Author Topic: Bisley grip frame? (Read 2697 times)

Okee · « **on:** May 19, 2011, 05:58:09 PM »

I have a Ruger Super Black Hawk Hunter with a standard grip frame.

Can I use the Bisley grip frame off of a Ruger Vaquero to convert my gun to a Bisley Hunter?

Is the Bisley Vaquero grip frame the same as a stock Bisley hunter grip frame?

Both Guns are stainless steel if that makes a difference.

williamlayton · « **Reply #1 on:** May 20, 2011, 01:25:50 AM »

WHY? That is not an arguementative question--I don't understand the thought.
Blessings

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #2 on:** May 20, 2011, 02:12:58 AM »

yes there the same and i for one can see the reason to change. I dont mind a regular blackhawk grip frame but detest the draggon style ones on supers. The bisley is hands down better then either of the other for handling big recoil and i also shoot better off hand with a bisley.

coyotejoe · « **Reply #3 on:** May 20, 2011, 05:09:28 AM »

This question comes up quite often. Yes you can switch grip frames but you also must switch the hammer, trigger and springs and the new grip frame must be fitted up and finished. It will be far more economical to trade your present gun in on a new Bisley, even if you don't get a real good trade.

Hank08 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 22, 2011, 08:34:45 AM »

Yes, I've done many of them. You have all the parts necessary in the Bisley Vaquero. The only fitting is sometimes the gripframe doesn't match exactly the cylinder frame since they are match polished to the original grip frame but you'll see that as soon as you screw the two together. It will be a very small amount , if any. Sometime they fit perfect.
H08

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #5 on:** May 22, 2011, 08:45:58 AM »

Quote from: williamlayton on May 20, 2011, 01:25:50 AM

WHY? That is not an arguementative question--I don't understand the thought.
Blessings

If you ever held the standard frame and a Bisley frame side by side. You would throw rocks at the standard frame

sixshot · « **Reply #6 on:** May 22, 2011, 03:31:18 PM »

The standard Blackhawk grip frame is fine for most of us up to around 1000 fps in the 41, 44 & 45 type guns, beyond that they can start to get your attention. The Bisley is much more comfortable & fun to shoot once you get into big bullets & big doses of 2400, H110, AA9, Lil Gun, etc. Doesn't work they way for everyone but a big majority would prefer the Bisley grip frame. Shoot both styles side by side, that makes it easy!

Dick

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 23, 2011, 01:42:01 AM »

Quote from: Lloyd Smale on May 20, 2011, 02:12:58 AM

yes there the same and i for one can see the reason to change. I dont mind a regular blackhawk grip frame but detest the draggon style ones on supers. The bisley is hands down better then either of the other for handling big recoil and i also shoot better off hand with a bisley.

Well said!

Dana Rudd · « **Reply #8 on:** May 24, 2011, 10:20:15 AM »

Okee,
The Hunter does not use the standard Blackhawk grip frame. It has its own unique frame, the same size as the Dragoon square back but with a rounded trigger guard. I install Hunter grip frames on my stainless Rugers as I prefer them over the Bisley and standard frames. Just me they fit my hands best. When I got my Hunter I installed a Bisley grip frame but quickly went back to the Hunter frame. Yes I have Bisley's, but prefer the Hunter. I currently own over twenty Ruger single actions with standard, Hunter, Bisley and Birdheads grip frames.

Depending on the year of your Hunter you may run into contour problems installing the Bisley, purely cosmetic but I couldn't stand it. As you can see there was no way to get the proper shape.

Good Luck on your decision.

Dana

Okee · « **Reply #9 on:** May 24, 2011, 04:46:52 PM »

Thanks for the help everyone . I think I'll hold off for now especially after your post Dana, I couldn't live with it fitting like that in your picture either. By the way just a heads up there is a couple of stainless bisley frames I was looking at on GB right now.

drdougrx · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2011, 03:45:31 AM »

I'm having one fit by my smith...I'll post when its done.

coyotejoe · « **Reply #11 on:** May 25, 2011, 06:45:15 AM »

Please do, and please let us know the total cost, I expect it will be about the same as a new Bisley.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #12 on:** May 25, 2011, 07:52:02 AM »

I for one like the sq back trigger guard on the SB. However my knuckle on my middle finger of my shooting hand cuses them everytime my trigger finger sets one off ! Thank goodness for band-aids in 60-80 round matches .
Hope the crosss works well .

drdougrx · « **Reply #13 on:** May 25, 2011, 08:09:58 AM »

Coyotejoe...I suspect you are correct!

