The best grips on BP (and other) revolvers

[Dark Skies]

Now you’ve got me thinking about rounding the grip some on my New Army.

I would have gone full birdshead were it not for the fact I'd have wiped out the serial number on the bottom of the grip's frame.. Experience with trying to stamp letters and numbers (and failing dismally) into metal with the usual punch type stamps put me off. In the US this may not be an issue. However, in the UK my firearm certificate has to be renewed every five years - the police or a representative will come round and inspect your guns and make sure what's on your ticket is the same as in your cabinet. Illegible numbers might have been problematic.

 

[Dark Skies]

This photo shows the difference between a standard Colt Single Action Army and the Bisley model. This is an actual Colt Bisley, the grip shape is very different than the grip of the Ruger version of the Bisley grip.

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Ugh. That Bisley grip just looks horrible all over the shop.

 

[Pete D.]

This works for me quite well.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Ugh. That Bisley grip just looks horrible all over the shop.

Thanks for your opinion. I like them myself. That is why I have two of them. Both are chambered for the 38-40 cartridge.

This one shipped in 1907.






This one shipped in 1909. Unlike the other one, it has almost no finish left on it.






Mexican bandit and later General in the Mexican Revolution Pancho Villa liked the Bisley model too.






The Colt Bisley model was introduced by Colt as a target revolver at the Bisley Range near London, England in 1894, to compete with Smith & Wesson's New Model Number Three. The target models had a drift adjustable rear sight and an elevation adjustable front sight. There were actually far more of the fixed sight versions, like mine, made than the target version, 44,350 vs 976. Production of the Bisley model ceased in 1915. Interestingly enough, I find that holding a Bisley model straight out with a straight arm, the way most people shoot today, it tends to point down slightly at the ground. Many target shooters at the time shot their revolvers with a slightly bent elbow. I find that if I bend my elbow slightly the Bisley model points straight ahead. I have always suspected that was the reason the grip swept so far forward, but I have no data to support that suspicion. Just my own experience.

 

[ClemBert]

For those mentioning the Ruger Old Army or the Super Blackhawk, the brass framed ROA actually used the Super Blackhawk gripframe which means the grips on the brass framed ROA are about 1/4" longer than the ROAs with the round trigger guards. You can see that in this pic. The Super Blackhawk grip is the difference between getting your full pinky on the grip versus half pinky on the round trigger guard ROAs.

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

I concur with the notion that he 1851 Colt has the best grip/balance/ point

 

[CraigC]

I like the Colt Bisley as well. Even works well with the Keith .44Spl load. Truth be told, I bought this Cimarron .357 just for the ivory. I'll probably end up having it rechambered and rebarreled to something more useful.



This one will end up as a full custom.

 

[woodnbow]

 

[drobs]

For something different.
I believe these pics were from a BP group out of Poland: