Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 So I've been thinking that it might be time for a new set of pistolas. As a general rule, I shoot Classic Cowboy, which means shooting one-handed. I've been shooting a pair of 7 1/2" barreled 75 Remingtons since way before I decided to shoot Classic, but sometimes the hammer reach on the Remmies is a little much. So for those of you who shoot one-handed out there, what's your favorite revolver? I have fairly wide palms and stubby fingers and thumbs, so the hammers on the Bisley models look like a possibility. How does the Bisley style work for one-handed shooting? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Another option I've been looking at is the Longhunter Rodeos with the lowered hammer spurs, except that I see that he's not accepting orders for USFA guns at the moment... Then there's the Taylor's Running Iron that Longhunter has... Help! So many guns, so little cash... Whatever I should happen to buy would have to last me for a long time, so I want to do it right the first time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waimea Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 So I've been thinking that it might be time for a new set of pistolas. As a general rule, I shoot Classic Cowboy, which means shooting one-handed. I've been shooting a pair of 7 1/2" barreled 75 Remingtons since way before I decided to shoot Classic, but sometimes the hammer reach on the Remmies is a little much. So for those of you who shoot one-handed out there, what's your favorite revolver? I have fairly wide palms and stubby fingers and thumbs, so the hammers on the Bisley models look like a possibility. How does the Bisley style work for one-handed shooting? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Another option I've been looking at is the Longhunter Rodeos with the lowered hammer spurs, except that I see that he's not accepting orders for USFA guns at the moment... Then there's the Taylor's Running Iron that Longhunter has... Help! So many guns, so little cash... Whatever I should happen to buy would have to last me for a long time, so I want to do it right the first time... Charlie I got to try a pair of Bisley's for Outlaw shooting and fell deeply in love with them. I wanted to change my OM vaqueros to bisley hammers but found out on this very forum that you can't do that without changing the grips too. So I am going with Super Blackhawk hammers. My advice is to find a Bisley and hold it before you go out and order one. They feel different than the standard plowhandle grips. Waimea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Grips, hammer shape and hammer reach are all 100% personal preference things. No wire advice is going to be worth a hoot. You have to try the different combos yourself. For example some love the Bisleys. I absolutely cannot stand them and I have modified and even re-profiled the metal parts. Still hate them. HOWEVER, what I like and what others like is immaterial. The only thing that matters is what feels good to YOU. Go out and try some at gun stores. People will usually be glad to let you handle or even shoot their guns at a match. What I am using right now, and all I shoot is duelist style, are New Vaqueros with Super Blackhawk hammers and Ruger birdshead grips and the barrels cut to 4 inches. Again, just a matter of personal preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Perzackly what Larsen sez. Check em all out if possible. ..........Widder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rodgers Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Bisleys are great for duelist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof. Fuller Bullspit Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Yes indeed, give the different options a try before you buy. I shot duelist with a pair of birdhead Rugers for a year or so and thought they were pretty good (better than a standard Ruger). Then one day I worked up enough nerve to ask a nice guy (Thanks Beartrap!) if I could give his Ruger Bisleys a try. What a difference! I got a pair as soon as I could. Now that the Super Blackhawk hammer is legal I have installed a pair on my Birdhead guns and they are almost (but not quite) as good as the Bisley for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painted Filly Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Yes definately a personal preference. I a awaiting my new set of guns from cimarron. they a have the thunderer grips and a lowered hammer and 3 1/2 barrel for me to do gunfighter. I like has been said tried someones thunderers and another person's bisley. They have to feel right to you. See what you can try before you buy. Painted Filly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Jen Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Ruger Vaquero with Super Blackhawk hammers, I'm guessing might be pretty good, cost/benefit revolver for one-hand. I'm not sure how I want to shoot. I've spent some time with both styles (traditional and gunfighter), and I'm thinking I may prefer the tradtional-two-hand style, because of the speed that's possible if I ever practice more. But I've heard the above is good for one-hand, FWIW. Aunt Jen So I've been thinking that it might be time for a new set of pistolas. As a general rule, I shoot Classic Cowboy, which means shooting one-handed. I've been shooting a pair of 7 1/2" barreled 75 Remingtons since way before I decided to shoot Classic, but sometimes the hammer reach on the Remmies is a little much. So for those of you who shoot one-handed out there, what's your favorite revolver? I have fairly wide palms and stubby fingers and thumbs, so the hammers on the Bisley models look like a possibility. How does the Bisley style work for one-handed shooting? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Another option I've been looking at is the Longhunter Rodeos with the lowered hammer spurs, except that I see that he's not accepting orders for USFA guns at the moment... Then there's the Taylor's Running Iron that Longhunter has... Help! So many guns, so little cash... Whatever I should happen to buy would have to last me for a long time, so I want to do it right the first time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKenzie River Drifter, #74138 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Try em all before you buy---unless you want a set of each. They all have a different feel and length of reach to the hammer spur. Lots of Duelist around here shoot Ruger .32 caliber to get the small frame guns. Some shoot short stroked Bisleys. As you mentioned you want them to last the rest of your life, I would suggest Rugers set up by a good gunsmith. Good luck McKenzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketchum Quick, SASS #72923 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 The best combo for one handed shooting has to be the .32 Single Sixes converted to Bisley. They are outstanding. But, they are .32s and won't work in the Classic Cowboy catagory. YMMV. KQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Sir Just handlem them will give you an idea what you like BUT there is nothing like shooting them to tell for sure . If you can , that will be the best way . Be sure to use your regular loads due to recoil , it does make a differance in the way they feel . JMO CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Windshadow Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 As so many have said it is what works for you... consider the variables size of hand overall... long fingers