45-70.gov · « **Reply #14 on:** May 25, 2011, 08:46:40 AM »

why don't they just make the bisley and forget the old style

i do MUCH prefer the feel of my blackhawks over my superblack hawk

I have considered having my super just down graded to blackhawk [or up graded]

Tom C. · « **Reply #15 on:** June 10, 2011, 07:33:53 AM »

The preference of the Bisley grip frame or the XR-3RED grip frame of the standard New Model Blackhawk is really just a matter of personal preference. I have a number of NMBHs with the XR-3RED grip, a couple of 50th Anniversary .357 Flat Tops with the XR-3 grip and one Bisley. I much prefer the XR-3RED, but that is just me. With the right grips, I can live with any of them, but I don’t care for standard Ruger grips. I have put Eagle Gunfighter grips on all my XR-3RED guns and my Bisley. They improve all of them. The standard grips on the Bisley beat my knuckle of my second finger unmercifully, but the Gunfighter grips fix that for me.

williamlayton · « **Reply #16 on:** June 10, 2011, 02:06:41 PM »

I hate that knuckle being busted on my Smiths---I can understand that.
Blessings

coyotejoe · « **Reply #17 on:** June 10, 2011, 04:57:35 PM »

I don't get it William. My first .44 mag was a Super Blackhawk like Elmer Keith was fond of calling "the big Ruger Dragoon" and I found that grip and squareback guard to be just perfect, though I know lots of folks cuss it.
Many years later I got a .44 mag Bisley Vaquero and I found that perfect as well, though others hate it.
Couple years ago I got this 50th Anny .44 mag and the trigger guard just beats hell out of my second knuckle while the sharp pointed plastic grips were like having my hand beat with a hoof rasp. Other people think it's just fine.
So I got inventive and built my Hillbilly Bisley grip by cutting, bending. reshaping the backstrap, and brazing it back together and making new grips from walnut slabs. That took out the pain and restored the fun to shooting those 240SWC's at 1200 fps.
Differences in the size and shape of the hand? Differences in the way we grip the gun? Don't know.
Oh, by the way, I also liked the factory grips on a S&W 629, go figure.

williamlayton · « **Reply #18 on:** June 11, 2011, 06:04:47 AM »

The small grips on the S&W, the combat and magma, are the culprits, IMO. I put the larger target grips on the .357's and the problem was solved.
They have that piece that extends under the grip frame to the trigger guard--the same as the Tyler T's accomplish, which seems to protect the knuckle.
I can accomplish the same thing by adjusting my grip on the gun but I don't shoot well with that grip and it is not as comfortable, either.
Blessings

coyotejoe · « **Reply #19 on:** June 11, 2011, 07:12:55 AM »

That was the problem for me too William, not enough knuckle room between the front strap and the guard and the XR-3 grip frame was too short to allow a good grip with any sort of added filler behind the guard. After modifying the grip frame I made my new grips longer than the frame to allow a lower grip on the gun which got my knuckle out of the pinch.
Here's my "Hillbilly Bisley" modification, not a thing of beauty but it sure makes the XR-3 grip frame more comfortable.

inthebeech · « **Reply #20 on:** June 17, 2011, 08:27:42 AM »

Andy Horvath is about done I think with my new Flat Top 44 Special. It will have the Bisley frame fitted. When I left the realm of 700 f/s cast loads and started shooting up in the 900-1,000 f/s range, something had to be done to improve comfort. It is strictly a working gun. Yes I could have traded it for a factory bisley in 44 mag but my gun has perfect throat to groove dimensional relationship and I didn't want to take a chance of losing this; plus it's a 44 Special.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #21 on:** June 17, 2011, 08:38:00 AM »

Quote from: sixshot on May 22, 2011, 03:31:18 PM

The standard Blackhawk grip frame is fine for most of us up to around 1000 fps in the 41, 44 & 45 type guns, beyond that they can start to get your attention. The Bisley is much more comfortable & fun to shoot once you get into big bullets & big doses of 2400, H110, AA9, Lil Gun, etc. Doesn't work they way for everyone but a big majority would prefer the Bisley grip frame. Shoot both styles side by side, that makes it easy!

Dick

I for one never had a problem with the standard frame shooting loads up to 1700 fps out of a super BH. The sq trigger bow worked on my middle finger some. I shot this in matches that were from 40 to 80 rounds + 10 sighters. What I did find was the Bisley is hard to hold when in some field positions when hunting or shooting creedmore style. Both frames offer something good but has trade offs . The Bisely was for target shooting in its day so if you target shoot or shoot or shoot most of the time from a target type position the bisely would be great but if speed or out of positions may be in the cards maybe the standard frame is the ticket.

And yes those 1700 fps loads were a bit better than max.

BlkHawk73 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 18, 2011, 02:52:38 AM »

One that's already been fitted & finished is pretty likely to fit up quite good. Not exactly perhaps but darn close. Of course having one properly fitted would be necessary if the grip frame was in the white. Even in a case where the ears are too low, it does happen, a good gunsmith can make it look right. I've had 3 or so fitted and 1 more simply a swap - all came out nice! Have 2 more steel ones in the white and another brass one that will be fitted at some point. Just love the Bisley configuration.
One thing that many don't realize, is the newer ones will not have the inner studs that protrude into the cylinder frame. If the grip frame has 'em and the cylinder frame doesn't have the recess, simply remove the stubs.