Zee Fraanken BEEZLEE iz heea.......

[drdougrx]

Hi All,

After 6 months, my long awaited BH Bisley conversion is done! Yippee!

It really is nice though.  As I've written in the past, I bought a shooter 41mag BH pretty cheaply to turn into some Gary Reeder something or other.  As I shot it I realized that I actually liked the 41mag and that this gun was worth keeping as is.  I loaded some warm 250gr WFNGC over a stout dose of H110 and realized that I hated the plowhandle grip...it wasn't long enough to comfortably shoot the hot stuff.  I also found that the cylinder pin kept backing out....so off to Ruger for repair.

I asked Ruger to attempt to return the gun to like new condition and they replaced almost every part at no charge.  They asked if i wanted them to reblue it and I said, sure...what the heck (needed it....).  It came back like new!

Then I got the bisley bug...

Long story short, after conversing with a few of you nice fellers here on GBO, I went and got myself a Brownells Bisley Conversion kit.  Heck...I got 2 dremel tools......

Then I came to my senses and took it to my gunsmith, Mike LaRocca (LaRocca Gun Works, Worcester MA) and sure enough he's done at least a dozen of these.  So......here we are.

I went in today to pick it up all converted and pretty....he rolled his eyes....he said the parts were unfinished and required allot of fitting and polishing.....I told him that's why I let him do it (see...I'm not so dumb after all....and nothing from you Webber)

So what did I learn???  Buy a Bisley unless you know how to finish the parts, or, buy a bisley and BH and switch the parts....or forget all of that like I will after I go to the range and begin scheming about a stainless SBH Bisley in 480Ruger........

Anyway.....Coyotejoe asked if I would post the cost of the project.  So sure, here it is:

Purchase of used gun:                           $300
Ruger Factory repairs:                             NC
Ruger Factory reblue:                            $130
Bisley grip frame (Brownells):                $200
Gunsmithing (inc trigger hone, etc):       $380
Eagle Grips (thinline, checkered,            $120   
 rosewood with Ruger Medallions)
                                      Grand Total:   $1,130   


Here's some pics:













Oh and if anyone is interested in buying a spare grip frame...PM me!

[Grizz66]

Doug very nice, I think it was worth the wait.

[drdougrx]

We'll see on Sunday!

[SHOOTALL]

Very nice looking gun !

[Lloyd Smale]

had a 4 5/8s 41 mag done up with a bisley grip frame. I traded it off. Im not a big 41 fan but that one was cool and i should have held on to it.

[bkraft]

You sir, could have quite possibly achieved handgun Nirvana! Very nice.

[drdougrx]

Y'know....it really is nice...but at wayyyy too much expense.  I won't be selling it anytime soon so it's water under the bridge at this point.

Shame of it is....I found a 1970's, never fired Ruger Bisley BH in 41 mag on gunbroker at the same time as I was contemplating this project.  It was selling for $450 by a guy in NY.  I spoke to the guy and to my gunsmith.  The guy was nice enough to hold it for me until I could work out a way to purchase it legally in MA.  You see...MA has a list of accepted models that can be purchased for all handguns.  The standard BH was on the list, the bisley was not and thus illegal for sale or purchase.  I couldn't find a way to do this legally.....so.....$1,100 later......

[coyotejoe]

That is a beauty for sure and looks much nicer that Ruger's standard finish, though it does show that the grip frame and cylinder frame were not polished together. And I'm sorry MA has become such a mess, it once was the center of liberty but that's long forgotten. I was stationed at Ft. Devens for a while in '63. I thought I'd have my shotgun sent so I could do a little small game hunting but when I checked with the local cop shop the guy sprang out of his chair with "you got a gun?"  "NO, NO," says I, holding out both hands in a placating gesture, I just want to know how to get one. After he ran through the procedure I said "Thank God I won't be here that long!"

[gcrank1]

Doug, I agree that 'once you pay the bills' and go use it the expense part of having a real custom to your order will fade.
I got the Bisley bug too, and a Stainless .45C factory LNIB 5.5" just showed up for $475 cash FTF, sounds like I oughtta....