Hello everyone I am new to the forum, I just recently purchased a brand new ruger SBH Bisley hunter, I have owned numerous ruger revolvers over the years but never a bisley, I handled this one and decided I liked the feel of it so I went ahead and bought it, BIG MISTAKE!! I have shot a box of shells through it and I get hit in the middle knuckle everytime. Simply put this bisley grip frame is NOT for me! What are my options? I have shot ruger revolvers for 20 years and have no intentions of trying to change my hand position to try and make the bisley work for me. Will ruger swap out the grip frame to the standard plow grip? If so how much does it cost to do so? Would I be better off getting rid of this gun and buying the standard hunter? This gun has only had a box of shells shot through it and stil looks brand new.
HELP!! Bisley grip frame
- Thread starter spade22
- Start date
Are there any grip options for the bisley like a hogue mono grip that would get my knuckle below the trigger guard? I know traditionalists frown on the rubber grips but i personally prefer the hogue monogrip over ANY other grip, I have tried a search for the monogrip for a bisley but doesn't seem to be an option? I even thought about buying a standard plow grip frame and trying it myself but have hesitated due to reading about fit and finish, I am a material kind of guy and would want it to fit up and match as close as could be had, is there anyone on here that is professional with swapping out grip frames if that's the route I end up going? Anyone interested in this bisley grip frame? I don't want to end up sinking a bunch of money in this! Again what are my options? Thanks guys
GasGuzzler
Hawkeye
Your GF is desirable and a standard GF would be easy to buy or trade for.
contender
Ruger Guru
Welcome to the Forum!
Swapping around gripframes isn't a hard thing to do. Heck, if you go to the Gallery, look at my post about "tinkering" you'll see where I put a Bisley grip frame under an Old Model Super Blackhawk that had already been customized.
All it lacked in fit was a small area at the top of the G/F behind the hammer. It wasn't enough for me to bother with so I didn't buff it down.
What I'm getting to is that you can easily swap out a Bisley for a plow handle. If you want a perfect fit, then get a smith to do the final fitting. I can bet is won't be much to having it fit.
Ruger won't do it, or swap it out.
To a lot of folks, they desire a Bisley G/F & would enjoy a swap, or purchase outright. But your desires are for a G/F to properly fit a Hunter.
If I'm not mistaken, the Hunters are all stainless gripframes. So a swap should be for a stainless G/F. I'm not sure if it's the Super Blackhawk sized one or not. (I fool mostly with OM's.)
Another issue/thought might be the hammer. A Bisley hammer has a different profile than a standard hammer. Your swap out might also need a swap for a hammer.
Now, I happen to have a stainless steel gripframe, and most likely a standard hammer in my spare parts. I'll be the first one to offer a swap. But, I'll leave that thought up to you. Oh, a spare set of grips may also need to be offered for each frame too.
I know this can easily be done, as I've seen many members here do swaps on their guns. I had a spare Bisley G/F with hammer & trigger I'd gotten a while back, looked at my newly acquired OM Super that someone had chopped the barrel on, AND added a factory brass G/F to. I wanted the brass on something else, so I did my swap.
I'm sure some other folks will chime in & add to what I've said here.
But, in general, it can easily be fixed to your specs.
Swapping around gripframes isn't a hard thing to do. Heck, if you go to the Gallery, look at my post about "tinkering" you'll see where I put a Bisley grip frame under an Old Model Super Blackhawk that had already been customized.
All it lacked in fit was a small area at the top of the G/F behind the hammer. It wasn't enough for me to bother with so I didn't buff it down.
What I'm getting to is that you can easily swap out a Bisley for a plow handle. If you want a perfect fit, then get a smith to do the final fitting. I can bet is won't be much to having it fit.
Ruger won't do it, or swap it out.
To a lot of folks, they desire a Bisley G/F & would enjoy a swap, or purchase outright. But your desires are for a G/F to properly fit a Hunter.
If I'm not mistaken, the Hunters are all stainless gripframes. So a swap should be for a stainless G/F. I'm not sure if it's the Super Blackhawk sized one or not. (I fool mostly with OM's.)
Another issue/thought might be the hammer. A Bisley hammer has a different profile than a standard hammer. Your swap out might also need a swap for a hammer.
