Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Cowboy Action Shooting Bisley vs 1873 (plow handle)?

any preferences?

4.75" vs 5.5" bbl ?

38/357 vs .45LC ?

not for CAS, just for plinking, field carry, etc

I'm no pistoleer, but the Bisley is my first choice every time, but I have pretty bad arthritis. I'd bet 90% of guys with good grips prefer the plow handle. Bbl length? I can shrink my groups by almost half with a 7 1/2, but it's no fun to carry so I compromise at 5 1/2. Cartridge? IMO the .45 Colt hands down. But like Venturino I have settled on the .38-40 (a true 40 caliber) as a balance of recoil and easy button accuracy. Just one man's opinion. It needs to be noted that my revolvers are 1st gen originals...with variations in bbl/throat diameters.

I like these. 5.5 inch, 45 colt.

I'd go plowhandle flattop Ruger Blackhawk in .44 special with the 4 3/4" bbl. To me, the bisley doesn't feel right and will wack your middle finger on heavier loads.

In my limited experience, heavier loads begin being uncomfortable with the Bisley sooner than with the traditional. If you aren't using Ruger-only loads in the 45 Colt it probably won't bother you though. My Bisley is a 5.5" 44 Mag and genuine full house 240 gr and heavier are a bit punishing; but if you tone them down a little they become much more pleasant.

All of this varies from person to person, I don't have arthritis, but I am getting up there in age.

Ruger or Colt?

For Ruger, I don't really care for the Bisley grip. I've owned guns with them from .32 mag through .454 and .480. I think the Bisley grip does reduce recoil but it fouls up balance, pointability, and puts the hammer in an awkward position for fast followup shots. Unless it is absolutely needed to manage extreme recoil (.454, .480), I prefer the standard grips and have sold all of my Ruger Bisleys except the .454.

For Colt, I don't think the Bisley grip helps a bit with recoil and seemingly makes it worse, the only diff is that few cartridge in a Colt generate much recoil in the first place. I think the Bisley grip on a Colt is more mystique than substance.

For field carry, 100%, standard grip for me.

Then barrel length .. I think 5.5" is best overall balancing carrying factors against shooting factors. .38/.357 vs .45 .. depends on what you're shooting at.

I am waiting for Ruger to release some Talo distributor exclusive Blackhawks in .357 / 9mm with a 5.5" barrel. If they manage to put the front sight on top of the barrel so the rear sight is more or less centered when sighted in, it's going to be "perfect." Of the guns currently available, though, I'd nab a 5.5" .45 Blackhawk and not look back.

Plow handle, 4 5/8," .357 if I'm just plinkin' or woods carrying but .45 if I'm deer hunting.

Bisley’s look great in 4.5” range and I like the 45 and 44 special

I much prefer the standard SA grip. As far as barrel length it depends on what I'm using it for . Most of the ones I hunt with have 5.5" or 6" , for anything else I prefer the 4 3/4" or 4 5/8" if a Ruger. As far as caliber I prefer the .44 Special but if I was just gonna plink with it I'd go with the .357 . Cases are easier to find and you can use the even cheaper .38 Special cases. I use 2400 in the .357 loads and Bullseye for the .38 Special. Factory ammo is cheaper also if you do not reload and there are tons of different loads available. Buy one of each, everybody needs a .357/.38 and the .44 Special is one I think everyone should own.

That would be 4 5/8's".

I like the plow handle for loads under 1000 fps with 250+ gr bullets. And the Bisley with heavier loads. That said, I have shot thousands of full power .44 mag loads with the SBH grip frame.

Correct, thanks.

4.5 and 45 colt. My colt is a dream. A ruger bisley in 475 linebaugh is more fun to shoot than my fa 454.

My 45 Colt Rugers.

Ivory grips - Vaquaro

Bone grips - New Model Bisely aniversory model

Both are accurate, I use the Vaquaro for fun and the Bi
sely for hunting.

I have both. I like both. No preference.

I prefer the Bisley grip and 5.5” barrel.

My favorite handgun cartridges are the .45 Colt, .44 Special and .38/.357 in that order.

I have a couple 1873 Colt clones, one in 44 Special and another in 45 Colt. I think they’re about as nice as it gets for handling. I also have a Super Black Hawk that I like, but I don’t think it handles quite as well as the Colt Clones.

I prefer the Bisley grip, but have and shoot both Bisley and plow handle.

Only plow handle is the new (small frame) 44 Spl Flat Top



I have several Bisleys on the old (large frame). 45 Colt Vaquero



Also have Bisley Blackhawks in 45 Colt and 480 Ruger.

Agree with the Colt clones. Have two; Pietta "Gun Fighter" with 4-5/8" barrel and aUberti/Taylors with 5.5" barrel. Both .45 Colt. They handle and shoot rather well.
Handloads, of course.

Made this one years ago from a standard New Model Blackhawk .45Colt by fitting an aftermarket Bisley grip frame, Bisley hammer and trigger:



The pudgy Hogue Micarta grip panels increase the Bisley grip frame’s ability to dissipate recoil impulse over a wider area of the shooting hand, making the more zesty loads tolerable.

Just received this Lipsey’s flat top .44SPL. Haven’t had a chance to shoot it yet:



The newer Hogue Micarta grips are not nearly as fat as the older version (pictured on the .45Colt), but should be sufficient for the slightly milder .44SPL loads.