Another Bisley conversion question

[kelbro]

I have a 44 Special Lipseys Bisley Flattop. I have an older NM Blackhawk in 45 Colt. Can i simply swap the parts from gun to gun to make my Blackhawk into a Bisley?

I am trying to see if I would like it before investing the time and money into doing a full conversion.

 

[Bountyhunter]

It should work if you change the grip frame trigger and hammer. The frames may not mate up exactly either. You won't want to fit them since you are going to switch back, right?

 

[kelbro]

Thanks. No, I am not planning it as a permanent change. Just want to see if it feels better shooting the warmer loads in the 45. Had both a plowhandle SBH Hunter and a Bisley SBH Hunter and the Bisley felt better but I was more accurate with the plowhandle.

The plowhandle 45 is very accurate now so I have a baseline of sorts but everybody has a plowhandle :) .

 

[Hughree]

The older Blackhawk may have locating "ears" that fit into matching recesses on the frame. The new Blackhawks don't have this feature and the projecting "ears" must be removed from the older frames to fit.

I converted my Lipsey .45 convertible to a Bisley after milling the alignment ears from a donor Bisley frame. The resulting 4 5/8th barreled .45 Bisley is now one of my favorites.

God bless.

Hugh

 

[Bountyhunter]

I didn't run into that problem when I swapped my Bisley and plow handle from my Vaquero. I must have got lucky.

 

[Hughree]

I haven't swapped on a Vaquero, but both of my Lipsey Flattops on the New Vaquero frames did not have recesses for the matching ears. YMMV.

 

[Bountyhunter]

Oh, I had a Vaquero, not a New Vaquero.

 

[dougader]

I have a Lispeys Bisley 44 Special flat top. I recently sold a NM Bisley Blackhawk in 45 Colt. The Bisley gripframe on the 44 flat top is noticeably smaller than the Bisley gripframe on the Blackhawk in 45 Colt. Tried to swap grips and the grips on the 44 Spc were noticebly smaller....

 

[frankenfab]

The 44 special (and the 45 Colt) new flat tops are mid-frames, like the OM 357, right? Guess they made a different size grip for it, from what you guys are saying.

 

[David Bradshaw]

Disassemble each revolver. See how the donor Bisley grip frame mates. They may be, probably are, differences, especially up at hammer trunnion. Ruger had hoped that the grip frames would interchange to simplify production, but the radius behind the respective recoil shields didn't work out that way. Careful fitting can blend the parts. To blend radius lines takes work.

Suggestion: stick with the grip you shoot best.
David Bradshaw