Now, I happen to have a stainless steel gripframe, and most likely a standard hammer in my spare parts. I'll be the first one to offer a swap. But, I'll leave that thought up to you. Oh, a spare set of grips may also need to be offered for each frame too.
I know this can easily be done, as I've seen many members here do swaps on their guns. I had a spare Bisley G/F with hammer & trigger I'd gotten a while back, looked at my newly acquired OM Super that someone had chopped the barrel on, AND added a factory brass G/F to. I wanted the brass on something else, so I did my swap.
I'm sure some other folks will chime in & add to what I've said here.
But, in general, it can easily be fixed to your specs.
JWhitmore44
Blackhawk
I'd watch which stainless plow handle grip frame you trade for if you decide to do so. The Super Blachawk and the Hunter grip frames give you a little more room then say a Blackhawk round trigger guard or Vaquero frame. You said you have shot other Ruger single actions with out this issue, do you normally put your pinky under the grip frame as some do? That's hard to do on the Bisley and could be the difference why you are getting wacked now. Stainless is easy to fit since a little polishing gets the finish back after you sand or file to the dimensions you want. Most the time, if the frame came off another gun the fit is going to be pretty close anyway.
Thank you guys very much! Contender, what did the stainless grip frame you have come off of? Guess my concern would be what Jwhitmore44 said, the one that Blkhawk73 has should fit up nicely since it came off of a hunter. I sent Blkhawk73 a pm but havnt heard back yet. I'm not afraid to tackle the job, matter of fact I'm excited to get on it! What about my trigger? I've heard the bisley trigger is different along with the obvious hammer, whoever I end up trading with can have my grip panels, trigger, and hammer in trade for theirs. Would rather keep my hammer and trigger if they will work with the standard plow G/F
Ok guys I just stripped it down, this bisley G/F is ready for a new home! I took a picture with my cell phone but I have no idea how to get it on here? Now I need to know if my hammer and trigger will work with the plow G/F I trade this for? Like I said earlier I would like to keep my trigger and hammer if it will work, I like the bisley hammer and seems like I've read where guys swap them out. Anyway its ready to go, THANKS GUYS!
JWhitmore44
Blackhawk
It would be easier to trade your hammer and trigger as a set along with the grips and grip frame. The Bisley hammer would have to be altered to make it fit the curve of the Blackhawk style grip frame. The opening in the Blackhawk style grip frame would need to be opened up to fit the Bilsey trigger. Then who ever trades with you would have to find a Bisley hammer and probably a trigger to make their gun look correct.
GasGuzzler
Hawkeye
Tread lightly. Your stuff is worth a lot more than what you want unless you insist on a stainless GF, then you're closer.
The Bisely trigger and hammer take a lot of mods for a plow handle but they're worth it.
The Bisely trigger and hammer take a lot of mods for a plow handle but they're worth it.
The trigger and hammer are out also, I don't feel up to the mods required to make the bisley trigger and hammer work so I am willing to make a complete parts trade, I definately want all stainless to match up with my gun, and also want to make sure the grip frame I trade for is in like new condition as that is what my parts are, my only real concern is a proper fit without serious filing, sanding work. So hopefully someone will have a stainless standard plow G/F SBH Hunter preferably so it should match up good with my gun. So I have the bisley G/F with panels and screw, the bisley trigger, and hammer all ready to make the swap if someone has all the same parts to convert me to the standard plow G/F, I will obviously need everything as that's what I have to trade.
Stil available, I need parts from another hunter or round trigger gaurd super blackhawk. From what I understand the standard blackhawk and vaquero won't fit up as well and I'm not interested in messing with filing and sanding. I have the gun completely stripped down and all bisley parts ready to ship, again I bought this gun brand new less than a month ago, not a blemish anywhere and have only shot a box of shells through it, just enough to figure out I HATE bisleys!! I keep kicking myself for not getting the standard hunter!
