Plowhandle, Bisley, Birdshead

[Mosin77]

Title says it all. Single action revolvers seem to come in 3 flavors: the traditional grip, which I have seen referred to as the “plowhandle,” seemingly perfected in the Colt 1851 Navy, the Bisley style, I guess preferred by target shooters at that famous range (and I’m not sure what really differentiates it from the plowhandle to be honest), and the birdshead grip, which I don’t know the history of.

School me, please. What are the pros and cons of each, and which do you prefer?

 

[BullRunBear]

I'm no authority but I believe the Bisley design, which included a lower profile hammer, made it easier to find a consistent aiming point and thumb back the hammer with less fiddling. It was all intended to improve target shooting. I don't know if the Bisley handles recoil better than the plow handle since my only Bisley is in 32 H&R magnum, not exactly a powerhouse caliber. Never used a bird head grip, although they are popular, seem too small for my big old hands. Even with the plow handle style I have a pinky hanging but I'm used to it.

I'm sure others with more experience will comment.

Jeff

 

[.38 Special]

I have handled the original Bisley and found it unnatural. I did not have the opportunity to fire it, though. I had to cock my wrist at an odd angle to get everything lined up on target. It might have worked slow fire - though I have my doubts - and for quick work would likely have been useless.

The "plowhandle" fits my hand nicely and a quick presentation normally puts the sights into close alignment - at least for me. Once recoil becomes severe - around the .454 level - I start losing control.

I like nothing about the bird's head. It probably conceals better than the others - I have not tried it - but I cannot control it with any kind of recoil (and find it painful as well). Beyond that I have a poor draw with it. The front sight normally will be horizontally aligned within the rear notch, but will be all over the place vertically. Getting it all lined up takes forever, and then I end up flinching anyway because I know it is going to hurt.

 

[edwardware]

Plowhandle, Bisley, Birdshead

The Plow Handle rolls back in the hand, and the Bisley rolls far less, leading to Bisley being preferred for heavy recoil (i.e. Anti Armor 45Colt).

 

[bernie]

Heavy recoiling custom guns are more often Bisley it seems. It appears that it handles recoil differently. I personally do not like the plow handle and how it “rolls” in the hand. I shot primarily 1911s as my handgun of voice for years before I got into the single action stuff. I think that may be one reason why I prefer the more vertically oriented grip of the Bisley.

 

[Mr. Mosin]

Grasp a #2 lead pencil in a hammer grip. Hold it at arms reach, eye level. Aim *through* the eraser. If the pencil tilts backwards when you do this, go with a Birdshead. If it told forward, go with a Bisley. If it does not tilt, go with a plow.


Or something like that.

That, and Bisley handles heavy recoil better.

 

[Targa]

I have no experience with a Birdshead grip. As for the standard vs. Bisley, aside from me liking the look of a standard grip much better, as long as the grip satisfactorily fills my ridiculously large hands either style works well.

 

[Monac]

Elmer Keith designed his own custom grip for the Single Action Army. He called it the Number 5. I don't know how popular it was, or what Numbers 1 through 4 were. Apparently someone made, or is making, a grip frame that duplicates it: https://americanhandgunner.com/handguns/keith-no-5-grip-frames/

I don't know if many people have heard of Elmer Keith any more. I don't know enough myself to write about him accurately, because he did most of his work before my time. All I can say is if you haven't heard of him and you are interested in large caliber revolvers, you might want to learn more. You are on the Internet and Google is your friend in such matters.

PS - Ian of Forgotten Weapans (aka Gun Jesus) did a video about Elmer Keith's own SAA revolver with this grip. Apparently the gun was Number 5, and not just the grip:

The video is from 2015, so the photography is not up to Ian's current standard, which is a pity. BTW, some of the top comments on this video are a hoot.

 

[CraigC]

The Navy/SAA grip is one of my favorites with a few caveats. It is VERY natural pointing and any gun it's attached to handles fast, especially a Navy or SAA. However, my limit is 1200fps with standard weight bullets, preferably less. Gotta wrap that pinky under though.



The 1860 Army grip is one I like even better. It has enough room for all your digits and is very comfortable. It handles heavier recoil better but isn't quite as well suited to running a sixgun fast.



I like the Colt Bisley but it is different and takes some getting used to. First one I had was .44Spl and it handled the 1200fps Keith load nicely. Should have kept it.



I've handled Texas Longhorn Arms #5's and did not like them. Remember, Keith was a little guy with small hands.

The Ruger Bisley is probably my favorite. For me, with the right grips, it is much better suited to heavy recoil than anything else. With a custom front sight, some tuning, engraving and refinishing, this ivory stocked mid-frame flat-top .44Spl would be my ideal "#5".

