Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Bowen Perfected Bisley

I have been thinking about shipping my 7" barrel Ruger Bisley in .45 Colt off to Bowen for the Perfected Bisley treatment. Cutting the barrel back to 5 1/2 inches and the improved sights may be the major reasons here. Also thinking of the freewheel ratchet conversion. Of course, all of this is not cheap. Has anyone had this work done and if so, did it make a big improvement in the gun? What would you say about the work, i.e. are you a happy camper? Thanks!

I've never heard a person complain about Bowen or his work. Or saw what they received wasn't worth the cheque they wrote.

Steve NO has had Bowen do work IIRC and he always struck me as the type not to accept mediocrity.

If you don't get a lot of response here...try the Single Action Forums....lots of Bowen owners over there..

https://singleactions.proboards.com/

Bob

Thanks for the tip!

The only thing I’ve had that Bowen worked on was a Redhawk. Impeccable!

Had Bowen tune up a Blackhawk in 44 magnum. Very happy with the results but this was about 25 years ago. Regrettably sold the darn thing when my eyes starting going downhill.

Back about '03, I took a 5-1/2" Stainless Bisley to him.
Action and trigger tune, oversize base pin, target rear sight, partridge front sight, and a freewheel pawl.


Yes. Yes. You need to do this............



FWIW, I had cylinder and slide open the throats up on mine a smidge, but he is perfectly capable if your gun needs it. Only other thing I wish I would have had him do is work over the forcing cone (not that the gun doesn't shoot great as it is, so I've never bothered sending it to him or anyone else over it), and there's been a few times, playing at longer ranges, that I wish I would have had him put a couple gold bars in the front sight.

I don't know that he's any better than Dave Clements or Alan Harton or any of those guys, but I certainly like what he did to my pistol. He's also a very nice guy.

For years I've tried to justify another project for him, and will someday. Just by looking at his website it is pretty obvious that if you want to go from mild to wild with a Ruger, he will gladly take your money and leave you smiling.

You will not regret it one bit. If you do it and plan on keeping the gun I would suggest having him remove the "engraving" on the cylinder and have him deck the grip frame so you can have a nice set of custom grips added as well. I had the same thing done to an early 41 bisley with the fluted cylinder then alter had John Gallagher fit a long rebored 357 mac cylinder simply so I could shoot the longer heavy cast bullets. I not longer have this gun as a buddy ended up with it but here is what it looks like with the Roy Fishpaw exhibition walnut grips.

His work as well as a few others is a good as it gets.

Definitely in the master class of revolver 'smiths . Im firmly in the camp saying go for it!

Oh, man! This post is going to cost me a bunch of $$$. See, i've got the super nice custom rifle and the super nice Cooper 22LR and a super nice English 2-1/2" 12 ga.....and now.....

AMERICA !

One of Hamilton's "shop guns". Nothing fancy, just really nice work. When I saw it on his website I had to have it. Had him make an extra cylinder in .256 WinMag. It gets hunted, therefor the red dot. And it has been blooded:





I cannot think of a nicer person to deal with, extremely pleasant, personable, and professional in all conversations I had with him. Helpful to the extreme.

And, as everyone else has said, his shop does excellent, even exquisite, work.

You'll not be disappointed I think.

Geno

The front sight and muzzle on the Linebaugh is very well done! What are the specifics there? Thanks for posting.

Very nice!

I have enjoyed six revolvers that Mr. Bowen perfected. These two remain with me as the others were gifted or sold. A .41 and .45 perfected 20 or so years ago.