or short.... strength and any joint problems or arthritis for example... some of these can be worked around with larger/fatter smaller/thiner grips and hammer selection/modification (within the rules) but the is no real substitute for trying a bunch at the range and if you are lucky in the selection of pards in your posse shooting a stage at a monthly. I tried quite a few different grips before I settled on Gunfighter II type from Eagle which with my large (long fingers) hands were a big improvement on the stock grips on my NMVs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Howdy, You might give a try to the ruger sass shooters. I think those are the nicest ones I dont own. Best CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Pony Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Charlie as many have said handling different options is a good idead, shooting them is even better and shooting them with a load similar to what you are going to use is best of all. Why? Well Colt Colt designed the SAA to roll back in your hand under recoil and how you load it is going to make a difference. Physics made the hammers on 44-40/44Spec SAA clones easier for my short thumbs to reach then the 38s were. More powder and a heavier bullet put the hammer closer. There are light loads in every caliber that have minimal roll and rise, once fired they will have a different "reach" then would a heavier load might. I'm with Larsen in dislike for the bisley configuration, just dont like it, nope not at all. Same with birds head grips, dont fit me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Either the Bisley or (what I did) the New Model Blackhawk hammer in the Vaqueros (old or new, mine are old). Most folk will prefer the lower hammer presentation of either setup for single handed shooting. I don't care for Bisleys, but many do. Try 'em all if you get a chance, you might be surprised at what is comfortable in your hand. CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580 Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hm, I guess I should have mentioned that I shoot .45's using full-case APP loads with 200 grain bullets. There's a tiny bit of muzzle jump there... Or maybe instead of a new set of guns, I just need to practice more? Nah... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Pony Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Well now that you mention it.... Yep sure might make a diffence. Again I've got small hands and did not find the bisley rugers to be at all comfortable. The way they felt under recoil really reminded me of one of the big redhawk double action guns. It was more straight back into the web of the hand rather then rolling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Ruger Vaquero with Super Blackhawk hammers, I'm guessing might be pretty good, cost/benefit revolver for one-hand. I'm not sure how I want to shoot. I've spent some time with both styles (traditional and gunfighter), and I'm thinking I may prefer the tradtional-two-hand style, because of the speed that's possible if I ever practice more. But I've heard the above is good for one-hand, FWIW. Aunt Jen Bingo! A vaquero with the lower, wider SBH hammer is tough to beat. I shoot duelist with (big) vaqs, and the SBH hammers were a HUGE imrovement. Compared to a '58 remmie, light years ahead..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHL Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 If you decide to try out some of the Bisley revolvers just know that they aren't all configured the same. the Rugers are a bit different than some of the other Bisley models on the market in the ergonomics of the handle. I have an Uberti Cattleman Bisley and it is a smaller/tighter configuration than the Ruger. IMHO Try em be4 ya buy em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Opentops With the Navy grip !!!! I don't like the Bisley shape at all for Duelist..... Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anvil Al #59168 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Grips, hammer shape and hammer reach are all 100% personal preference things. No wire advice is going to be worth a hoot. You have to try the different combos yourself. For example some love the Bisleys. I absolutely cannot stand them and I have modified and even re-profiled the metal parts. Still hate them. HOWEVER, what I like and what others like is immaterial. The only thing that matters is what feels good to YOU. Go out and try some at gun stores. People will usually be glad to let you handle or even shoot their guns at a match. What I am using right now, and all I shoot is duelist style, are New Vaqueros with Super Blackhawk hammers and Ruger birdshead grips and the barrels cut to 4 inches. Again, just a matter of personal preference. What he said. For myself. It is Bisleys all the way. I love them for Duelist and GFer. And most the duelist (not all) around here shoot Ruger Bisleys. My 2nd choice is New Vaqueros with the Super Blackhawk hammers on them. Have a pair of those in .45 that I shoot some also. But don't like neer as well as the Bisleys. But try before you buy. Should be enough Ruger Bisleys around for you to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 If you decide to try out some of the Bisley revolvers just know that they aren't all configured the same. the Rugers are a bit different than some of the other Bisley models on the market in the ergonomics of the handle. I have an Uberti Cattleman Bisley and it is a smaller/tighter configuration than the Ruger. IMHO Try em be4 ya buy em. The Uberti Bisley's are a copy of the original Colt models. I tried a pair yesterday at a match and they worked just fine. I still like my Smoke Wagons better though. Rye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Coroner Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 As many of the posts have said, it really is a personal preference. Since no one mentioned it yet, my preference is the Schofield. Just handle as many different types as you can to find what suits you best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Jack, SASS #77862 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I shoot FCD with the 1860 gripped Open Tops. I tried Bisleys and the web of my hand slips up close to where the hammer come down to when cocked and I have to reposition my hand after the 2nd or 3rd shot. Not good. I recently got a pair of Super Blackhawk hammers for my NMVs and am trying those out, but for me the 1860 grips work great. The hammer could be a bit of a reach if I shot low recoil rounds but a case of BP puts the hammer right where I need it due to the recoil. As others have said, it's individual preference and fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Pepper Kid, SASS #60463 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I'm a fellow Classic Cowboy and also shoot 7 1/2" barreled 75 Remingtons in .45. Also have old model Ruger Vaqueros. I like guns with sum heft. I have fairly large hands with long fingers(have been able to palm a basketball since 10th grade). I have one Uberti Birdshead and like it too but I had stag grips made and asked to have them a bit thicker. I don't like those low hammer spurs on guns. Now the guns that I'm really pining for is sum "Alchimista's". At a match last year thar was sum for sale on a table. I picked em up....and whoeee those felt good, golly I about swooned. Once I get my gun budget back up think I'll get me sum. Chili Pepper Kid Gonna send ya a pm. I have sum questions about APP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.