Ruger 45 LC Bisley

[whetrock]

I picked up a Ruger Bisley Blackhawk on a whim off of the internet, and am curious as to if any of you have a Bisley, (Ruger, Colt or whatever), I'm new to this particular grip style, but have known about them for some time. Anyhow I feel like this pistol will help me explore the potential of the 45 Lc and compare it to my Ruger SBH. It looks grand, but aesthetics aren't everything. I really dig this particular variation.

 

[Lerk]

I was just fondling a Bisley Blackhawk today at the gun shop but resisted taking it with me. I personally really like them

 

[CraigC]

I love the Ruger Bisley and for me, nothing is more comfortable with heavy loads when fitted with proper grips. I'm surprised I don't have more than four of them.

This was my first, a standard 7½" .44 that I had tuned, accurized and refinished.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have an original Ruger Bisley Vaquero in .45 Colt and it's probably my favorite SA revolver to shoot. It's the original larger frame, not the New Vaquero. I like the grip angle of the Ruger Bisley much better than the Colt Bisley.

 

[whetrock]

Those are both really fine, specimens. I've wanted some sort of bisley framed revolver for ages now, in particular a Blackhawk and ideally chambered for 45 Lc. I've got both a 44 SBH 5.5 in., and a .41 6.5 inch, I tried the whole 45lc Vs 44 Magnum debate, but in the end decided it'd be best to own both cartridge seeing as I've got dies and components for both rounds and appreciate them both. I don't know what I'll use it for, but I think I'll enjoy shooting this one. I heard somewhere that the Ruger Bisley is patterned to a certain degree, after the grip of a Colt (#5) frame that Elmer Keith had designed. Pretty interesting, that man knew wheelguns, and if the bisley was satisfactory for him, it should serve me well.

 

[rchery59]

The 45 colt Bisley is the holy grail of single action revolvers, PERIOD !!!

 

[TwoWheelFiend]

I owned an Uberti .45 LC Bisley for the longest time and I just could never get used to that grip. I know why its shaped like that, but i just couldn't do it. The trigger guard would smash my knuckle when shooting heavy loads had an incredible trigger on it tho...

 

[rodinal220]

The Ruger Bisley grip is way better IMHO than the original Colt Bisley grip.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

The original Colt Bisley grip is quite different than the Ruger version. Last year I bought this 1st Gen Bisley Colt. It has been rebarreled and chambered for 44 Special. I usually shoot 44 Russians in it. The trick to not getting your finger whacked with any single action revolver is to not try to cram your entire hand onto the grip. Just grip it with three fingers, curl your pinky under the grip, and most important, leave about 1/4" of space between the trigger guard and the knuckle of your middle finger.



And I disagree, the original Bisley grip is better than the Ruger version. You just have to understand how to use it.

 

[CraigC]

I love both the Colt and Ruger versions of the Bisley. I actually intended to come home with a 7½" Bisley .38-40 when I bought the Schofield. I also get all three digits on the grip frame. Like anything else, you have to find what works best for you. Had this .44Spl but sold it and wish I hadn't.

 

[cane]

Ruger uses one size "Bisley" grip frames for all 4 sizes of SAs. The single six, original vaquero (and black hawk) new vaquero, ans super blackhawk, all the same size.

 

[CraigC]

Technically there's only three sizes. The small frame Single Six; the medium frame Old Model .357 Blackhawk, New Vaquero and the various New Model flat-tops in .357Mag, .44Spl and .45Colt/ACP; the large frame Vaquero/Blackhawk/Super Blackhawk (Old and New Model). The .41Mag and .44Mag flat-tops are also on the large frame.

Not counting the Bearcat, of course.

 

[huntershooter]

Ruger Bisley with 5.5" barrel (cut back from 7.5").
I found a .44 mag. cylinder and sent the gun/cyl. to Ben Forkin to fit cylinder to revolver, line bore and rechamber to minimum spec .45 Colt.
Installed Turnbull (I think) rear sight and trigger work.
It's a 2" @ 50 yds. (six shots) with a 265 gr. WFNGC @ 1250 fps+, and yes, the Bisley grip frame is MUCH more manageable with heavy loads.

 

[winter1857]

This was built for me by John Gallagher back in the 90's. He shaped the stag grips for me too.

 

[Blank Stare 73]

I love my Ruger Bisley, mine is chambered in .45 Colt, I've had a blast learning to reload after getting it (kinda had to if I wanted to shoot it much!) It is by far my favorite gun period.

 

[back40]

i recently picked up my first bisley grip framed super blackhawk with the 3.75" bbl. for me, it's head and shoulders above the plow handle grip for comfort.

 

[bergmen]

Truly, one of the finest single actions Ruger has made (IMO):



I had a 7 1/2" Blackhawk in .45 Colt for years before I saw this in the LGS. I bought this and sold my Blackhawk to my son who cherishes it.

Dan

 

[wnycollector]

I picked up a SS 5.5" 45 Colt/45 acp Bisley Blackhawk last spring and it has become on of my favorite revolvers. It is accurate and very easy to shoot even with thumping 45 colt loads. I like the Bisley grip so much I'm looking for one of the Davidson limited edition Bisley Single Sixes to add to my collection.

 

[Boxhead]

One of my favorites, a 44 Mag.

 

[BigShep85]

I didn't need this thread

I don't need one:banghead:
I don't need one to go with my old model birdshead:banghead:
I can beat this:banghead:

 

[RCL]

Neat gun Boxhead......first 3 screw I've seen with a Bisley grip frame put on it.

 

[osteodoc08]

I've got several Bisely gripped Ruger SA. Love em all. Best for me when i get serious work out of my 45LC with "Ruger Only" loads. My favorite still is a NM BH in 41 mag with a set of Badger Grips on the "Regular" current grip frame.

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors // Whetrock, I think you made a good choice in the Bisley Model and .45LC is very satisfying to throw down range.

Very nice photos in this thread, some are real eye candy and others like ArchAngelCD's Vaquero (just my style) make me want to drop them in a holster and hit the trail with a pocket full of ammo for some stump removal.

The Bisley grip was intended to take Colt into the target genre, sort of expanding the company's customer base.
So..it is intended to be comfortable using a Bullseye grip and stance. YMMV

The Bisley never really took off as a target pistol.
Butt...Good thing for Colt, folks like Pancho Villa and others, who had occasion to use a revolver regularly, liked them because of the grip... I doubt these gunmen used the Bullseye grip/stance.

The Colt Bisley Model in .45lc with a 4 3/4" barrel was a pinnacle for me.
One of those revolvers," I never thought I'd own" let alone allow others to shoot.

Here is a photo of the .45lc ammo I used to test mine and build up some brass to have reloaded.
First six were at least on paper.
The 1908 Colt does much better benched instead of me shooting one handed but I usually just take pics the first time out of the holster, if then.


Cleaned up

Hope you have fun shooting your Bisley.
Enjoy the search.

 

[kendak]

+++ on the eye candy!!.. nice pistols but I never could get the "feel" of a Bisley nor do I like pistol with non adj. sights ..I'll stick with my three screw Rugers ...my favorite is a SBH 5 1/2" that I bought new in 1970 for $80...put many rounds through that bad boy ...thanks everybody for all the pic.

 

[bannockburn]

huntershooter
winter1857

A couple of sweet looking customized Rugers you have there! Love the grips you've got on both of them as well!