Fluted Cylinder Bisley SBH

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Axehandle

Buckeye
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Found this a few months back.. No papers, no box, not cherry, but a nice fluted cylinder shooter grade 44 mag Bisley. Nice addition to my "set" :D
83-43790-2.jpg

83-43790-1.jpg
 

Quarterbore

Blackhawk
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Valley Forge PA
Is that a factory shipped setup or did someone add the flutted cylinder?

I like the way it looks as it is different. I have seen the fluted Single Sixes with Bisley but this is the first fluted blackhawk I had seen. Congrats either way, just trying to learn.

EDIT - so they were a factory offering...

See: http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=105909
See: http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=76352
 

Axehandle

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We know that the factory delivered some fluted Bisleys. Don't remember anything about 44 Mags. I don't think that ruger has any records that reflect this characteristic. This grip frame looks fitted and finished like factory. The cylinder has one etched character on the front. Looks like maybe a Y or perhaps a skewed 1
 

bigbore45colt

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Yep, RB-44 was the catalog number for the fluted cylinder gun, RB-44W (With rollmarked cylinder) for the unfluted cylinder.

This was the case on all of the initial Bisleys...fluted cylinders first, then unfluted. Only a few hundred of the fluted cylinder guns were made, for most of the calibers.

Refer to RENE Reference Guide for the details.

BB45C
 
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As BigBore said, they used the 'normal' on hand ,fluted cylinders to get the guns out ( deliver) before they could get the "rollmarked" ones in inventory, and installed.....was old this back in 1985 as the 'dealer flyer' they sent had the picture with the rollmarked cylinder and when we ordered some, they came in with fluted cylinders, and we had called to inquire.......ALL of the customers preferred the fluted ones by the way.................
 

G2

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As a side note;

I thought WBR didn't care for the "Bisley Rollmark" and wanted the guns built w/ fluted cylinders.

Some of the Bisley rollmark cylinders made it out and/or as rugerguy mentions 'dealer flyer', and Dealers were asking where are the "right one's"
 
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we heard the same thing, that WBR ,Sr didn;t care for them, I heard they had issues with how it was done,as well as the "cost" ( that sounds MORE like the old man...)
anyway, had them all and in BOTH variations over the years...........kinda like the way the grip 'feels" and it was really neat, how back at the turn of the century, over at the Bisley, England gun ranges, them old coots shooting targets, all dressed up in suits no less, so Colt built their 'bisley' models to compete, kinda interesting,,, BUT no, sorry ,never kept ANY of them.........
 

chet15

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Dawson, Iowa
The real story of the fluted vs. rollmarked cylinders is this...After the Bisley two-page flyers were printed showing the Bisley would have a rollmarked cylinder, Ruger had trouble with the initial rollmarking dies to do the cylinders. So they figured they could get by with shipping fluted cylinder versions in every caliber they advertised. Didn't work out as Ruger had planned as the public, seeing that their guns weren't coming with that neat Bisley looking motif balked.
Ruger figured out their problems with the rollmarking dies and soon after discontinued the fluted models. If the fluted models were more popular they'd have never been discontinued.
Chet15
 

G2

Hunter
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GREAT Info/ Story chet15 !!

The human side of the story is ... We want what we can't have.

I'm assuming here but the fluted cylinder guns have got to be the lowest production quanity guns.

When I found a 32 fluted cylinder, had to have it, and then the .22 showed, had to have it too. :D
P1010004-15.jpg
 

Axehandle

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Original fluted cylinder. Ruger records shows it a RB-44 :D
Does it seems odd to anyone that Ruger would flute cylinders special for the SBH Bisley since the standard SBH cylinder was unfluted?
 
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For whatever the reasons they did it, I am jsut glad the first ones had fluted cylinders! My 41 came with the flutes and sans the Reederesque "engraving" and any other bisleys I have boughten had to bear the cost of having the engraving removed in the shop and flutes cut.
 

Unconverted

Single-Sixer
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Robb Barnes said:
My 41 came with the flutes and sans the Reederesque "engraving" and any other bisleys I have boughten had to bear the cost of having the engraving removed in the shop and flutes cut.

You're my hero RB. I usually prefer fluted too, except on 5-shot revolvers or Freedom Arms. Unfluted cylinders look best in stainless to my eye. Oh and, "Reederesque", now that's clever! I've always thought the Reeder engraving ruined the looks of some otherwise nice work. Just my $.02.
 

Axehandle

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A Robb Barnes fan Club? Never been much of a joiner but that might be a good one.. Set up a hefty membership fee and I'll be the prez. :D
Make mine fluted and unfluted, slick and scrolled. Nothing like flutes on my classic sixguns. Something about 475 and 500 bore customs screams unfluted to me. I like Bisley scroll work and I have cultivated a taste for Reeder's work in recent years! I'll have more fluted, unfluted, and Reeder's too!
 
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I guess it works out best for both of us Axe, we won't be looking for the same type of revolvers that way. Not that I could play in your high priced real estate sandbox but a guy can always dream! :D
 

Axehandle

Buckeye
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Yeah right! The only hope I have to come close matching your resources is a windfall from the new Robb Barnes fan club! Keep that money coming! :D
 

SATCOM

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 10, 2002
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Augusta, Georgia
My wife bought me a Bisley in .44 for Christmas soon after they came out. I liked the fluted cylinder. Her NM Super of course had an unfluted cylinder and looked much better when I dropped the Bisley fluted cylinder in. So being the smart guy, I send my Bisley to Ruger minus the cylinder and asked for a replacement. Returned with unfluted engraved. So much for me being smart.

SATCOM
 

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