redhawk or bisley?

[contender]

Opinions please.
I want a .45 for shooting some steel games at distances of 40 to 100 meters (50 round match). I am planning on some cast lead medium handloads for that sport.
I also want to give the revolver a try for hog hunting and will also load for that as well (heavy loads). (iron sights for both sport and hunting)
My local gun shop has the 5.5 stainless redhawk 45 and the bisley blackhawk 7.5" 45.
My question--- is the bisley going to be more noticeably comfortable to shoot with medium and heavy loads or will the felt recoil be equal if I go with some good grips for the redhawk?
I know recoil is different for everybody, but has anyone fired a redhawk and a bisley with the same loads and compared recoil?
I am going to be shooting (Hopefully) a steel match every month.

 

[Jim March]

As long as the Bisley grip fits your hand, the difference in recoil control is remarkable, according to most who've tried 'em. Strong 44Mags get turned into plinking loads even when the Bisley variant in question is lighter than a DA which feels nastier to shoot the same load.

This report is typical:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25060

You'll give up some reload speed with the SA. The extra time spent cocking will make only a negligible difference if any as most DA wheelgun shooters will cock 'em for that sort of range.

The Ruger Bisley has an interesting history to it:

http://forums.sixgunner.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4626&whichpage=1

This is a two-part thread. You'll find either pics or links to both a "real Colt Bisley" which is quite different, and a 1929 custom revolver based on the SAA but mixing Bisley and plowhandle grip elements called the "#5". That gun is usually considered at least the inspiration for the Ruger Bisley.

When people discuss "big calibers being controllable with Bisleys", they're talking about custom conversions to the 454Casull, 475Linebaugh and similar.

If you can live with the reload speed issue, I think SAs offer a lot more performance than DAs once you hit 44Mag, 45LC+P or higher horsepower levels.

 

[contender]

thanks for the info.
i will be spending alot of time on the range with it and recoil will be a factor.
if the bisley is that good, i will probably go that route and hope that it will not need a visit to the "throat doctor" which was also why i was considering the redhawk.
i want to go with the 45 as i have never worked with that round.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The Bisley grip looks funny, but it does tame recoil, however if you are laoding light anyway, it doesn't matter.

Both are well made, the real question is SA or DA?

 

[Stainz]

Check Brownell's, etc, for the 'Free Spin Pawl' for Ruger SA's. It runs about $35 list and is usually a drop-in part. Once installed, when you open the gate, the cylinder is released so that it will spin freely in either direction, a great aid in fast unload/reload situations. Additionally, most Ruger SA cylinder exit bores are incosistent and too small (<.451") and should be reamed to a uniform .4525" for the best grouping. This isn't a problem with the RH .45 or the SRH in .454, for some reason. The .45 Colt is a neat round - I really like my 5.5" SS Bisley thus chambered - a 'special' for AccuSports that may yet become a catalog item.

Stainz

 

[Tom C.]

Redhawk or Bisley blackhawk?

I have SS New Model Blackhawks, a Acusport SS Bisley Blackhawk and a Redhawk in .45 Colt. With good grips there really isn't much difference in the way they handle recoil, in my opinion. I have Pachmyer grips on the Redhawk. The wood grips are too small for me. On the Blackhawk, I have Houge wood grips, which I have smoothed and rounded. That makes them much more comfortable for heavy recoil loads. The Bisley also has Hogue grips. They are a little thicker, which helps with my large hands.

All mine are 5.5" barrels, which I prefer, but for work out to 100 yds, the 7.5" barrel would be easier to hit with.

The Blackhawk variants all seem to be coming through with tight cylinder throats. I have opened mine with a cylinder hone, but many people send theirs to the guys who use the reamers to open them to .4525". The Redhawks come with a slightly bigger throat. Mine measured about .4515" as near as I could tell. It was also better finished than the Blackhawks. With a little work, they all shoot very well.

Buy both.

 

[contender]

does your redhawk shoot as well as the bisley?
i have been told that the redhawk is going to be discontinued by ruger but i do not know if there is any truth to that.

 

[Tom C.]

Does the Redhawk shoot as well as the Blackhawk

Difficult to tell without a Ransom Rest. Just shooting by hand, they seem to be pretty close. The Redhawk usually has better finished chambers, and a rougher barrel. The Redhawk barrel is a forging and more difficult to finish than the Blackhawk barrels. The Blackhawks have rougher chambers with tighter throats, but better barrels. When both are broken in, they are pretty close.
Trigger pull favors the Blackhawk. They are easier to work on and respond to the work. The Redhawk, with the single spring, has a shorter hammer stroke in double action. You get misfires with too light a main spring. I got occasional misfires with a 12 lb wolff spring, ok with a 14 lb. Gives a pretty descent single and double action trigger, but heavier than the Blackhawks after I get through with them. On the Blackhawks, I take a 17 lb spring and cut off several coils to get the action I want. Stoning the surfaces then gives a nice light trigger, with consistent ignition. Longer hammer fall, but lighter trigger pull. Everything is a trade-off.

 

[Bigjake]

for reload speed with a SA, go bisley. the hammer is closer and faster than the redhawk. if you ever got into cowboy action that would be a really nice thing to have, and if not, its just all around quicker.

 

[Tom C.]

Reload speed? If you mean speed in manipulating the gun in single action, that is going to be partly dependent in size of your hands. I have large hands. The Bisley isn't good for me in CAS because my left thumb is blocked in cocking the hammer by my right thumb. If I were shooting Dualist, I might be happier with it, but my large hands feel better with the standard Blackhawk/Vaquero hammer.
Your mileage will vary.

 

[Bigjake]

your right about that, for duelist its just right, thats what i meant. i forget that not everyone shoots same style as me.

 

[Atticus]

I think this will be my next revolver.

Except the grip will be the black laminate.

Oh- I guess that is the balck laminate- pic looked brown at first.

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=862&return=Y