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I Guess I'll Stick To What I Know


Smithy

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I started SASS with a stainless Rossi 1892 (a 357 that I traded for one in 45 LC to match my pistols). I added a wide loop lever with leather on the lever and butt stock, a stainless mag spring and follower, new ejector spring and a tune job as per Nate's excellent DVD. I also removed the bolt safety and welded and polished over the remaining hole. It looks sharp and shoots better than I'll ever be able to.

 

Then I kept reading and hearing all the talk about 73's to the nth degree and how much better they were than a 92 ever could be. I had back up's for everything except my rifle so I thought that a 73 might fill that role and that was the start of the Beretta Renegade's being discontinued so I picked one up. It was all that folk said it would be, but even I could tell the vast difference between it and my slicked up 92. The Renegade was going to need work and from my initial inspection of the weapon, it appeared to be beyond my skills for what I wanted done. New springs, lightened brass carrier, polished action, etc. so I was looking into a smith to do the work for me. I soon realized that by the time I was done with it I'd be more dollars into it than I really wanted to be.

 

Then came the big master plan change. I peddled the Renegade on the classifieds untouched for someone else to have that fun and put it to cowboy use. I then turned around and put my nest egg into a Bisley Hunter in 44 magnum to hopefully go on a guided hog hunt before I get too old to do such a thing. Everyone wins in this case and we all get guns we are familiar with, and if I find myself in need of another rifle it will be another stainless 92 to be done up like my present one. I go slow enough as it is without putting another stumbling block in my way with a new rifle that I was having trouble holding up (weak shoulder). Smithy.

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Guest diablo slim shootist

THAT MAKES 5 BISLEYS TOTAL IF I'M KEEPING SCORE RIGHT! :lol:

WITH YOUR WEAK SHOULDER IF YOU WANT A BACK UP BUY A MARLIN NEXT TIME ;)

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THAT MAKES 5 BISLEYS TOTAL IF I'M KEEPING SCORE RIGHT!

 

That's right, good counting! I just love Bisley's. I recently got a chance to handle an Uberti, 5 1/2" 45 LC Bisley and was surprised to find a very different feel to it from what I was used to with my Rugers. The front part of my middle finger was driven into the back of the trigger guard. It felt as though the grip had a reverse sweep to it that seemed rather odd from what I had grown accustomed too. I wonder what the geometry of that of a true original Colt Bisley would be? If it would be more akin to the feel of my Rugers or that of the Uberti? If it were like that of the Uberti I'm sorry to say that I'd have to give up my wish to one day be the proud owner of one of those pieces. I just can't get a handle on it and I know that shooting it would be problematic. Any words of advice? Smithy.

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I just so happen to have Rossi 92 stainless in .357 up for sell if-n your lookin. Its has no safety, octagon barrel, and comes with a long and short stock. I was wanting to sell it local (NW GA or SE TN) but I could check into shipping it.

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That's right, good counting! I just love Bisley's. I recently got a chance to handle an Uberti, 5 1/2" 45 LC Bisley and was surprised to find a very different feel to it from what I was used to with my Rugers. The front part of my middle finger was driven into the back of the trigger guard. It felt as though the grip had a reverse sweep to it that seemed rather odd from what I had grown accustomed too. I wonder what the geometry of that of a true original Colt Bisley would be? If it would be more akin to the feel of my Rugers or that of the Uberti? If it were like that of the Uberti I'm sorry to say that I'd have to give up my wish to one day be the proud owner of one of those pieces. I just can't get a handle on it and I know that shooting it would be problematic. Any words of advice? Smithy.

 

The original Colt Bisley's had generally the same grip frame as the Uberti you tried. The Ruger Bisley is not the "true" or historicly accurate bisley grip frame. The originals did have more of a reverse sweep to them. The Ruger version just kind of hangs straight down.

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I started SASS with a stainless Rossi 1892 (a 357 that I traded for one in 45 LC to match my pistols). I added a wide loop lever with leather on the lever and butt stock, a stainless mag spring and follower, new ejector spring and a tune job as per Nate's excellent DVD. I also removed the bolt safety and welded and polished over the remaining hole. It looks sharp and shoots better than I'll ever be able to.

<SNIP>

of another rifle it will be another stainless 92 to be done up like my present one. I go slow enough as it is without putting another stumbling block in my way with a new rifle that I was having trouble holding up (weak shoulder). Smithy.

My feelings about that:

 

two by Nate . . . . .

