I have a new SS Blackhawk 45 colt. The grip seems kind of short for me. I find myself curling my pinky finger under the grip when shooting. I was going to put a Bisley frame on it but only blue steel grip frames can be found now. (No stainless steel grip frames)Was wondering if thinning the stock grips may be helpfull. Has anyone here tried that?
Blackhawk Grip Shape
- Thread starter powhs
- Start date
contender
Ruger Guru
Welcome to the Forum!
Curling the pinky under the grip frame is a common way many folks shoot these guns. Others have had custom stocks made to extend below the grip frame. Thinning will not shorten the reach,, only make your hand wrap around it more.
Curling the pinky under the grip frame is a common way many folks shoot these guns. Others have had custom stocks made to extend below the grip frame. Thinning will not shorten the reach,, only make your hand wrap around it more.
caryc
Hawkeye
I don't get your statement that only steel Bisley frames can be found now. Ruger Bisley frames were only made in steel.
Most of the repeat customers that buy grips from me want flat bottomed grips. This gives more room on the bottom of the grips for your pinky finger.
Check the Auction Links forum here. 41 Magnum makes extended bottom grips.
Most of the repeat customers that buy grips from me want flat bottomed grips. This gives more room on the bottom of the grips for your pinky finger.
Check the Auction Links forum here. 41 Magnum makes extended bottom grips.
BlackEagle
Blackhawk
I use Super Blackhawk gripframes (brass if I can get them) to get a perfect fit for my hands on most of my shooters. I think the regular grip frames are meant to be short like that, and I like them on my cowboy action guns (with thin grips like you asked about.)
caryc
Hawkeye
jfmcco":5z8f6fj0 said:
You need to be specific when suggesting a super blackhawk grip frame to someone. What you are talking about is the Super Blackhawk Dragoon style frame with the square backed trigger guard.
What some people don't know is that the short barreled Super Blackhawks (4 5/8" & 5 1/2") use the same grip frame as the regular Blackhawk. That's the same frame as the poster has now.
When buying an aftermarket SBH grip frame you need to be sure of what you're getting.
Hammerdown77
Blackhawk
caryc":26ucwjqf said:
Or the SBH Hunter grip frame, with the rounded trigger guard (if you don't want the Dragoon style).
Cracker-American
Blackhawk
Boy, the more I read the less I know. I want to get a larger frame for my 4&5/8 Blackhawk. I would prefer not the have the squared off trigger guard.
From what I am reading my only option is to get a Hunter frame. Will the Hunter frame fit the NM Blackhawk and are there any other options?
From what I am reading my only option is to get a Hunter frame. Will the Hunter frame fit the NM Blackhawk and are there any other options?
BlackEagle
Blackhawk
Yes they do. As CaryC and HammerDown pointed out you can have the square back dragoon style or the Hunter style. I prefer the dragoon myself. Here is a couple pics with some installed on non-Supers. Not great pics, but you can see the different gripframe choices.
BlackEagle
Blackhawk
The top gun in the second picture is a 45 colt Blackhawk with a 7 1/2 inch barrel.
Hammerdown77
Blackhawk
Cracker-American":3e41m8gp said:
If you want a longer grip than the XR3-Red that is currently on your Blackhawk, then the two options in the plow handle shape configuration are either the SBH Dragoon (squared trigger guard) in blued or stainless, or the SBH Hunter (rounded trigger guard) in stainless. Actually, I say "blued" in the Dragoon but that's only if it's a takeoff from another gun; the frame would be in the white if you bought it from Ruger or a retailer.
The SBH Dragoon and Hunter are the same grip size and shape, just with different trigger guards.
Do you have a gunstore that would carry a Super Blackhawk in the 7.5" barrel length with the Dragoon frame that you could try out for feel? That would be a good way to check and see if it's going to be a possible solution for you.
caryc
Hawkeye
Let me throw this in to muddy the waters a bit more. I must have fit grips to at least 15 or 20 customers MR3-DB brass dragoon grip frames. Every one of them had the same bad fit when it comes to grips. These are the frames that Ruger actually used on their guns and sold as accessories.
In the picture you can see that one has a gap at the back of the wine glass and the other side has a gap at the front of it. Every single one was the same way. So, if you don't mind a crappy fit with off the shelf grips you are OK. But the only way to get a good fit is to have the grips custom fitted to the frame.
