Bisley frame for Ruger Blackhawk flat top?

Help Support Ruger Forum:

PoshotsSon

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 11, 2025
Messages
2
Location
Missouri
I have a newly manufactured Ruger flat top Blackhawk in 357 magnum. Has anyone in this forum converted their flat top to a Bisley frame? And if so where did you get the frame. The Bisley frames on midway appear to be for the Blackhawk models with "ears" i.e. the non flat top model. I love my Bisley in 45 colt and want one in 357. Appreciate the help in advance.
 
A RUGER Bisley Gripframe is Same/Same, be it Blackhawk, SuperBlackhawk, Flattop, Vaquero and Single Six. Same frame across the entire line. (exception; Bearcat)
Only made in New Model configuration, but now days there is a plethora of ways to adapt it to a Old Model.

Midway will have Ruger manufacture. Stainless and Blue, but Blue can be a difficult when it come# to "in stock".

RW Grip frames makes Bisley configuration, in Brass or Aluminum, with all sorts of "Bisley" configurations, standard, jr, fingergroove, potatojudge, Keith to mention a few. RW Gripframe are top notch, high quality, CNC,,, they will initially mount up better than a Ruger.
rwgripframes.com

Either gripframe will take quite a bit on & off/ fitting & finishing, there is no swap it on, unless you buy a frame tha5 is a takeoff, and even then it's fit & finish is a shot in the dark at best.

A Old Model Flattop with Bisley hammer/trigger & Brass Grip Frame.
53861615780_7bdfcdc894_c.jpg


A New Model Flattop 45/45acp that has had a Birdshead Grip frame swapped on,,,this could have had a Bisley GF with the same amount of effort.
50279025353_88a2fa3d68_c.jpg


And here is one of the NEW Medium Frame Bisley 41 Magnum, same size as your NM 357 flattop. (Not my gun, stolen picture)
1736616350849.jpeg
 
Last edited:
+1 on the Ronnie Wells frame. Plus the aluminum is much lighter to carry. I also like how it moves the muzzle balance forward, helping to reduce muzzle flip in addition to many of the frames Ronnie offers being designed to control recoil. Makes any load a Flattop can handle mild.
 
Welcome to the Forum!

As noted above,, you can easily get a RW Grip Frame & fit it to your gun. Ronnie has several types to select from.

The reason Ronnie can easily make a grip frame,, is because the (5) mounting screw holes are exactly the same across ALL Ruger SA models except for the Bearcat.
A RW g/f will cost $350,, plus you'll need a set of grips for it.

A Ruger factory Bisley g/f will cost in the ballpark of $200-$250,, and accept the factory Bisley grips. And you may wish to add a Bisley hammer while you are modifying it.

Now,, one change in Ruger SA grips than MIGHT make a difference is that the newer models do not have cuts in the main frame to where matching protrusions on the g/f slide into. If your new Blackhawk doesn't have the slots,, then all you have to do is get a g/f that you desire,, and if it's a little older,, you can gently file off the protrusions to where it'll screw right on.

This might be the "ears" some speak of. It's a little confusing,, as we use the term "ears" for the protected rear sight on the regular Blackhawks & all. The Flattops have a totally flat top strap and the rear sight is recessed into the frame.

Either way,, you can easily swap around grip frames,, even if a little modification is necessary to mate up some parts.
 
I have a newly manufactured Ruger flat top Blackhawk in 357 magnum. Has anyone in this forum converted their flat top to a Bisley frame? And if so where did you get the frame. The Bisley frames on midway appear to be for the Blackhawk models with "ears" i.e. the non flat top model. I love my Bisley in 45 colt and want one in 357. Appreciate the help in advance.
I have converted a few new models (nm) to another grip frame (gf) that I did prefer.

A nm .357 and .41 magnum which had aluminum gf's, and both got a stainless super blackhawk gf. My stainless nm .45 convertible received a stainless Bisley type. I bought them on Ebay and Gun Broker for around $100 each.

I did not go with a custom made gf because I like to be able to change grip panels and a custom gf will not allow me to easily or inexpensively do that. Add to that a custom gf would be around $350+ grips that's quite a bit more than the base cost of the used stainless Ruger gf's. Add that up on three revolvers and it's quit a bit less expensive to go with a used Ruger take off. If I were doing one revolver RW may have been a better choice for me.

The down side of a used Ruger gf is it may have been previously fit to another revolver or to one that has smaller dimensions fit at the factory than the intended revolver. Also it may be larger than the intended revolver necessitating you fitting it.
 
PS, I have an old model .41 which I'm still mulling over the issue on modding it with a nm gf, having RW make one for it, or just dumping the concept and selling the om because the nm .41 I already own fits my needs.
 
Top