 

 

Shadow Catcher

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That's right, good counting! I just love Bisley's. I recently got a chance to handle an Uberti, 5 1/2" 45 LC Bisley and was surprised to find a very different feel to it from what I was used to with my Rugers. The front part of my middle finger was driven into the back of the trigger guard. It felt as though the grip had a reverse sweep to it that seemed rather odd from what I had grown accustomed too. I wonder what the geometry of that of a true original Colt Bisley would be? If it would be more akin to the feel of my Rugers or that of the Uberti? If it were like that of the Uberti I'm sorry to say that I'd have to give up my wish to one day be the proud owner of one of those pieces. I just can't get a handle on it and I know that shooting it would be problematic. Any words of advice? Smithy.

 

Howdy

 

The Uberti version of the Bisley is just about exactly what the original Colt Bisley was like.

 

Colt developed the Bisley grip around 1894 for the National Target Matches that took place at the Bisley range outside of London England. The grip was meant as a target grip, it was intended to fill the hand better for target shooting. The Colt Bisley grip curves forward much more sharply than the Ruger version. It is also not as massive as the Ruger version. Here are a couple of photos of Colt Bisley revolvers, one with fixed sights, the other is the target version. Colt stopped making the Bisley Colt around 1915.

 

 

Bisley Colt

 

Target Bisley

Colt

 

The Bisley revolvers produced by Uberti and USFA are faithful reproductions of the Colt Bisley grip.

 

The interesting thing about the original Colt Bisley grip is that when held the way we normally shoot a pistol today, with the elbow straight, a Colt Bisley will tend to point down at the ground. I believe this is because target pistol shooting has changed over the years. I have seen photos of 19th Century target shooters, and many of them hold the pistol with the elbow slightly bent. When held this way, a Colt Bisley, (or a Uberti or USFA copy) will naturally point forward. I believe that is why Colt developed the Bisley grip shape, specifically for target shooting the way it was done in the late 1800s, with a slightly bent elbow.

 

 

For comparison, here is a photo of the Ruger version of the Bisley. Notice how the grip does not curve forward at all in front.

 

Ruger Bisley

 

I have always felt that the Ruger version of the Bisley grip is an adaptation of the grip from Elmer Keith's famous #5 custom revolver. Here is a photo of Keith's #5. You can see the similarity in the grip shape and the trigger shape. But Keith's is clearly not the same as the traditional Bisley shape.

 

Keith #5

 

For what it's worth, I do not care for the Ruger version of the Bisley grip myself. When I first started shooting Black Powder I was told that the heavier recoil of full house Black Powder loads would be easier to control with the Ruger Bisley grip. So I bought a stainless 'original model' Vaquero with the Bisley grip in 45 Colt. I only used it for one match. Simply did not care for it. I much prefer the standard plow handle grip. I ALWAYS curl my pinky under the grip. I find that with heavy Black Powder loads, the plow handle grip rolls in my hand, allowing the muzzle to rise, until my pinky stops it from rolling. This rolling action slows the impact of recoil and makes it much gentler. The other thing that the plow handle grip allows is a way to prevent getting your middle finger knuckle whacked by the trigger guard in recoil. Curling the pinky under the grip allows holding the revolver a little bit lower. This in turn opens up about 1/4" of space between the rear of the trigger guard and the knuckle of the middle finger. Attempting to cram one's entire hand onto a plow handle grip is a prescription for a sore knuckle, and flinching. Opening up 1/4" of space by curling the pinky under the grip is a good cure for that.

 

Now if I was to come across an affordable real Colt Bisley, I would probably buy it in a heartbeat.

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I started with a sstl Rossi 92 in .357 and still have it in my cart. It was tuned at the factory (one of 2000) and then refined by a local cowboy-smith who likes 92s. It is very, very slick.

I recently picked up a new Uberti '73 in .38 (18.5" half-oct) and am getting used to it. It has been slightly tuned but not short-stroked. I also shoot an original Win 73 and 92, so I do not care to have such varying strokes. I still shoot the Rossi quicker than the new '73 but I blieve that there is less chance of stovepiping and more room to improve my shooting with the new gun. My original 92 in .38WCF shoots best of all, but lost-brass matches and full-loads of BP-subs are a bit much.

I bought, shoot for 2 years and recently sold a Colt Bisley in .32WCF. Made in 1902, the grips were roughly engraved on the inside (1909 Cascade River Snow Camp, Wash). It shot well when handled slowly and was tight as a tick, but I needed funds to continue my Winchester collection. Original Bislyes can be found as shooters for around $1500. You can shoot them without damaging their value and sell them off when you wish.

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