Bisley 45 Colt - accuracy

[Lee Martin]

We've all heard about factory guns that won't shoot. No matter what the load, no matter how hard you work with it, no matter the amount of tinkering accuracy falls way short. I thought I had one of these when I purchased two Acusport Bisleys in 2003. One shot well from the start and even better once the throats were corrected. This one patterned like a shotgun out of the box.

Step one was to hone the throats to 0.4525". That helped a little but it still only held 5 - 6" off the bench @ 25 yards. Bullet weights from 250 - 360 were tried across a wide range of powders and velocities. Nothing seemed to help. Next up was a trigger job that set the pull to a crisp 2.5 lbs. A Belt Mountain pin was also installed. Marginal improvement was made but I still couldn't get groups under 4". I almost tore it down to go the 5-shot route with Pac Nor blank but tried one last thing. The forcing cone was re-cut to 11 degrees and I added some mild free-bore. I re-tested my two dozen or so load combinations and found it really liked 340 gr SSKs driven hard (20.0 of H110 is where I landed). From 2005 on that's all the gun saw, amassing nearly 6,000 rounds.

Over that time, one of two things (or maybe both) occurred: 1) I either improved as a shooter, or 2) The gun fire-lapped itself to better accuracy. By the time I hit 4,000 rounds it would place five shots in 1.5" at 25 yards and well under 3" at 50. Damn good for a factory aligned, factory barreled gun.

This past weekend I deviated a bit and tried Leadheads 335 grain LFN over 22.0 of H110. The Bisley liked this load just as much as the old SSK.

L to R - 335 grain recovered from the backdrop, empty Hornady 45 Colt case, loaded round:

5-shot group @ 25 yards:

5 shot group @ 50 yards:

So the moral of this story is don't be too quick to give up on a factory gun. Some take a lot of work, but in hindsight this one didn't. A trigger job, throats, mild free-bore, and a re-cut cone did wonders. The last step is being patient through load development. Eventually you'll find one it likes.

I hope this serves as inspiration for those of you waging similar accuracy battles.

 

[VA Shooter]

Lee thanks for posting this I think I need to get my throats checked on my 45 colt Blackhawk

 

[MaxP]

Should check mine too, but it shoots so well out of the box that I am loathe to touch it.

Nice work, Lee!

 

[Lee Martin]

Don't touch yours Whit. Shoots too damn good as is.

 

[sixshot]

The 45's seem to be the main culprit when it comes to demensions, most of the other calibers are usually spot on, but that forcing cone is probably the most neglected that Lee mentioned. Everyone checks throats & most work on load development, forcing cones are seldom checked.
What some refer to as the "poor man's trigger job" really isn't a fix for triggers, yes it will lighten them but it won't make a bad trigger into a good one, those 2 hooks are there for a reason.
Hopefully Lee can show some of his excellent photo's of trigger contact points, & springs that are available.
Lee, thats dang good shooting, the 50 yarder is scary.

Dick

 

[MaxP]

Lee, thats dang good shooting, the 50 yarder is scary.

Dick

No doubt, Dick!

 

[Lee Martin]

Thanks guys. I should add that it was my best 50 yard group. They all weren't that good and I can't shoot like that at will.

 

[Zeus]

Just give up trying with that one Lee and mail it to me. I'll put it away for you and you won't have to fight with it anymore. Thats the least a buddy can do, right??

Good shooting bud! I had one that would shoot also, kept it for a while until a buddy talked me out of it. The other wasn't so great, I unlike you didn't take the time to monkey with it a lot, it became my first 475L

 

[Lee Martin]

Just give up trying with that one

Actually Glenn, I kind of am. As good as it shoot now, I will be converting it to a 5-shot 45 Colt later this summer. It'll be re-barreled too with a piece of 6" Shilen blank.

 

[MaxP]

Just give up trying with that one

Actually Glenn, I kind of am. As good as it shoot now, I will be converting it to a 5-shot 45 Colt later this summer. It'll be re-barreled too with a piece of 6" Shilen blank.

That's almost as bad as converting a Bisley Hunter in .44 mag that shoots lights out to .500 Linebaugh! :shock: :lol:

 

[bigboredad]

I wish I could shoot like that 50yd group at least once in my life. The 25yd ain't too shabby either

 

[Lefty SRH]

I have the same gun and I have had some really good groups with a 270gr SAA cast boolit.
How easy is it to recut the forcing cone. I've been curious about the recut 11 degree here lately. Can it done without removing the barrel?

 

[Lee Martin]

No, you need to pull the barrel and recut it in a lathe.

 

[gunman42782]

Great shootin!

 

[Sheriff]

Looks like it'll shoot. Your 50yd group looks like my 25!

 

[Lee Martin]

Ya, it loves heavy slugs driven hard.. Throw 270's in that gun and the groups open-up considerably.

 

[americal]

Thanks guys. I should add that it was my best 50 yard group. They all weren't that good and I can't shoot like that at will.

:lol: :lol: you ain't fooling this old southern boy :!: you can shoot that group about anytime you decide to bare down on it

 

[sixshot]

Lee, I didn't realize that was one handed, standing!

Dick

 

[Ethang]

I am impressed you spent that much time and effort into a pistol that didn't shoot. I think I might have sent it back or sent it down the road long before I got to 4K rounds.

Thanks for sharing that Lee. I really enjoy your posts like this.

 

[Lee Martin]

Lee, I didn't realize that was one handed, standing!

Dick

Ya, right!! That was bench-rested, bagged, took my time with every shot, etc, etc.

 

[contender]

I have a couple of 45's that haven't made me "happy" with their accuracy. It's my project to work on them and carefully document what I do & how it improves or doesn't improve accuracy. Now I just need to time to devote myself to it w/o interruptions.
PS; I'm with sixshot, the throats first, then other things. The forcing cone & firelapping are a couple of things I plan too!
If I get groups like yours at 50 yds,, I'll be doing a jig on the gun range.

Nice work Lee!