 

[westernrover]

The plowhandle grip is really hard to control with heavy recoil and a one-hand grip. With normal (SAAMI) 45 Colt or 38 Special loads or any black-powder load it's not an issue, but with heavy magnums, it's hard to keep a one-hand grip without the revolver rolling back and having to re-grip it. With two-hands, the support hand can be cupped underneath to push against the bottom of the butt and keep the grip position in recoil. There still might be an advantage to Bisely-style grips with 454 and up. I wouldn't know except by what I see popular on those guns. I sure like the plowhandle for reasonable loads.

 

[JDeere]

As mentioned the bisley grips really come into play with heavy recoil. With my .44 mags the plow handle grip rolls back and the bisley pushes back giving me faster follow up shots. The bisleys feel and point just fine...

 

[CraigC]

The plowhandle grip is really hard to control with heavy recoil and a one-hand grip. With normal (SAAMI) 45 Colt or 38 Special loads or any black-powder load it's not an issue, but with heavy magnums, it's hard to keep a one-hand grip without the revolver rolling back and having to re-grip it. With two-hands, the support hand can be cupped underneath to push against the bottom of the butt and keep the grip position in recoil. There still might be an advantage to Bisely-style grips with 454 and up. I wouldn't know except by what I see popular on those guns. I sure like the plowhandle for reasonable loads.

This is my two hand hold and I run them fast. Support hand is high and tight to run the hammer without shifting my grip.

 

[Riomouse911]

The Colt Bisley grip is rather odd. It is so undercut on the front strap that shooting one is a bit funky. (Google image)



The Ruger grip is flatter on the front and makes for a good handle to hang onto. This, coupled with a wide and low hammer spur and curved trigger makes the Ruger Bisley my favorite single action revolvers.

Oddly, my less-recoiling .32 and .22 Rugers are the ones I have with a Bisley grip. The .45 Colt Vaquero and .41 and .44 Spl. Blackhawks have the standard grip. Yes, they surely do buck and roll with stout loads.

Stay safe.

 

[Tallball]

I have a SBH with a plowhandle grip.

My FiL has one with a Bisley grip.

We each like our own grips a lot better. Our hands are similarly sized. I think the difference is that I like to tuck my pinky under the grip, and he's never been comfortable doing that.

The only bird's head grip that I had didn't fit my hand well and I replaced it with a plowhandle.

 

[BigBlue 94]

The birds head goes all the way back to at least the Colt 1877 Thunderer/Lightning guns. Though it was more akin to a birds head and broom handle mashed together.

Birds head is for concealment
Bisley is for target shooting
Plow is for general work

I have a bunch of plows, a ruger birds head, a ruger bisley, and a Cimarron with the thunderer grip. I have big palms and medium fingers: i can palm a women's basketball. The Ruger Bisley is my favorite.

 

[Jim Watson]

Note that there are two types of "birdshead" grips, the knockoff of the 1877 as seen from importers like Cimarron and a smooth radius used by Ruger.
I think the Ruger "Bisley" grip is closer to a Keith No 5 than to the original Colt. I would like to handle a close copy of the Keith.
Otherwise, I prefer authenticity, therefore "plow handle" grip frames on my SAAs.

He called it the Number 5. I don't know how popular it was, or what Numbers 1 through 4 were.

Those were revolvers shown to Keith by Harold Croft, who then collaborated with Elmer on the design of the No 5. This article says the No 5 grip was based on the Croft No 3.
https://www.fieldandstream.com/guns/elmer-keith-custom-revolver-for-sale/

Hamilton Bowen did a faithful copy of the Keith No 5 and went on to make a reasonable approximation starting with a Ruger Flattop to keep the cost down.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

the Bisley style, I guess preferred by target shooters at that famous range (and I’m not sure what really differentiates it from the plowhandle to be honest)

Did somebody say Bisley?

This photo should illustrate the differences between a Colt Single Action Army with the old "plowhandle" shaped grip at the top of the photo, and a Single Action Army Bisley Model at the bottom of the photo.

In addition to the very different shape of the grips, the Bisley had a different style trigger guard, hammer and trigger. And unlike the Ruger version of the Bisley, the frame of a Colt Bisley was slightly deeper than the standard frame, and a Bisley grip could not be successfuly mounted on a standard SAA.

Hopefully you should be able to read the marking on the Bisley Model. It says (BISLEY MODEL) and then the caliber which is 38WCF (38-40). All Colt Bisley model revolvers were marked Bisley Model on the barrel.






Here is another Bisley Model Colt in my collection.






Both of these Bisley Models are chambered for 38-40. The one in the upper photo shipped in 1907, the one in the lower photo shipped in 1909.


The Colt Bisley Model was made from 1894 until 1915. There were two versions, a Flat Top target model with a front sight blade that could be adjusted for elevation and a rear sight dovetailed into the frame that could be adjusted for windage, and a fixed sight version like the two I have posted.

Yes, the Bisley Model was named for the Bisley range outside of London in Great Britain where the Natioinal Target Matches have been held since the 19th Century. Colt introduced this model to compete with the Smith & Wesson New Model #3, which was winning a lot of prizes in those days.


