44 Mag 7.5" SBH's- Bisley VS. Standard grips???

[Oklahoma Rebel]

For heavy recoiling, full-house 44 mag loads, which do ya'll prefer? I didn't know how to do a poll, or even if I could

[str8wal]

Bisley!

[woodsie57]

I tried a standard Blackhawk in 44 mag, always had problems with vertical stringing- my groups might be 2" wide at 25 yds, but 7" tall- traded it for a redhawk, much better-( for me) still love the looks of the Blackhawks, but I gotta go with what works for me! Have fun with whatever you settle on!

[shoot-n-lead]

Depends on the shooter...have to try it and see.

There is no "one size fits all" answer to this question.

[dhom]

The bisley has worked well for me. You have to practice using the same grip all the time for best accuracy.

[44man]

I can't make a Bisley shoot. But like is said, it is best to find a way to try all grips.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

anyone know about indoor ranges and how much to rent both to try?

[Bookworm]

I much prefer the Bisley grip. My Bisley SBH Hunter is much easier for me to shoot than my plow-handle 5.5" SBH.
Of course, the extra weight of the SBHH makes the comparison uneven.

[44man]

My SBH Hunter was here two weeks. Glad it is gone.

[contender1]

If you look at all the truly big bore handguns,,, the Bisley shape is the preferred one to use.

[Blackwater]

Hands and their sizes and conformation, and thickness of fingers, etc., vary as much as personalities do. So the only way to really know is to try them both. One point: dhom above has it right. The ONLY way you'll EVER get accurate with a SA .44 is to learn to grip the gun the same way every time, with the SAME PRESSURE in your grip. Change the pressure on the grip, and the gun will recoil and slide down in the hand at a different rate, producing vertical stringing, and less than satisfactory accuracy. Only when you learn a good, consistent grip, will you achieve accuracy with a .44 SA. And the firmer the grip, the better. Think of a good, firm handshake. That's pretty close to the pressure you need to use for an optimum grip on a .44 SA. The more firmly you grip it, the less variation there'll likely be when changing bullet wts. and loads, which is always desirable. It also tends to kind'a make it easier to grip consistently, too. Take it one evening, and play with how you grip it. Get to know the feel intimately. And try various grips and pressures, and see which you tend to be able to reproduce on demand the most consistently. That's about the right grip for you. As you learn to shoot with a good, firm grip, you'll likely get stronger, and you can tell when that happens because your POI will be a tad lower on the target. Compensate by adjusting the sights, rather than the grip. The more firmly you learn to grip it, the better you'll likely shoot. Hope this helps?

[Oklahoma Rebel]

44man, why are you glad it is gone, and after only 2 weeks? what type of SBH was it. I'd like to hear the story.

[44man]

44man, why are you glad it is gone, and after only 2 weeks? what type of SBH was it. I'd like to hear the story.
I listened to all and bought the SBH Hunter with a Bisley. Another friend only bought a Bisley and I shot them too. Up to a .500 Linebaugh. I shot only one good group with one. I could not get a consistent hold. It beat my knuckle so a shift would throw shots. Then he had fancy, slippery grips that made it worse. He had a big .500 Alaskan revolver with Bisley smooth grips. I would not shoot it. He used padded gloves and put a pile of band aids on his fingers and still got this on his head.194280Yeah the Bisley reduced recoil! He was getting his trigger finger cut to shreds with the Bisley. But he is stubborn as all get out.
The reason I sold the Bisley Hunter is I shot many, many hog leg Hunters to 1/2" at 50 yards but I could not do it with the Bisley. It is a cult thing with no reason.
The history of the grip was with low recoil target loads to get the sights in a better position for one hand shooting. It was never about recoil at all.

[buckwheatpaul]

I know that I am wading in late but I carried a S&W 29 on the streets for years and shot it well with full power loads....I also had a Redhawk and a Super Black Hawk. The rolling of the SBH gave me problems but it shot well if I did my part. I like the double actions because they do not roll in your hand like the SBH and the felt recoil is worst but the consistent grip made up for the increased recoil.

[6pt-sika]

I had a circa 1957 Ruger Blackhawk in 44 MAG that I liked quite a bit , but with full house loads the trigger guard would eat up the nuckel on my middle finger . I could have remedied that with a set of the Pachmayer rubber grips that get you out from behind the trigger guard and I actually had a set that came with the gun . I just didn't care for the look . Anyway I've had several Redhawks and Super Redhawks in 44 and 480 as well as a couple 629's . I for some strange reason seem to shoot double actions a bit more comfortably (and better) then I ever did with singles . FWIW I "had" a Dan Wesson 357 MAX with an 8 3/8" barrel that someone had bought for silhouette when it was new , anyway it was a nice gun stainless with ventilation ports in the sides of the shroud . Now bear in mind I was NEVER a IHMSA shooter but I could usually clean the chickens and the pigs with that gun offhand but not so much with a Ruger Blackhawk in 357 MAG . Anyway that's my own personal opinion of the question .

