that are used in the grip frames. Not very expensive and easier than removing the old ones.

The Ruger manual has good instruction on disassembling the grip frame from the revolver. Read them first before getting out the screwdrivers and wrenches.

I went the other way, removing a Bisley grip frame and installing a standard Blackhawk frame.

 

[JohnFLand]

I've had 3 stainless steel Rugers (.44 SBH, .357Mag BH, .22LR Single Six) converted to Bisley grip frames.

Here is the list of parts that you need to do one Bisley grip frame conversion for a large frame stainless steel Ruger Blackhawk or SBH (Midway Parts Numbers except as noted):

• Ruger #: KBR00301 699239 Ruger Grip Frame Bisley Vaquero Stainless Steel
• Ruger #: KBR01801 112865 Ruger Grip Frame Screw Back Hex Head Bisley Vaquero Stainless Steel (need two) [Brownells]
• Ruger #: KBR04001B 797832 Ruger Hammer Assembly Bisley Vaquero Stainless Steel (Single Six regular stainless steel hammer is KXR04000B, and Single Six Bisley stainless steel hammer is KBR04000B)
• Ruger #: KBR03901 393315 Ruger Trigger Bisley Vaquero Stainless Steel
• Ruger #: KXR03401 795467 Ruger Trigger Pivot Pin Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Hunter, Vaquero, Bisley Vaquero, Single Six Stainless Steel
• Ruger #: KXR01400 844646 Ruger Grip Dowel Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Hunter, Bisley, Vaquero, Bisley Vaquero, Single Six, Single Six Bisley
• Ruger #: KXR06300 898800 Ruger Trigger Spring Retaining Pin Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Hunter, Bisley, Vaquero, Bisley Vaquero, Single Six, Single Six Bisley
• Bisley Grips, such as Ruger #: 70051 http://shopruger.com/Bisley-Black-Laminate-Grips/productinfo/70086/

Note that I've had one grip frame come with the pivot pin and grip dowel installed, another came with the grip dowel installed, so you *may* not need those parts (but they are cheap). You *could* re-purpose those parts from your old frame, but again, they're cheap.

Here's a picture of a Bisley grip frame (BEFORE fitting) test-fitted to the Single Six it will be mounted on, showing the rough nature of the as-bought grip frame and the amount of fitting needed:

I had a well-known gunsmith, John Gallagher, do all the conversions, was very happy with the results.

Hope this helps.

 

[drband]

I've had 3 stainless steel Rugers (.44 SBH, .357Mag BH, .22LR Single Six) converted to Bisley grip frames.



Here is the list of parts that you need to do one Bisley grip frame conversion for a large frame stainless steel Ruger Blackhawk or SBH (Midway Parts Numbers except as noted):

• Ruger #: KBR00301 699239 Ruger Grip Frame Bisley Vaquero Stainless Steel
  
• Ruger #: KBR01801 112865 Ruger Grip Frame Screw Back Hex Head Bisley Vaquero Stainless Steel (need two) [Brownells]
  
• Ruger #: KBR04001B 797832 Ruger Hammer Assembly Bisley Vaquero Stainless Steel (Single Six regular stainless steel hammer is KXR04000B, and Single Six Bisley stainless steel hammer is KBR04000B)
  
• Ruger #: KBR03901 393315 Ruger Trigger Bisley Vaquero Stainless Steel
  
• Ruger #: KXR03401 795467 Ruger Trigger Pivot Pin Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Hunter, Vaquero, Bisley Vaquero, Single Six Stainless Steel
  
• Ruger #: KXR01400 844646 Ruger Grip Dowel Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Hunter, Bisley, Vaquero, Bisley Vaquero, Single Six, Single Six Bisley
  
• Ruger #: KXR06300 898800 Ruger Trigger Spring Retaining Pin Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Hunter, Bisley, Vaquero, Bisley Vaquero, Single Six, Single Six Bisley
  
• Bisley Grips, such as Ruger #: 70051 http://shopruger.com/Bisley-Black-Laminate-Grips/productinfo/70086/
  

Note that I've had one grip frame come with the pivot pin and grip dowel installed, another came with the grip dowel installed, so you *may* not need those parts (but they are cheap). You *could* re-purpose those parts from your old frame, but again, they're cheap.



Here's a picture of a Bisley grip frame (BEFORE fitting) test-fitted to the Single Six it will be mounted on, showing the rough nature of the as-bought grip frame and the amount of fitting needed:

I had a well-known gunsmith, John Gallagher, do all the conversions, was very happy with the results.



Hope this helps.

Any chance you could post a "completed" photo? I'm very curious about how the end result looks.

 

[200Apples]

.
Superb post, JohnFLand! Thank you.

 

[JohnFLand]

I don't have "before" pictures of the centerfire conversions, but the Single Six shown above is due to come in this week, and I'll post a picture of it's "after" configuration.

 

[cottonmouth]

Mine didn't turn out perfect but I like it!

J.B.

 

[JohnFLand]

My Single Six conversion (for which I posted the "before" picture above) is due to come in on Monday.

In the meantime, here are two pictures of a factory Bisley BH (.45 Colt -- shortest barrel) and two "after" Bisley conversions (.357mag BH, .44mag SBH) done by John Gallagher:

 

[bannockburn]

JohnFLand

One thing is for certain: Mr. John Gallagher does some very nice work with his Bisley conversions. Eagerly awaiting to see how your Single Six conversion turns out.

 

[JohnFLand]

Post #4 has the "before" fitting picture of my Ruger Single Six. Below are the "after" pictures (credit for the conversion work goes to John Gallagher of Jasper, Alabama; credit for the photos is mine, as a reminder not to give up my day job):

 

[sequins]

That came out exceptionally well, and it really looks just as good as the original gripframe did absolutely. Mr. Gallagher does exceptional work and of that you can be sure.

Have you had a chance to fire it and see how it feels? If the fit is as good as it looks then I imagine you have found yourself with a nice shooting Ruger that is as pleasing to the eye as one could hope.

 

[JohnFLand]

Not shot it yet (it just arrived this evening), but I've dry fired it a bit, and it feels like my other 3 Ruger Bisleys, so I believe it'll shoot just fine.