I noticed on the daividsons website that they list both these guns in 41 mag, but I'm not familiar enough with handguns to really see what the difference is between the two. Any thoughts? Thanks.

The grip. Both have the basic frame with a ribbed barrel that is milled to accept rings for a scope. Grip is the only difference. One has the Bisley Grip and the other has the standard plow handle grip. Both are very nice.

What Caribou said. Hammer spur is different as well. Before you buy, try to handle each one to see which feel you prefer. If possible, shoot each one. Some say the Bisley handles recoil better. The traditional grip rolls upwards in the hand when the revolver is fired. Some like it, some don't. I think the Bisley grip frame is better if you have large hands...traditional grip is small and some say they have to curl their little finger under the grip to be comfortable.

The Bisley Ruger emerged from both the Colt Bisley variation of the Single Action Army revolver and Elmer Keith's own design which was a modified Bisley. It's kind of a hybrid between the two. You should go to Ruger's own website and check out both before deciding, and also handle both.

I've had both and like the Bisley better than the standard large-framed Blackhawk. There are lots of Ruger grip frames and sizes, so I'm only talking about the large grip frame encountered on most standard Blackhawks. I prefer the Bisley over this one, but some don't.

Generally speaking, IMO the Bisley frame behaves more in recoil, like a double-action revolver, whereas the standard grip frames behave as you would expect a single action revolver to behave. I think the Bisley pushes backwards more whereas the Blackhawk rolls up. It's been awhile since I owned one though and everybody is different. Shoot both, if you can, before buying.

I've heard a lot of folks do not cotton to the Bisley, although I've never met any of them!

One slight nitpick.
The plow handle on the BH Hunter is the longer Dragoon size like on a Super BH but with a round TG.

Pete

I think Cole hit the nail on the head..the Bisley is a LOT more " shooter friendly" under heavier recoil....JMHO..


Ingwe

I prefer the plowhandle. Bisley similarity to the double action grip is aimed towards faster second shot recovery. The plowhandle feels better(to me) under full recoil to me because it rolls. I ain't overly concerned about rapid firing either my 41 or my 44 mag.

I, too, am tempted by the Bisley Hunter.

I've got a regular Hunter already, a gun I've owned twice now. Its something of a problem gun. It requires a .433" cast bullet for accuracy and control of leading. The cylinder throats mike .4335, barrel is .432 at the forcing cone, and tapers to .431 at the muzzle. It shoots really well with 300 grain bullets from a custom diameter mold LBT made for me back in the mid 1990s, but its a total waste of jacketed bullets or normal diameter cast bullets.

So ... I don't want to get rid of it, it's a good gun with its bullet, but I'd like to get another .44 to shoot conventional bullets from.

I had a Ruger Bisley .32 mag. I didn't like it. It was butt-heavy in the extreme and difficult to hit with. I've not owned a bisley with the fullsized frame but I've handled a couple ... they're better, but still seem butt heavy to me. I handled one of the Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunters a while back and it feels really good to me, just a hair muzzle heavy so it "hangs" nicely, plus it points really well. Probably going to do it one of these days.

The other temptation is to buy a 10.5" Super Blackhawk and change the grip frame. That might be interesting, too.

I've had 20+ .44s since college, mostly super blackhawks. Had a couple blackhawks in .45 I pushed fairly hard. I like the traditional grip, but when Ruger doesn't fit them just perfectly they leave a sharp spot where the grip frame and "main" frame meet and I wind up with red juice leaking out of my hand too often. I think the Bisley grip will alleviate that problem.

Tom

I have one of the Davidson's SBH bisley hunters in 41 mag.


Note the longer, more slender grip on the Bisley, above. The trigger is also more rounded, and the hammer is flatter and wider on the Bisley.


I purchased my bisley hunter in Oct 2005, at which time the Davidson's website said "out of stock". It still says "out of stock" on this model and has (to my knowledge) ever since I purchased my revolver.

I got mine on Gunbroker NIB for $489. The 41's may still be found on Gunbroker occasionally NIB, but unfortunately prices have increased.

It is my understanding that the 41 mag in this model was produced solely for Davidson's and is therefor a bit hard to find. But the 44 mag hunter is readily available at the larger firearms outlets.

Before I made my purchase, I went to Sportman's Warehouse and fondled the 44 mag bisley Hunter and the standard hunter model. I held out for the Bisley because I could not get my "pinky finger" anywhere near the grip with the standard SBH grip. The revolver feels more secure in my hand when I can wrap all three fingers around the grip. With my fat fingers, that requires the Bisley.

I might recommend you go down to Sportsman's or Cabela's and see what fits your hand best with the 44 mags they have available. Then hit Gunbroker to make the purchase of a 41.

Thanks everyone for the excellent information. I wasn't sure if there was something internally different between them of if it was only a frame modification. Sounds like the Bisley Hunter would be the way to go. Now all I have to do now is convince myself I really really need one.