[Crazy Carl]

I'm in the Bisley camp. It just works for me & I absolutely love my .41 Bisley SBH Hunter.

I've never shot a SBH with the "Dragoon" grip frame, but it certainly felt nice in the hand. The plow handle's fine & plenty comfortable for .357, but for my .41s, it's Bisley all the way.

[Beagle333]

Bisley. I believe 6 of mine sport a Bisley grip now.

[Lloyd Smale]

I'm a bisley fan. I think there much better at controlling heavy recoil and I just shoot them off hand better. that said the recoil of a 44 mag isn't that severe and ive got both bisley and black hawk gripped 44s and like them both. What I don't like is the dragoon grip on the supers. They beat the $$$$ out of my middle knuckle. Ive got a permanently swelled middle knuckle from the first two 44s I had both supers with dragoons. That was over 30 years ago and the knuckle is still twice the size of the left one. Some don't like the bisley. But go to a linebaugh seminar where guys are shoot HEAVY recoiling guns and id bet to a man theyd prefer a bisley. I remember when I had my 4 inch bisley vaquero 500 built a few of the guys went gaga over it. Came back the next year and kelly brost who was the original owner of cast performance bullets was there with his brand new 4 inch 500 with a Blackhawk grip frame. That thing was brutal to shoot. My bisley was a lot more comfortable with the same loads and everyone that shot both agreed. I can do heavy 44 mag and 45 colt on a Blackhawk grip with no problem but step up to something that recoils more then that and id bet 99 percent of shooters would tell you the bisley is easier to shoot.

[44man]

For me anyway, I never let a gun "roll." But I can't get the same hold with a Bisley or S&W 29. I hate the SBH square trigger guard so I put Pachmeyer grips on all. My .45 Vaquero was so nasty I put Pachmeyer's on it too.
The BFR's come with Uncle Mike grips and are perfect. The BFR has a SBH frame with a round guard. It is a big Ruger cast at the Pine Tree foundry.
I love wood but not on a big revolver, even the Freedom .475 ate my friend so he bought the rubber grips for it.
Somewhere around 1957 I gave up LOOKING at guns and started to SHOOT guns. The old flat top was OK with wood panels but the SBH was not kind at all. I have had blood pour from my knuckle.
Put the fancy wood on for show but change to shoot.

[Spector]

OMG Lloyd. I just had x-rays run on my hands last week. My middle knuckle on my right hand gives me fits anymore. My rheumatologist asked if had trauma to it. I said no. I had forgotten how swelled up it used to get when I shot heavy revolver loads in my Rugers. That finger is starting to bend now and locks up if I grip something small too tightly.

I think you just defined where my problem stems from. That and two kinds of arthritis.

Mike

[cowboy]

NOT a Bisley fan. Had one in .44 magnum- I could not shoot it as well as I could shoot my regular Blackhawks ( though they were in .45Colt, with some of those Blackhawk/Contender ONLY loads ). I'd had one of those bisley .44 Specials from Lipsy's , back when they came out; shot well enough, but didn't care for it. Did get a Freedom Arms model 83 in .454 Casull , and really like the somewhat longer ( like a SBH ) gripframe, but with the round triggerguard instead of the squared off one which appears on the 7 1/2" ( and longer) barrel SBHs . My 5 1/2 " SBH suits me fine, but I shoot my Super Redhawk better- huge and ugly though it is. Some times looks aint everything!

[NC_JEFF]

I have the SBH with the 7.5 barrel, plow handle grip,the rear of the trigger guard being square really gets into my finger on heavy recoil. I installed an oversized grip and have been incredibly happy with the gun ever since. ( Thanks Chuckbuster)I have supreme confidence in the accuracy of this gun as well.

[rugerdude]

I've had a couple of SBH's with the Dragoon grip frame and they beat the devil out of my middle finger. Have a Bisley now, and it is a thousand percent better. I might would consider a SBH with a round trigger guard, but I'll never have another square back.

