Driftwood Johnson
Member
Here is a pic of my two 5" .32-20 Colt Police Positive Specials (Top 1912, Bottom 1924). Are these "Bisley" grip frames?
No
Howdy
This is a Bisley grip frame.
Colt introduced the Bisley model in 1894 and it was only produced until 1915. It was introduced to compete with the premier target pistol of the day, the Smith and Wesson New Model Number Three.
Colt introduced the Bisley model at the Bisley range in England, hence the name. International shooting competitions had been taking place there since Queen Victoria granted the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom a charter in 1890.
It is absolutely true the Colt Bisley grip is not for everyone. I find that the forward sweep of the front of the grip tends to make the pistol point down a little bit. I have often theorized that the grip was designed this way because many shooters in the 19th Century did not shoot with a straight elbow the way (Bullseye) shooters do today. Many shot with a slightly bent elbow. I find if I bend my elbow slightly, the Colt Bisley Model tends to point straight ahead, not down.
Notice the stance of the shooter at the left in this photo. That is what I am talking about as typical of many pistol shooters during the 1890s.
The Ruger version of the Bisley grip is quite different than the original Colt version. Notice the grip does not sweep forward at all.
Personally, I have always felt the Ruger version of the Bisley grip was at least partially based on Elmer Keith's famous No.5 revolver.
Notice the profile of the grip near the hammer is the same, without the intermediate curve near the base of the hammer on a normal Single Action Army.
Anyway, regarding the shape of the grip for 'more powerful' loads, it is all relative.
Before I started shooting Black Powder loads in my 45 Colt pistols in CAS, everybody warned me the recoil was much worse, and I would need a (Ruger) Bisley grip if I wanted to be able put up with the stouter recoil of Black Powder. For one thing, the Ruger Bisley grip is longer and allows one to cram one's entire hand onto the grip, without needing to curl the pinky under the grip.
So I bought a Ruger Bisley Vaquero chambered for 45 Colt. Took it to exactly one match and then I sold it. Never fired it again.
For me, the Ruger Bisley grip did offer anything. I am quite used to a standard plow handle single action grip rotating slightly in my hand in recoil. Perhaps if I owned a Revolver chambered for 454 Casull or 480 Ruger I would want a revolver with the Ruger version of the Bisley grip.
But I have no desire to own such a revolver. My BP loads of 45 Colt are plenty powerful enough for me.
The only 44 Mag single action revolver I own is this 44 Mag Flat Top Ruger. To be honest, I usually only fire 44 Specials from it anyway, so the plow hande grip is fine with me.