Can I change SBH Hunter To Cattleman From Bisley?

[OldBrownGun]

Hi guys, I rolled the dice on whether i'd like the Super blackhawk hunter bisley grip from over the cattlesmans and I think I lost. Shot it the first time today and the gun really beat my hand up. Painful to shoot, seems like the squared off edges at the top of the bisley grip thump my hand pretty hard under recoil. Shot a family members super redhawk and had no such problem, his gun seemed to roll up in the hand. So I think i'd be bettle off with a cattlemans grip. My question is, how straitforward would this change be? Do I HAVE to change out trigger and hammer as well? Or can I just get the grip frame and grip panels?

 

[Enigma]

You can keep the Bisley hammer, but you'll need to remove some metal for it to work with the plowhandle grip frame. If you go with aluminum, the grp frame will be a drop-in. If you use either a Hunter grip frame or a steel (or stainless) plowhandle, it will need some fitting.

 

[DHD]

By Cattlemans, do you mean standard Ruger Blackhawk grip frame. I was wondering if you are comparing another brand of single action revolver.

As far as Ruger's single actions are concerned, the Bisley raps my middle finger when I shoot a large caliber if I don't pay particular attention to how I grip the revolver. The Blackhawk grip looks good, but after having a Jack Huntington grip modification done on a 4 5/8" Super Blackhawk, all of my regular Blackhawk's have been modified. It gives me enough room that even the 4 5/8" SBH is only nasty with heavy loads. Before the grip mod it was down right obnoxious with heavy 44 Magnum loads.

I know the normal SBH Hunter grip frame is longer and the back of the trigger guard gives my middle finger more room, but after a JRH grip mod, I can't go back.....

Along that same train of thought, Jack Huntington also modifies the Bisley grip. He can take care of the issue you have and put on some fine grips too. Might be less expensive than having someone fit a new Blackhawk grip frame to your revolver if you don't plan to do it yourself. Not too easy to fit unless you have some skill at filing metal, or like me, you're not scared to bugger something up.

 

[sailorb]

The Bisley frame can bang your finger. On my BH Hunter I have found that if I jam my middle finger in behind the trigger guard with the next finger up against it so it can't move, everything is fine. Then it gets comfortable and accurate with some really stiff loads, far better than a conventional grip.

 

[OldBrownGun]

I mean the standard super blackhawk hunter grip. The "Plowhandle" as some call it. The gun doesnt bang my finger, the problem is the bisley has a recoil impulse that recoils backwards. And the top portion of the bisley grips are squared off, where they cover the allen screws that hold it to the frame. What is happening is that under recoil the gun is rolling up and t hen the squared off back portion of the grip is recoiling back into my hand and its painful to my hand to have those square grips coming back into my grip. The standard super blackhawk hunter grip frame has completly round grips.

 

[Hondo44]

The SBH Hunter with its round trigger guard does have the most space behind the trigger guard and the Bisley does have the least, partly because of its larger trigger guard; and even less space than the small space of the XR3 size standard grip.

Since they make the gun you want, it's always easier and cheaper to trade yours for the other, or buy the other and sell yours.

Or if your are able to find a used Hunter standard plow handle grip frame, fitting is a much simpler issue. And a standard SBH hammer will eliminate the work on the Bisley hammer and it's almost exactly the same low profile. If you want to keep the Bisley trigger, the lengthening of the front of the grip frame trigger slot is not much work.

 

[CraigC]

Before I did that, I'd get some decent grips for that Bisley. Try the Hogue cowboy panels.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Look for a trade as Bisley Hunters are a little more sought after.

 

[s4s4u]

Before I did that, I'd get some decent grips for that Bisley. Try the Hogue cowboy panels.

Agreed. I have the fatter Hogues on my Bisley and it makes a difference.

 

[DougGuy]

If you measure all the Ruger grip frames, the Bisley puts the back of the trigger guard closest to the front of the grip frame, it has the least amount of clearance for the shooting hand. The XR3 is next closest, the XR3-RED is next fartherest away, then the SBH and SBH Hunter has the most room, and the greatest measurement from the back of the trigger guard to the front of the grip frame.

I use two turns of the self stick bandage material around my middle knuckle and I can shoot the heavies all day..



This is what happens after 20 rounds of 320gr 45 Colt in front of a full house load of H110 in a Vaquero if I don't use the bandage material:

 

[OldBrownGun]

If you measure all the Ruger grip frames, the Bisley puts the back of the trigger guard closest to the front of the grip frame, it has the least amount of clearance for the shooting hand. The XR3 is next closest, the XR3-RED is next fartherest away, then the SBH and SBH Hunter has the most room, and the greatest measurement from the back of the trigger guard to the front of the grip frame.

I use two turns of the self stick bandage material around my middle knuckle and I can shoot the heavies all day..



This is what happens after 20 rounds of 320gr 45 Colt in front of a full house load of H110 in a Vaquero if I don't use the bandage material:

This isnt an issue for me, my issue is the square back of the grips where it hides the allen screws in the grip frame is really banging my hand hard. A think a lot of it is also the kick back instead of up recoil impulse of the bisley frame. My knuckle is right up against the triggerguard on my bisley hunter and you are right, theres no clearance, not enough enough to get a second hand in there, however, it does not bang my knuckles at all. So for those who are wondering I do not find the super blackhawk bisley hunter to be a knuckle buster. This is the area its hurting me and the area is still sore today.

https://imgur.com/K0eA2dh

 

[nvbirdman]

You can probably find a gripframe and hammer for trade easily on this forum. Is your gripframe blued or stainless?

 

[CraigC]

Before I did that, I'd get some decent grips for that Bisley. Try the Hogue cowboy panels.

Agreed. I have the fatter Hogues on my Bisley and it makes a difference.

Yep. Grips can make all the difference in the world.

OP, you owe it to yourself to try something else. The factory grips are atrocious. Aftermarket grips are cheaper and easier to change than a grip frame, that is for certain.

 

[OldBrownGun]

I traded it to my dad for a 357 mag. *Hangs head in shame*