[gwpercle]

The actual grip panels will make a difference. Shooting my Ruger Blackhawk (1970 3 screw) 357 magnum with the factory wood or the smooth elephant ivory grips ( made when it was legal ) left a lot to be desired...hard to hold onto . A set of checkered plastic grips that are just a bit thicker makes a huge difference in control. Mine has the round trigger guard and doesn't beat my knuckles up at all .
Gary

[siamese4570]

OK Rebel: I have tried both and I like the Bisley. Had a super black hawk and the trigger guard beat my middle finger silly. Put pachmayers on it to fill the gap behind the trigger and that worked ok but the pachmayers were sticky enough that they would rub a blister in the palm of my hand. Might have been able to fix it with a wood grip of the same shape but it went down the road. Currently have a sbh bisley hunter and it doesn't beat me up nearly as bad. I also have a bisley blackhawk in 45 LC that is also pleasant to shoot. I'm over in broken arrow, drop me a pm if you want to try them.
siamese4570

[taco650]

FWIW, I had a blue NMSBH for a while that came with the factory grips. The square back trigger guard banged my middle finger every time it fired. Put on a pair of the Hogue finger groove rubber-whatever grips and didn't like them either. Looked into having it converted to a Bisley frame and it was too much $$$ for me. I've had a Dan Wesson 6" 44 for years with the factory walnut grips and I can shoot it just fine. Would like to try a Bisley some day, especially one of the new BFR's in 500JHR!

[Bigslug]

Do not like the Bisley grip shape AT ALL. Much prefer to have the 1873 "something" at the bottom of the grip to raise the muzzle to level when the elbow is locked out. Note that the 1911 started out more like a Bisley and ended up more like a Peacemaker with the addition of the arched MSH on the 1911-A1. I also never had that "Glocks point high" problem so many complain about.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

seems like when it comes to the bisleys it is love or hate. if I got one and later decided I didn't want it anymore, are the grip frames available from ruger (or anyone) to make it a plowhandle?

[white eagle]

Bisley for sure fits my hand better
never had a problem with full power loads in
any other configuration of grips I had though
just prefer the Bisley over all others in a single action

[Bookworm]

seems like when it comes to the bisleys it is love or hate. if I got one and later decided I didn't want it anymore, are the grip frames available from ruger (or anyone) to make it a plowhandle?

You buy a stainless Bisley, and decide you don't like it, I'll trade you the plow-handle grip frame from my 5.5" SBH (it's the round trigger guard) for the Bisley grip frame.

[taco650]

seems like when it comes to the bisleys it is love or hate. if I got one and later decided I didn't want it anymore, are the grip frames available from ruger (or anyone) to make it a plowhandle?

It's my understanding that the grip frame can be changed but the trigger has to be changed as well because its a little different than the standard.

[str8wal]

seems like when it comes to the bisleys it is love or hate. if I got one and later decided I didn't want it anymore, are the grip frames available from ruger (or anyone) to make it a plowhandle?

You would not have any problem finding someone who would trade parts with you. The Bis conversions are quite popular and WTB's for the parts are common occurances on the Ruger board

[mart]

I have eight Bisleys from 22 to 480. I like the grip frame better than any I've tried and find I shoot them well and for me they handle recoil much better than standard grip frames. I got rid of most of my centerfire single actions that were not Bisleys. The only plow handle single actions I have are my old Single Six and three Herters Powermags and they are considerably longer and larger than most plow handle grips.

[TCLouis]

My round trigger guard Super Blackhawk would be out the door in a New York Minute if I could use it to trade toward a Bisley Super Blackhawk Hunter.

[Grmps]

I have large hands and both SBH & Bisley in 44 are painful to shoot with factory grips. I put a Hogue grip on the SBH and now love it. If someone has found a good bisley grip for big hands please PM me with info.

[arlon]

I have a Bisley, Standard Blackhawk and Redhawk, all in .41 mag. My favorite is the Bisley but with an explanation. First I have reasonable large thin fingered hands. The Bisley is a comfortable grip when shooting paper slowly. I can say the Bisley with a 7 1/2 barrel has about the same felt recoil to me as the Redhawk with 5 1/2" barrel. The .41 doesn't kick too bad, one reason I like it so much. It's even bearable in my little slick top 4" S&W model 58.

The biggest difference that I like between the std and Bisley Blackhawks it the steel frame the Bisley comes with. The fit and finish of the Bisley is an order of magnitude better than the aluminum framed Blackhawk. The added weight of the steel frame makes it more controllable than the aluminum frame. I think the weight makes more difference than the grip shape. My hands do prefer the added length of the Bisley grip when compared to the standard frame but my real favorite is the S&W with finger notch Pachmayr presentation grips.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

alright, thanks a lot guys, siamese4570 and bookworm, thankyou for the kind offers. before I am ready to buy I might pm you 4570. thanks again-Travis