Early Bisley to Vaquero conversion

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David LaPell

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
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979
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Upstate NY
One thing I have been considering doing with my Vaquero (first model) is putting on a Bisley frame and hammer. Has anyone does this and how hard is it to do? I saw a Bisley/Vaquero the other day and it has peaked my interest. I had one of the original Ruger Bisleys once back about ten years ago in .44 Magnum, loved the gun, but always wanted a shorter barrel and in .45 Colt.

This is the starting point.

OJEFmyu.jpg
 

CraigC

Hawkeye
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May 27, 2002
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5,197
Location
West Tennessee
You're really better off selling yours and buying one. Spending money to build a factory configuration is always a losing endeavor.
 

bnewberry

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
227
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MICHIGAN
I have done it. It is not hard as long as you already know how to disassemble the Ruger single action and put it back together.

Important to note is that it is rare to fit a Bisley grip frame to a non-Bisley and have it line up perfectly at the top transition as they seem to assemble the gun and finish the installation by a bit of grinding. I was fitting a new stainless grip frame so I was able to grind the grip frame down so the transition was better without having to worry about the blued finish. I had to grind the grip frame down quite a bit, so much so I was in fear of grinding through the grip frame into the screw channels that are present in the grip frame for the screws that enter through the grip frame into the top rear of the gun frame.

Your experience may be different!
 
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
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11,653
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Kentucky
CraigC said:
You're really better off selling yours and buying one. Spending money to build a factory configuration is always a losing endeavor.

True, but I just checked Ruger's site, and they offer . . .

Blued "plow handle" Blackhawks

Blued Bisley Blackhawks (not Vaqueros)

Blued Vaqueros

Stainless Bisley Vaqueros

But no Blued Bisley Vaqueros, let alone "color cased" ones

So, if he really wants a "color cased" blued Bisley Vaquero, his option is to add blued Bisley grip setup to his "color cased" Vaquero . . . if he's willing to deal with the fitting hassles mentioned above.

Having added the Bisley grip frame would also allow him to add the Bisley hammer and/or trigger if he wished.

:mrgreen:
 

CraigC

Hawkeye
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
5,197
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West Tennessee
Really? Would I have posted what I did if EXACTLY what he wants was not at one time a factory offering???

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/790086454

IMG_9896b.jpg
 

CraigC

Hawkeye
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
5,197
Location
West Tennessee
Did you have a double brain fart or are you intentionally being obtuse? Given the history, I took it as the latter. Sarcasm and personal comments don't change the facts.

I believe I suggested selling what he has and buying what he wants. In which case, that wouldn't cost $800 either. Nor should the Bisley Vaquero, I paid $600 for mine pictured above, six months ago. I don't know everything but I do know that Ruger built color cased Bisley Vaqueros in .45Colt with 5½" barrels and that a factory built Bisley Vaquero is always going to be worth more than one converted in the garage. A professionally done conversion will entail sanding the grip frame flat with the receiver and that requires refinishing, which loses the fake case colors. With refinishing, it is going to cost a lot more. My last one was $500.

So, as I said in my first post, you're money ahead to sell what you have and buy what you want. :roll: :roll: :roll:
 

dixie cat

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 31, 2017
Messages
44
Craig that gun is nice! but man why do they continue to put the stupid wrighting on the side of the barrel,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 

Hondo44

Hawkeye
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
8,040
Location
People's Republik of California
David,
I can tell by looking at your Vaquero that you'll have the same fitting of the ears problem described by bnewberry above. Your frame slopes down from the recoil shields on both sides of the hammer; it's a pre 1997 short rear frame surface as described under B. below. The way to resolve it and save a lot of work is to flatten the two frame surfaces where they meet the recoil shield to provide a smooth curve transition to the top of the Bisley grip frame w/o having a 'kink' where the GF mates to the frame. Then touch up with cold blue to blend in with the case colors

A few notes on changing grip frames.

A. GENERAL INTERCHAGEABILITY OF GRIP FRAMES:

In general: all Ruger SA grip frames including SBH Dragoon, Blackhawk, Single Six, Old Army, Bisley and Birdshead (excluding Bearcats of course) will interchange from the standpoint of the screw pattern from Single Six to Super BH, Old Model to New Model, and even NM to OM. New purchased steel and stainless grip frames are only partially finished and will need fitting, and bluing or polishing if stainless steel. "Take off" grip frames from a finished gun are much less work.

All the screws (but excluding Bisley grip), springs and pins can be transferred over from existing GF. Including those with internal locks, but not the lock itself and a standard spring seat is needed, see #3 below.

BISLEY GRIP FRAME exception is that you need the two hex head cap screws besides the hammer and trigger for installing a Bisley GF. Or two regular screws if removing a Bisley GF.

B. Grip Frame Ear Changes to be aware of:

The ear height around the base of the hammer varies on all grip frame ears slightly due to hand fitting at the factory, but there was one specific big height increase. To simplify production in 1997, Ruger increased the height of the standard cylinder frame mating surfaces on both sides of the hammer 1/16" to match the Bisley model frame ears so any style grip frame could be assembled to any main frame. Therefore the ears on all other standard grip frames after 1997 had to be made ~ 1/16" taller as well. So there's basically two sizes of the STANDARD grip frames: as short as .530" pre 1997 and as tall as .590" after 1997 (for example: Original Vaqueros above serial range 56-XXXXX). Measure from the very top edge of the grip panel to the top of the ears. That's why standard grip frame swaps are simplified if any acquired grip frame matches the vintage of your Ruger that you want to put it on. This also affects the standard hammer base fit to the grip frame ears on plow handle grip frames, except new hammers designed after 1997, like the New Vaquero and New model flat top Blackhawks.

The grip frame 'ears':
orig.jpg


C. MY SHORTCUT FOR REMOVING JUST HAMMER and/or PAWL on NEW MODELS:

Recognize, when JUST NEEDING to remove the hammer and/or pawl, you do not need to hassle with the PESKY LOADING GATE SPRING, pull the trigger pin, OR trigger/transfer bar. Once you remove the grip frame, the hammer pin is the only other part you need to remove. After that, just pull the hammer back and all the way down, then depress the hammer plunger up into the base of the hammer with a small tipped screwdriver to clear the trigger extension with hole in it where the transfer bar connects to it. Let the hammer & pawl fall back, down and out. Reinstall the hammer and pawl back in the same way they came out. Push the plunger in by pushing it against the trigger extension just like you did with the tip of the small screwdriver, and the hammer will slip by the trigger extension. Piece o' cake.

NOTE: Occasionally a hammer change that doesn't cock or just barely cocks is because it's hitting the back of the slot in the grip frame. I have had to slightly lengthen the slot with a few file strokes.
If either the trigger or hammer pin are snug fits, after they're removed the first time, it's the opportunity to polish them so they're slip fits to put back in and remove the next time.
 

dcf69

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
6
Location
VA Beach
The .45 Bisqueros show up from time to time on the secondary market...my 4 5/8 CCH Bisley Vaquero was a GB purchase...I don't think I paid much over $500 for it a few years ago...I love it and the CCH Birdshead I got from a pawnshop as a companion to it but the colors on either of mine don't compare to that one CraigC posted...man that pistola is righteous!
 

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