My Latest Butcher Job, sort of.

[Lastmohecken]

I have been playing around with the Ruger Bisley, I bought back few weeks ago and found the factory grips lacking for me, as usual. I have been looking around, shopping for a nice set of Sandbar Stag or Elk Horn grips with a lot of bark on them to help tame the movement down on the Bisley, a little bit. The factory green laminated grips were just too slick for my taste. The gun would slip in my hands too much, under recoil, for my liking. Which is one reason I usually run Stag grips on most of my Ruger revolvers, so they don't roll back quite as much in the hand. I even like stag or elkhorn grips on my Ruger single sixes, .22's. This had become even more important to me, as I get older, I guess, I am probably getting some arthritis in my hands a little bit, adding to the issue.

Anyhow, I haven't found a good set of stags yet for this Bisley, and I was starting to really dislike the factory grips, so I didn't consider that I was risking much by modifying them. What I ended up doing is taking a big 40 penny nail and sharpening it to chisel point and heating it up red hot with my acetylene torch and using it as a wood burner since I didn't actually own on and cutting grooves in the wood to basically imitate the grooves or bark on actual stage grips. And frankly, it worked! IMHO it worked really well and gave me just the right about of roughness to greatly enhance the shoot ability of the gun for me. And I don't think they look that bad either. I will still probably get a set of stag grips if and when I find a set that I like.

Ruger Bisley grip mod, left side flat.jpg

Ruger Bisley grip mod, right side flat.jpg

[Lastmohecken]

I also did some surgery on the rear of the trigger guard. The Bisley was also whacking my knuckle during recoil with full loads. It would bang my second finger enough that it would get my attention after a few shots. I didn't recall that happening to me, when I had a Bisley, many years ago, but I have had a couple of hand injury's since that time and that might be some of the problem, but my brother in law, got whacked a lot worse than me, when he shot it, recently. If you look at those pictures, you will see that I thinned and rounded the edges off on the back of the trigger guard. In factory form, it's a lot thicker back there, and has a very square edge to it on each side of the trigger guard. Together with the grip mods, it made this gun a whole lot more comfortable and controllable to shoot. Anyway, just thought I would share what I did. Some people will probably cringe at when they see it, but I like over stock, for sure.

[Lastmohecken]

A couple more pictures.

Ruger Bisley grip mod, left side stan.jpg

Ruger Bisley grip mod, right side standing.jpg

[marlinman93]

I like it. Looks almost like tree bark in the pattern you made.

[Ysabel Kid]

That looks super-sharp! Well done!!!

[Lastmohecken]

Thanks, fellows.
I shot it again this afternoon with some factory 240 grain Remington softpoints. On the box, it said that the velocity was like 1180 fps. The gun is very shootable with that load power range. But I am going to handload some 240 grain cast or heavier, maybe the old 255 grain Keith, at about 950 to 1000 fps, there abouts.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Looks like a very useful modification.

[Lastmohecken]

Looks like a very useful modification.

It kind of is for me, anyway. If the grip is too slick, I just can't handle a revolver very efficiently. Funny how some grips can be smooth, but still not feel slick but others just slide around in my hand too much and I am slow and inconsistent with them. Which is one reason, I have always really liked a good set of Sandbar Stag or Elk Horn grips, but some wood grips are fine too. It just depends.

[samsi]

I think that's pretty okay. Someone with a CNC outfit should offer that texture in an aftermarket grip

I know what you mean about stags. I've got a cheapo set of plastic stags on a Single Six and I kinda like the feel of them, I'm not even embarrassed to be seen with it!

240-250's at 1000-ish is a great general purpose load that you'll be able to shoot all day in that Bisley.

[Lastmohecken]

I think that's pretty okay. Someone with a CNC outfit should offer that texture in an aftermarket grip

I know what you mean about stags. I've got a cheapo set of plastic stags on a Single Six and I kinda like the feel of them, I'm not even embarrassed to be seen with it!

240-250's at 1000-ish is a great general purpose load that you'll be able to shoot all day in that Bisley.

There's a place on ebay, called Arizona grips or something like that who offers what they call a B-Western fake stag grip, that looks really good. I have thought about trying a set of them. They also make some grips they call distressed Ivory that look pretty good.

[Paladin]

Great looking revolver.

[fordwannabe]

I have gotten several sets of elk grips from Nate at antlercrafters, I found him on fleabay but he will give you a phone number so you can tell him exactly what YOU want. He will work with you to get what makes you happy. He also does moose, and giraffe bone.

[Lastmohecken]

I have gotten several sets of elk grips from Nate at antlercrafters, I found him on fleabay but he will give you a phone number so you can tell him exactly what YOU want. He will work with you to get what makes you happy. He also does moose, and giraffe bone.

Thanks, for the info. I have been looking for a good grip source that could trust. I will check him out.

[GunnyMack]

I looked up antlercrafterz ( with a Z) ,he does some nice work. I might send them my brass frame off my 41 mag and have a set custom fit in moose antler!
The website is kinda funky.