This photo actually explains a lot. When held with a straight arm the Bisley Model tends to point slightly down at the ground. At least it does for me. However many 19th Century target shooters fired their pistols with a bent elbow, like this guy is doing. When held that way, the Bisley Model tends to point straight forward. At least that is the logic I have always suspected was behind the odd shape of the Colt Bisley Model grip.

Interestingly enough, although the Bisley Model was designed as a target pistol, only 976 of the flat top Target Models were made, vs 44,350 of the fixed sight versions, like mine. Because they are so rare, Flat top Target Model Bisley Colts go for a lot of money these days, much more than the fixed sight versions.


Here is a photo of Pancho Villa with his Colt Bisley Model.






All those comments about the Bisley grip handling recoil better are probably referring to the Ruger version of the Bisley grip.

The Ruger version of the Bisley grip does not really look much like the Colt originals. The Ruger version does not sweep forward as much, and is more straight up and down than a Colt Bisley grip.





Yes, the standard plowhandle grip does roll in the hand when fired, if you are holding correctly. If you try to cram your entire hand onto the grip, the trigger guard will probably smack the knuckle of your middle finger in recoil, and it will hurt. If instead you curl your pinky under the grip that will open up a space of about 1/4" between the trigger guard and the knuckle, and I can fire full house Black Powder 45 Colt loads out of a standard SAA all day long and my knuckle never gets whacked. I do not hold the grip of a SAA with a death grip, I allow the grip to roll in my hand and the muzzle to rise. This brings the hammer closer to my thumb so I can cock the hammer as I lower the revolver.

No, I do not fire magnum loads out of any of my Colts, but with a standard 250 grain Black Powder 45 Colt (or a 180 grain Black Powder 38-40) I do not need a Ruger style Bisley grip.

 

[doubleh]

I have never shot a Bisley gripped gun. I have held a few and disliked the feel. It is totally wrong, at least for me. The very best feel for me is the 1860 Colt grip. I have never really liked tucking my pinky under the Colt SAA style grip although I own several guns with that style grip and do OK with them.. I want all my fingers around the grip and a grip angle that let me keep my wrist straight to be really happy. The Bisley defeats the wrist thing for me

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

How's this for an unusual single action grip?

This is what was known as the Skull Crusher grip on a 44-40 open top Merwin Hulbert Pocket Army.






The 'Skull Crusher' part of the grip extended past the hard rubber grips, that were pretty much in a birds head configuration.






Don't be confused by the term Pocket Army. These were big guns. Here is one pictured with a Smith and Wesson Schofield model.

 

[Tallinar]

Once I learned to start gripping the plowhandle with pinky underneath, the Bisley lost all of its appeal for me.

 

[wgf]

I have medium to large hands. I have had Ruger 44 magnums with all three. I liked them all. I would not not reject or choose any based on functionality.

 

[Griffen]

I have a Ruger New Vaquero with the plow handle and one with the birds head grip and like them both. The plow handle will roll in your hand, but is easy to index the next round due to that action. The birds head tends to give more of a straight push when discharged as opposed to the roll, but it is less traditional as the movies have taught us. I have no experience with a Bisley, but see it’s utility.

I personally prefer the birds head to shoot, but prefer the looks of the plow handle as it is more traditional. Some of my preference may boil down to the way I grip a revolver. Many folks don’t like the way a birds head “holds” in your hand when one picks up the firearm. I grew to prefer the birds head from use. Everyone is different, so YMMV.

It’s not unusual to buy a different grip frame if you want to change. The Rugers seem to be pretty consistent and would be interchangeable on a New Vaquero, I would think. They can verify that for you before you make a purchase.

I have noticed that the birds head models tend to be the shorter barrel models. Just as an observation and I don’t know why.

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

I have found the pinky underneath hand positioning only works with larger hands as found on males. Women tend to have small hands, thinner fingers and less hand/arm strength. For most women, all fingers fit comfortably on a plow handle grip. Trying to get a pinky underneath the grip is awkward and painful; they have to extend the pinky outward to even get near the bottom of the grip. Due to limited hand strength, when firing very powerful ammo one handed (like full power 44 mag or full cases of BP in 45 colt), the grip can actually slip in a women's hand as the gun rolls up, driving the back of the frame into the first two fingers or the trigger guard into the third finger. (I figure that could dislocate a women's pinky at the MCP joint if she managed to get it underneath at the time!) I never teach my female friends to put a pinky underneath when shooting a single action and I make sure the ammo recoil is managable.
As for the Ruger Bisley grip, it directs recoil more straight back into the hand, mitigating the roll up and slip; not very comfortable, but one can have better control one handed and can get to a follow up shot faster when using more powerful rounds, atleast for me.

 

[Mosin77]

So, do birdshead grips “roll” like plowhandle grips?

Also, is the straighter, rounded grip of a 19th century European military revolver (like the Russian Nagants that were everywhere a decade ago, for example) a reasonable approximation of the Bisley in handling, or is it a different beast altogether?

 

[wgf]

I held mine tight, it fit well in my hand. I let the recoil move my body back.