Advantages of a Bisley ??

[Scout]

Hey Shootin Pardners!
I am itchin to get a Ruger BlackHawk in 45Colt.  7-1/2" barrel SS for sure!

What I am not sure of is whether to get a Bisley or a Regular frame.  Any opinions or supporting arguments one way or nuther would be appreciated.  

Thanks  :lol:

[Hud]

Scout,

I like the Ruger Bisley.  

When using the regular grip I have to lock my little finger under the grip.  As the regular "plow handle" grip also comes out of the frame a little lower than the Bisley and is kind of "cone shaped" it tends to rock back and slip down in my hand during recoil.  Since there is no room on the grip for my little finger anyway, I use it under the grip to help reduce the slippage.

The Bisley grip fills my hand better top to bottom. I can hang on with all my fingers. It also tends to direct the recoil back into my palm rather than rocking up. This helps me stay on target better.  I also like the lower hammer of the Bisley design.

Hud

[Lloyd Smale]

most of my rugers are bisleys I like the feel better and they handle heavy recoil better.

[Bullseye]

Did not like the Bisley I had.  It is the only gun that I ever shot that I would wear a padded bicycling glove to shoot.  It just plain hurt my hand unlike any other gun has and it was just a 41 Mag.  It is no longer made and I sold a irreplacable gun just because I did not like the grip and I love the 41.  I have never shot a regular Blackhawk however, so I cannot make a comparison between the two.

[Flint]

The Bisley is much better than the standard SAA for duelist, or one-handed shooting as it aligns better with your arm and sights.  That was actually its purpose, the standard plow handle grip is better for hip shooting.  If a Bisley hurt Bulleye in 41 Magnum, a standard Ruger Blackhawk would have spun in his hand, which does soak up recoil, but you lose your grip and alignment.  Few handguns are comfortable with 41 or 44 Mag loads, regardless of grip.  For Cowboy Action loads, if you like it, neither grip hurts.

[Scout]

Whay do they call it "Bisley"?  Is it pronounced with a "short i" like "hit"  or a "long i" like "kite"?

Thanks for the opinions too.

I can see why the Bisley would hurt a little more.  If that energy is not going into rolling the pistol back - it's going somewhere else - straight back..



I think I'll probably go Bisley.

[CJ]

I believe it is pronounced bees lee, but I'm not 100% sure. I know how to say Loopold scopes and Shill en barrels, can anyone get me straight on .454 Casull?

[Dand]

I agree with Lloyd Smale - I like my 41 Bisley's fit in my hand and I can control the gun much better than the standard grip.

Maybe some Colt historian can fill us in on the history of the name.  I know the Ruger is so named because it imitates the Colt Bisley. I think the Colts were popular as target arms and I think there is a range or competition named Bisley in England?  I can't remember what I read on this - I could be way off - historians can you help us??

[Hud]

The Colt Bisley grip was a target grip named after a famous target range in England.   It is way to skinny to suit my tastes. Maybe great for light target shooting. The original Colt Bisleys were chambered in 38-40.

The Ruger Bisley is more of a copy of Elmer Keith's custom grip on his #5 Colt.  Not so skinny at the top.

I think the Bisley handles heavy recoil better because it directs a greater percentage of the recoil straight back. I would rather have my arm absorb the recoil than have the revolver twist my wrist and slam down into the web of my hand.

The same in long guns. I would rather have a rifle recoil into my shoulder than come up and bust me in the cheek.

Hud

[Graybeard]

The Bisley grip is really a grip for folks who don't really like single actions but THINK they do.    The original plough handle design of the Colt and the Ruger copy of it along with all others are intended to roll in the hand and not transfer that much of the recoil to the hand as the rolling gun absorbs it. This works well with light recoil but not so well with really heavy recoil, at least not for me. I use a light grip and with anything from mid level .44 mag or .45 colt loads the hammer tends to each my hand.

The Bisley grip is more like a double action grip which transfers the recoil straight in line with the arm and doesn't roll. I say more like it because the geometry of the gun as a whole still wants to roll but just not as much. My first Ruger Bisley was a SS 7.5" .45 Colt. I bought it because I'd heard the single action fans say it handled recoil so well (meaning like a double action really  :-D ). My desire was to shoot my Lyman 452651s at about 325 grains at 1250 fps. I found I couldn't even hold onto it with my usual grip at that level. It would litterally tear itself from my grip.

With a double action like the S&W N frames I can easily handle the hottest .44 magnum recoil in loads equal to that. In my RB I shoot that same bullet at 1550 fps and recoil seems mild.

Some folks prefer the rolling action of the plough handle to the way that double actions handle recoil. If you are one of those the Bisley is less likely to make you happy. BUT if you use a light grip on a handgun as I do you'll sure like the Bisley better for loads with much recoil.

GB

[Scout]

The only way to find out is try it I spose.    I have a Vaquero in 45Colt (not a Bisley) and I know what you mean about roll.  When I first shot it I noted first hand how a follow up shot was difficult except with low V cowboy loads -  where the follow up comes in handy.  I am into making it a  GP huntin' sidearm and think the follow up shot would be handy if needed.    We'll see !

Thanks all for the comments!!

[Lloyd Smale]

I get an occasional hammer bite from my big guns but usually only when Im fooling around and not paying attention. Something you shouldnt be doing with a 480 grain bullet at 1300+fps. I dont think my wrist would hold up to shooting these loads out of a blackhawk. I like the feel of a blackhawk too but when you get into heavy .44 loads or bigger you just cant beat the bisleys. If it werent true Linebaugh and bowen and clements wouldnt insist on bulding there big guns on that frame.

The Bisley grip is really a grip for folks who don't really like single actions but THINK they do.    The original plough handle design of the Colt and the Ruger copy of it along with all others are intended to roll in the hand and not transfer that much of the recoil to the hand as the rolling gun absorbs it. This works well with light recoil but not so well with really heavy recoil, at least not for me. I use a light grip and with anything from mid level .44 mag or .45 colt loads the hammer tends to each my hand.

The Bisley grip is more like a double action grip which transfers the recoil straight in line with the arm and doesn't roll. I say more like it because the geometry of the gun as a whole still wants to roll but just not as much. My first Ruger Bisley was a SS 7.5" .45 Colt. I bought it because I'd heard the single action fans say it handled recoil so well (meaning like a double action really  :-D ). My desire was to shoot my Lyman 452651s at about 325 grains at 1250 fps. I found I couldn't even hold onto it with my usual grip at that level. It would litterally tear itself from my grip.

With a double action like the S&W N frames I can easily handle the hottest .44 magnum recoil in loads equal to that. In my RB I shoot that same bullet at 1550 fps and recoil seems mild.

Some folks prefer the rolling action of the plough handle to the way that double actions handle recoil. If you are one of those the Bisley is less likely to make you happy. BUT if you use a light grip on a handgun as I do you'll sure like the Bisley better for loads with much recoil.

GB

[Hcliff]

I like the Bisley for harder recoiling loads.  When I shot the Super Blackhawk hunter I under stood why Linebaugh, Bowen, Clement and others build the Big guns in Bisley forms.  There is less muzzle rise and torque in the hand compared to the standard.  I like the longer handle on the Bisley (little finger fits on it).  It also feels thinner than the Blackhawk.  The Bisley has bit me a few times.  It was when I shoot HOT  :eek:  45 Colt loads.  It bites me on the middel finger's knuckle. (Sorry Lloyd I didn't build up my permamant bumb yet  :grin:   I am trying)  

I believe that Bisley is pronunced Bizzley.

Good Shooting

Hcliff