In the third picture you can see how the after market non Ruger made brass grip frames are with stock grips. They absolutely require a grip custom made to fit them.
In the picture you can see that one has a gap at the back of the wine glass and the other side has a gap at the front of it. Every single one was the same way. So, if you don't mind a crappy fit with off the shelf grips you are OK. But the only way to get a good fit is to have the grips custom fitted to the frame.
In the third picture you can see how the after market non Ruger made brass grip frames are with stock grips. They absolutely require a grip custom made to fit them.
flatgate
Hawkeye
One can, without too much trouble, take a carbon steel or stainless steel Super Blackhawk "square back trigger guard" grip frame and reshape the trigger guard into a "round style".
This is one of my "homeboy" jobs....
flatgate
This is one of my "homeboy" jobs....
flatgate
Cracker-American
Blackhawk
I got the addiction, so I got the Rugers. I have a 7.5 inch SBH in blue that I regularly shoot. That is why I know I want a larger frame and also why I know I want a rounded trigger guard. For some reason my fingers take a beating with that square backed guard and heavy loads.
Cracker-American
Blackhawk
Good point Cary and great photographs.
What did you releave that trigger guard with Flatgate? And I just traded a SS 10.5 SBH and I may live to regret it.
What did you releave that trigger guard with Flatgate? And I just traded a SS 10.5 SBH and I may live to regret it.
BlackEagle
Blackhawk
flatgate":351u8uv3 said:One can, without too much trouble, take a carbon steel or stainless steel Super Blackhawk "square back trigger guard" grip frame and reshape the trigger guard into a "round style".
This is one of my "homeboy" jobs....
flatgate
Wow. Did you heat that triggergaurd and pound the corner out or cut and weld it?
caryc
Hawkeye
powhs":1hwn51p1 said:
Approximately .250".
flatgate
Hawkeye
Cracker-American":4xcb6m78 said:
I don't quite understand your question. I used a hacksaw and cut the trigger guard at the 90° angle. I then used a torch to heat up the steel to the point I could bend it around with some pliers. I used my Dremel to do the final cut then had my Welding Shop Owner buddy Mig Weld it together.
powhs":4xcb6m78 said:
Longer than what? The Hunter and the classic, square back trigger guard Super Blackhawk grip frames are the same length.
Try reading flattop44's article over at GunBlast.Com. CLICK HERE.
flatgate
caryc
Hawkeye
Here is a drawing of Rugers grip frames. The XR3-RED is Vaquero, Blackhawk, Single Six and Old Army.
The Super Blackhawk is the dragoon style and also includes the Hunter models.
The Super Blackhawk is the dragoon style and also includes the Hunter models.
Cracker-American
Blackhawk
I used the word relieve which was in-appropriate. Did not realise the guard had been; cut, shaped, and welded. Thought it was a matter of "relieving" metal until you got the shape you ended up with.
Like I said above. I just keep on learning. And I thank you all for the lesson.
Like I said above. I just keep on learning. And I thank you all for the lesson.
caryc
Hawkeye
Cracker-American":1a6bfrcm said:
An understandable mistake but when you think about it there is more material in that square corner than in a rounded corner. If you just reshaped it that metal would have to go somewhere. You'd end up with a larger trigger guard.
caryc
Hawkeye
powhs":122v2826 said:
I never thought about putting the Bisley in that drawing because it is such a completely different animal that it could in no way be confused with any of the plow handle grips.
Hammerdown77
Blackhawk
It would be interesting to know the vertical distance from the underside of the bisley grip at the back of the trigger guard to the butt of the grip frame, in comparison to that distance on the SBH grip frame.
caryc
Hawkeye
Hammerdown77":15x4ffja said:
Yeah, I guess that would make sense. Maybe when I get time I will add the Bisley to that drawing. But right now I can tell you that the Bisley would be approx. 5/16" short at the front as in the XR3 drawing and it would be 3/4" over at the top as in the SBH drawing.
caryc
Hawkeye
OK, here's a quick drawing comparing the SBH to the Bisley. There are no dimensions on the original square but it is 3".
Denny
Single-Sixer
I had John Galllahger take a SBH SS frame and forged the hook into a round trigger guard it is the best grip frame in my opinion not too big not too small I have a Bisley but would rather have this setup.
Found a comparison picture on GUnblast. Click on it to enlarge.
http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger_Bisley_Hunter.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger_Bisley_Hunter.htm
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