JWhitmore44
Blackhawk
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but the round trigger guard grip frame from a Super Blackhawk is the same grip frame from a Blackhawk or a Vaquero, although I'm not sure there was a round trigger stainless grip frame on a Super. I've seen the Super Blackhawk square trigger guard grip frames and the hunter grip frames referred to as Dragoon grip frames. It's not that the other round trigger guards will require more fitting, as about all the new model Blackhawk, Super Blackhawks, and Vaqueros have the same size cylinder frame. The New Vaquero and the new Flattops have medium sized cylinder frames. You will need the "dragoon" style grip frame to give your fingers a little more room between the grip and the trigger guard. Others avoid the knuckle whack by placing their pinky under the grip, that pulls you hand down far enough to give the extra clearance.
I have all the parts from a stainless 4 5/8 inch Super Blackhawk somewhere in my parts bin. It's the smaller round trigger guard XRN-RED frame, not the Hunter-sized frame which is the same as the regular square trigger guard Super Blackhawk except with a round trigger guard.
Ruger makes a 5 1/2" stainless SBH with round trigger gaurd, and fluted cylinder. I just recently sold one of these, I am not a fruited cylinder guy, I really like the looks of the non fruited, IMO they just look hurky and better on a .44 magnum. Wish I had the grip frame from it right now though!
contender
Ruger Guru
I just sent you a PM.
Darn it! I was really hoping the 4 5/8" and the 5 1/2" SBHs with round trigger guards would work perfectly for my hunter, my gun is .44 magnum if I havnt mentioned that, I use to have a hunter in .22/.22 mag, that's what Blkhawk73 has to offer in trade is the rimfire hunter frame, will it work with my .44 magnum? One of the main reasons I bought the hunter is the round trigger gaurd, I have NEVER got along with the square back trigger gaurd and try my darnest to avoid it! The only way I have any use for a square back trigger gaurd is to put a hogue monogrip over it to get my knuckle below it. I just recently sold a 5 1/2" stainless SBH with round trigger gaurd and truly the only reason I sold it is because I really DISLIKE the looks of a fluted cylinder on a .44 magnum! I figured the hunter with ROUND TRIGGER GAURD and NON FLUTED CYLINDER would be the perfect gun for me, it fits everything I like! My only screw up was buying it in a bisley!!!! Then there is the 4 5/8" SBH with round trigger gaurd, I owned one of these also but could never get use to that short of a barrel on a .44 mag so I sold it also. So what I'm looking for is definately a round trigger gaurd, I suppose in order for it to fit right it will have to come from another hunter in .44 magnum?
The fit of grip frames that have already been fitted to another gun is kind of a crap shoot, it may fit real well, it may not. For what it's worth, I've swapped frames between a SBH and a Single Six with no fitting required. Sometimes you get lucky. I have two of the stainless frames like the one on 5 1/2 SBH's and the matching grips, trigger and hammer. PM me if you are interested.
contender
Ruger Guru
As txn63 says, the fit of a g/f to a main frame has already been done, so they may mate up perfectly or not. Check out my last PM,,, & it has some of that type of info.
I got a deal going with txn63, he is going to send me out 2 different round trigger gaurd grip frames, trigger, hammer, and panels so I have 2 to try out and pick the one that best fits (if there's even a difference? At least I will have 2 shots at it!) I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to all who have replied and willing to help a guy out! Great bunch of folks here, thank you all again!
flatgate
Hawkeye
I suggest that you do a little bit more homework so you end up with the exact configuration you want. I'm no Bisley fan either and have my preferred way to "get what I want" for my shooters.
You need to talk with one of the experienced grip makers here on the Forum. These guys KNOW grip frames and can supply you with "straight" info plus they can set you up with some excellent grips, as well.
JMHO,
flatgate
You need to talk with one of the experienced grip makers here on the Forum. These guys KNOW grip frames and can supply you with "straight" info plus they can set you up with some excellent grips, as well.
JMHO,
flatgate
Hondo44
Hawkeye
spade22 said:
Any Ruger SA grip frame made will fit your Hunter. But if you want a round trigger guard with the length of the SBH Dragoon grip, the centerfire Hunter grip frame is the only one made. And if you find just the Hunter grip frame, you'll also need to get a SBH hammer and trigger. Even if you get a standard size grip frame with round guard (the one that comes on all SBHs with 5 1/2" barrel or less) you'll need a SBH hammer and trigger.
The 3 3/4" and 4 5/8" SBHs both come with nonfluted cylinders.
The easiest and simplest thing for you to do is sell the Bisley Hunter and get a standard model Hunter.
