Scored on a SBH Bisley Hunter 45 Colt

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Snyd

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
433
Location
Alaska
Last weekend I sold my SBH 44mag and went looking for a 5.5 Stainless Blackhawk Bisley 45 Colt (Acusport) or a BFR 454. I wanted a SA 45 caliber with 5.5-7.5 inch barrel. I posted a WTB FTF in a swap and sell on another forum and got a heads up on an add on another site. The add said "Stainless Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter 45 Colt for sale in Fairbanks". Right here in Fairbanks Alaska! NO WAY! No pic in the add. Just a link to the 44mag Bisley Hunter on Rugers website. I was still skeptical. I called the guy and he said "yup, that's what it is".... What?!, and he still had it after 98 hits on the ad?!
I knew Ruger made some of these rascals a few years back but only 279 in 45 Colt Bisley Hunter, or so I've read anyway. I had talked with a co-worker about how we'd never see one up here. Well, here it is.... Unbelievable.... It's mine now. There are 278 of them left out there somewhere. One of them is for sale on Gunbroker as I type. But not this one! And are your ready for this? He was asking 495! FTF transaction, right in my own town!

I slugged the bore it's .451 and didn't seem to notice any tight spots. Throats are tight, .451 as near as I can measure. I cannot push a .452 boolit through. I'll send it off to cylindersmith and have em reamed to .4525. Cylinder gap is .003 and it has .004 of endshake. Is this out of line?

And I think I'll have to get a scope for it just because I can! Does'nt mean I have to use it all the time. Maybe a 2x Leupold?

A few light scuffs here and there but no gouges, scratches, etc. Bore looks great, grips are perfect. It's just right... it's not gonna be a safe queen. I'm gonna shoot a few hundred pounds of lead through it and hopefully take a Moose with it next fall!

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:)
 

Quarterbore

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
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904
Location
Valley Forge PA
Congrats! Note that Ruger has released quite a few of these in the past year or so making the number made higher then you listed but still a dificult gun to find unless you are looking at the online auctions.

I have a serial number thread here but I can't post a link as I am posting via blackberry and searching is too tough. I'll post a link later and I would love to see where yours fits.
 

Snyd

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
433
Location
Alaska
Quarterbore":h5lou5yl said:
Congrats! Note that Ruger has released quite a few of these in the past year or so making the number made higher then you listed but still a dificult gun to find unless you are looking at the online auctions.

I have a serial number thread here but I can't post a link as I am posting via blackberry and searching is too tough. I'll post a link later and I would love to see where yours fits.

So how does a guy go about finding out about uncataloged "mystery guns" that Ruger releases? I see the Bisley Hunter 44mag online: http://www.ruger-firearms.com/products/ ... odels.html
and I've looked at the 2009 and 2010 catalogs and don't recall seeing any Bisley Hunter 45 Colts. That's why I was on the search for an Acusport or equivalent. But, as fate would have it I ran across this one.

Mine is a KS-457NHB Model 00866. Serial # 88-262XX. According to the Ruger website list it's about 2005. The guy said he's had it a few years.
 

Quarterbore

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
904
Location
Valley Forge PA
You just have to watch like an Eagle! They will go to any distributr but Davidsons, Lipseys, and Williams seems to be the ones that get these cleanup guns the most. You will also see them show up on the various online auctions but they typically get listed for about $200 - $300 more then they should be for a new gun so they don't sell very quick.

As for your 5.5-inch 45 Colt Bisley, look on Gunbroker as there are a bunch of them listed right now and the prices are not bad. A nice 5.5-inch Bisley with your new 7.5-inch Bisley hunter is a fantastic combination (I have that set of shooters myself).

Congrats again on a great buy!
 

Snyd

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
433
Location
Alaska
Ya, the 5.5 Bisley is on my list next go around. After buying this one I found a guy in state who as what seems to be an early run acusport. Non-convertible, walnut grips. Says it's mint. Haven't seen it. 500 bucks FTF.

There is an SBH Bishunter 45 colt on gbroker now. 750. I wonder if it's a "mystery gun"...
 

Bucks Owin

Hunter
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
3,196
Location
51st state of Jefferson
Hey, it looks just as good as it did over at Cast Boolits! :lol: I'm STILL envious! I wish I would have gotten one of the Lipsey .45 Hunters awhile back. BTW, as I said before, I'd shoot it before "messing" with it. It may be superbly accurate as is....Dennis
 

Snyd

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
433
Location
Alaska
ya, i jump around a bit. Castboolts and Rugers just go together!

Yup, I'll shoot it before I do anything. I just need to find time. This weekend was a no-go. It gets lightish at about 9 and dark by 3. Honey-doos and church and other commitments and the weekend is over. And it's warm today. 30 above but will be dark in a half hour. Would have been a great day to shoot. Next weekend it's supposed to be 40 below :shock: Might be a little while before I can go shoot. Maybe by then I'll have a scope for it. I'm thinkin a weaver 2x 28mm. I like leupolds scopes but the loopy 2x is only 20mm. Never have had a scope on a handgun.
 

Quarterbore

Blackhawk
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Mar 9, 2008
Messages
904
Location
Valley Forge PA
If you are a big guy with longer arms, be very careful before you buy a scope. I don't know about the weavers but I have oh 14 or so of these single action hunters plus the five redhawk "R" models and I have a tough time using my Leupold 2x scopes with these guns. The rings just are too far out there and there is not really enough eye relief there for me to get a good field of view.

I just took one of my Leupolds off my Redhawk RH-44R revolver and mounted it on my Ithica 37 and tried that tonight with slugs. I decided the 2x scope is a bit lower in power then I want on my slug gun BUT it works much better on the shotgun (The Ithica 37 Rear sight has dovetails for rings for an extended eye relief scope) then I liked it on the Redhawk.

Many people seem to like the Buris better as it has more eye relief... just take the gun with you and try a couple scopes if you can as poor eye relief will make you hate using a scope when the problem isn't the scope but instead your abuility to use it because the scope is way out there. I have a Red-Dot scope on my 45 Bisley Hunter that I was going to use this year but decided I am going to carry my 5.5-inch Redhawk in 45 Colt instead.

Good Luck!
 

Snyd

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
433
Location
Alaska
The specs of the Weaver look good on paper. 14-29 inches of ER. I like the idea of 28mm over 20mm on the leupold. For a 2x scope the 28mm should be brighter if it has quality glass. I'll have to see if anyone around here carries them. That's the problem where I live. A lot of this stuff is just not around for a guy to look at. I should be able to find a leupold locally though I would think.
 

Bucks Owin

Hunter
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
3,196
Location
51st state of Jefferson
Snyd":bcc6hkqo said:
ya, i jump around a bit. Castboolts and Rugers just go together!

Yup, I'll shoot it before I do anything. I just need to find time. This weekend was a no-go. It gets lightish at about 9 and dark by 3. Honey-doos and church and other commitments and the weekend is over. And it's warm today. 30 above but will be dark in a half hour. Would have been a great day to shoot. Next weekend it's supposed to be 40 below :shock: Might be a little while before I can go shoot. Maybe by then I'll have a scope for it. I'm thinkin a weaver 2x 28mm. I like leupolds scopes but the loopy 2x is only 20mm. Never have had a scope on a handgun.
Be sure and let us know how that beauty groups with a scope on it. I bet it'll shoot great!
 
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