Ruger Blackhawk Bisley Grip - Recontouring with fatter grips

I used to own a nice Super Blackhawk Bisley 44Mag 4.75" barrel that was set up by John Linebaugh, but I ended up selling it (sold it here) because I felt the grip was too small and it was a knuckle buster when shooting heavy loads. I want to go back to the Blackhawk Bisley but in 45Colt and 44Special (well, I guess I already have since I just bought them!), but this time I am thinking of having the grip frame slightly recontoured (as well as the back of the trigger guard) and have a little thicker custom grips installed in hopes of keeping my knuckles from getting busted during recoil. I have yet to see a photo of a Bisley with this treatment or hear a testimony of the before and after effects. Has anyone done this or heard of it being done, and how does the gun look, feel, and shoot? I hate the idea of spending money on something that I cannot see and feel first. Thanks!

PS: I hope the guy on this forum that bought my Linebaugh Bisley 44Mag is still enjoying it!

Jack Huntington does a Bisley grip mod that you are describing. Several guys around here have done it and like it. Whitworth for one. For me, just having custom grips done with some palm swell made all the difference on my 500L. Rob Rowen did mine.

Snyd said:

For me, just having custom grips done with some palm swell made all the difference on my 500L.

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I was considering the palm swell, too. Is it done symmetrically on both sides and how does it look? Is it more comfortable when just holding it? I like the idea of being about to try different grips for a different look, especially if just shooting cowboy loads, but also don't want another love-hate knuckle-busting gun. I wonder if just thicker grips with palm swell would get me there?

Thin grips work for some folks but they certainly don't work for me. I don't have a huge hand (size 9 glove) but I find that thicker grips are infinitely more comfortable. You may find that with thicker grips, all your problems go away. Huntington's grips are made thicker and are shaped to completely fill the hand.

I always recommend folks buy a cheap pair of Hogue grips (panels, not oversized rubber) and try them out before going further. Like these:

That's a looker !

I did this and it still seems to leave my knuckle in a vulnerable position. I am now thinking that this plus fatter grips may keep knuckle from getting behind trigger guard. http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=258721

xtratoy said:

I did this and it still seems to leave my knuckle in a vulnerable position. I am now thinking that this plus fatter grips may keep knuckle from getting behind trigger guard. http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=258721

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Thanks, guys, for the replies!

While I don't plan to shoot a lot of heavy loads, I'd like the ability of at least to tolerate it when necessary. This is partly why I'm choosing to revisit the Bisley except in 44Spl and 45Colt.

EDIT: BTW, after I sold my last Bisley, I thought the ideal next approach was to consider the SBH Hunter grip frame. At the time I didn't do it since they were stainless and my Bisley at the time was blued. Now, mine are stainless, so maybe I should consider going that route rather than recontouring the Bisley GP. I haven't held a Hunter for a while. You guys that switched from Bisley to Hunter GP happier?

I have put a Hunter grip frame on my Blackhawk 45 colt to replace the XR3-RED frame and like it a lot.