Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Ruger NM SBH Bisley Hunter barrel rib - how attached?

Can somebody describe how the Bisley Hunter rib is affixed to the barrel? Can the barrel/rib be easily shortened to 6" -- with front sight then re-installed?

Any 'smiths around the Fire who specialize in Ruger revolver work?

-Chris

the rib is integral.

It’s an integral part of the barrel. It can be cut and the front sight reinstalled but it’s a little more complicated process than screwing a ramp on.

Thanks, guys, couldn't tell that from the pic on the Ruger website.

Kid, looks like that's what you've done -- or had done -- to yours. How's balance? Who did the work? Cost? And maybe you could say a bit about why you did it? And did it solve your goal?

One of my hunting handguns is a 7½" Ruger Redhawk, with scope. I'm thinking about improving portability... partly by switching to a lightweight reflex (red dot) sight. And maybe a slightly more comfortable grip/length-of-pull wouldn't hurt. I've got a bazillion rounds downrange through my Cowboy Bisleys, so thought maybe a Bisley Hunter might be one option. Our state minimum barrel length for deer hunting is 6" -- and I've been thinking I don't need any more than that.

-Chris

Magnaport does it. $95 if I'm reading it right.

Thanks, that could be useful. I'm guessing from that, it might be $95 for the cutting/crowning, plus some extra to remount the front sight. My Desert Eagle is ported and I'd consider adding that, too.

I'm currently comparing the basic idea to a 6" S&W 629 (45 oz) with Jack Weigand's scope mount. Or maybe rebarreling a standard (not Hunter model) SBH Bisley with a Weigand mount, guessing maybe ~47 oz before adding the mount. Or maybe just slapping a FastFire on my current Redhawk (53 oz, bare; can only do that using the way forward mounting scallop) and calling it good. Or maybe swapping my current Redhawk for a Super Redhawk (haven't ever compared length-of-pull for that idea), and that'd be starting at 52 oz before any customer work...

Decisions, decisions...

Length-of-pull is part of the deal. As I get older, I'm finding the Desert Eagle grip is getting a tad too big for my hands... and I've already dismounted the Pachmayr rubber grips on the Redhawk, replaced with the original wood.

-Chris

I did mine when I was still gunsmithing, lunch break project. I cut it to 5.5” as that’s the end of the ejector housing. I killed a bear and some pigs with it when it had the 7.5” barrel and cut it down just because I prefer shorter barrels for portability. I lost nothing accuracy wise and I never shoot anything but 240-260gr cast bullets at 100-1150fps which is easily achieved in a 5”. It was more an exercise of why not than anything but I like the way it turned out.

FYI the Hunter barrels are essentially Redhawk barrels with no ejector shroud. They use the finer thread pitch of the DAs and cannot be replaced with a standard SBH barrel.

Ok,,,,, to your question, "Yes", Mag-na-Port cut mine to 6", cut-in and re-attached the front sight, and gave it a "2-Port" job,,,,, Very well Balanced, and the "Porting" really helps with that follow-up Shot when needed.... see attached....
Lj

You did a nice job, Kid. And thanks for barrel insight.

AK, that looks very good... so maybe that's one route I could go. Do you know exactly what it weighs now?

In both examples, it looks like there barrel is slightly lower than the top of the cylinder frame. I wonder if the Burris FastFire-Rugermount base (i.e., designed for the Ruger scallops) would fit flat, there? That's one reason I can't just slap a FastFire on my Redhawk's rearmost mounting scallop... and the other option is way the heck out there toward the front sight...

I know already that the Bisley grip feels slightly better in my hands than the Redhawk with original wood grips, and much better (these days) than the Redhawk with the oversize Pachmayr Presentation grips. What I don't have a feel for is Bisley grip versus S&W 629, or versus Super Redhawk. I could see trying a 6" 629 (no chopping required)... or whacking 1½" off a Super Redhawk...

It'd be easier if I could run right down to my nearest handgun emporium and get my grubby mitts on the candidates... but circumstances are conspiring against me...

-Chris

AK375DGR what sight is that on the rear? I have seen them but forgot what company it is? Thanks and Be Well, RZ.

Ok,,,,, that would be.... "One Hole Sight" @ [warrencustomoutdoor.com] or Phone@ [330]-307-0166 in Warren, Ohio...

Lj