Bisley Project

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SweetWilliam

Buckeye
Joined
Oct 30, 2012
Messages
1,609
Location
Ohio
The start of my 10.5" Bisley.
I got all the parts today, except for the screws for the frame. I forgot to add it to my order. I'm pretty pleased with the shape of the grip frame, doesn't look like it's going to be to much fitting. The grips are Hogue Ebony. And yes the grip pin hole in the grips are in the wrong spot. Someone also told me the timing might need a little adjusting but I bolted it together with some old screws and the timing is better then my other 2 factory Bisleys. I'm going to drop it off at my local GS tomorrow and have him start on it.
https://imgur.com/gallery/WOHx2
 
Yes I went with the stainless.
Yea I don't know about that photo site. If I put it on private no one can see the pics from the link. And if it's not on private everyone can see and comment.
 
The short one is for drawing. The long one is for resting on fence posts.
Holster is an El Paso 1849 cross draw other is an El Paso Tom 3 person.
Both in black of course.
https://i.imgur.com/9W2Do7t.jpg
 
:shock: Man, and I thought 7.5" was looooong....!

Is it an optical illusion, or is the right grip panel a little thicker than the left?

I know you posted about them earlier, but I think you were just asking other's opinion on them...? What is your opinion now that you have them?

Looks good. I can't wait to see the finished product!
 
SweetWilliam said:
I'm going to drop it off at my local GS tomorrow and have him start on it.
https://imgur.com/gallery/WOHx2
Click to expand...

I notice that the main frame of your 10.5" mating surface to the grip frame is very low and will be difficult to fit properly w/o removing the slant on both sides of the hammer.

Here's why:
1. 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: as short as .530" pre 1997 and as tall as .590" after 1997 (for example: Original Vaqueros over serial range 56-XXXXX). Measure from the very top edge of the grip panel to the top of the ears. That's why 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 hammer base fit to the grip frame ears which should be flush.

The grip frame 'ears':
orig.jpg


orig.jpg



If the main frame is not modified:
There will be a dip where the grip frame meets the main frame. To have a smooth curve w/o the dip, too much of the top of the bisley back strap must be removed.

You may want to discuss with your gunsmith, how he plans to do it.
 
Bigsky yes it's an illusion.
Hondo I see what your talking about. But wouldn't removing material from the main frame make it worse? Looks like even if material was removed from the top of the main frame their would still be a little dip?
I'll probably have him do the best he can with out modifying the main frame. Unless it won't be to big a deal for him. Though he is capable of hot bluing if required. I'll see what he thinks.
 
I finally got to drop it off today. I just told him to do the best he could without massing with the frame. I trust him so I'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.
I did order a new Belt Mountain pin and pin latch in stainless today.
 
He said probably 2 weeks, and I said you mean a month. He laughed. Because he always tells me 2 weeks no matter what I have him do and it always takes a month.
The grips are so nice I ordered a walnut pair and a pair ferro pair for my other 2 Bisleys. They are considerably thicker and fit my hand better. The hole is'nt in the correct spot for the pin. But I was able to get grips on the, the one side no problem but the other side was real tight. But once the grip frame is cleaned up they might be alright. The GS said he would take care of it.
 
SweetWilliam said:
The grips are so nice I ordered a walnut pair and a pair ferro pair for my other 2 Bisleys. They are considerably thicker and fit my hand better.
Click to expand...

Thats what I needed to know. I really like the looks of yours, but wanted a good evaluation of them. Need a thicker pair myself.

Thx,
Todd
 
Well I received my Hogue Walnut and Pau Ferro grips today and not really liking the color. Very light colored. And the holes on these are also in the wrong spot. Not by much but enough to notice when the grips are installed.
I'm going to look into darkening them.

Update, I woke up this morning and decided to send the grips back to Midway for a refund. The colors and grain were just to bad and I really didn't want to mess with them. I talked to a guy at Hogue last night and he said Hogue would send me 3 or 4 pics of and I could choose which I wanted. So I'm thinking that route is the right choice. He also said no one has ever complained about the pin holes not being in the correct spot.
The Pau Ferro were a milky light tan, pukey looking. The Walnut were a very light brown.
 
That's too bad...

Good of the Hougue guy to offer up some pictures though!

I was going to order some ebony Bisleys after your good feedback, but they don't stock 'em and I'm way too impatient to wait 4 to 6 weeks!
 
The Ebony grips are nice and dark and look good on the stainless. I might order another set for my other stainless. And have Hogue send me some pics of they're cocobolo grips for the blued one.
 
Well 8 weeks later and I finally got her back. The ears and top of the frame aren't a perfect fit, but I don't believe it could have been perfectly fitted with what I had.
He did his best and only charged $50. I wasn't looking for a show piece, just a nice shooting 10.5" Bisley.
https://imgur.com/gallery/bl22WnD
 
SweetWilliam said:
Bigsky yes it's an illusion.
Hondo I see what your talking about. But wouldn't removing material from the main frame make it worse? Looks like even if material was removed from the top of the main frame their would still be a little dip?
I'll probably have him do the best he can with out modifying the main frame. Unless it won't be to big a deal for him. Though he is capable of hot bluing if required. I'll see what he thinks.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I should have explained it better. The main frame top surfaces where the GF ears meet the frame, need to be lowered only where they meet up tp the recoil shield, so that the top surface is flat on top. And not touch the edges where the GF ears meet.

That way you get a nice even curve from the recoil shield to the ears w/o the dip at the joint of frame to GF ears. It does take a little blue touch up but that area is protected and gets no wear.

But it still came out nice enough and it's a good looking gun! Plus it can always be improved at a later date.
 
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