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Old 01-08-2019, 05:14 PM
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Default Ruger Bisley in .357 opinions

Have a chance to buy a blue Ruger Bisley in .357 with a 6 1/2” barrel. Are the Rugers accurate? This will be the first Ruger revolver I would buy. I like the looks of the Bisley. He is asking 550.00, is the price OK? It’s in very nice shape. Guess it’s a Blackhawk with a different grip, Larry
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Old 01-08-2019, 06:44 PM
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$550 isn't a great price, Buds actually has some brand new Blackhawk Bisleys for $578 right now. Granted they're in .44 Special rather than .357, but you can fire extremely hot .44 Special loads out of the Blawkhawk which equal or exceed .357 Magnum. They also have some in .41 Magnum for $615 which are obviously more potent than .357 as well.

That being said, if the Blackhawk he is offering is Stainless Steel and or comes with any ammo/accessories, then it could be worth it depending on what "very nice" condition means.
Otherwise, I would attempt to negotiate a lower price because you can get new ones for around the same price.
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Old 01-08-2019, 06:45 PM
Ivan the Butcher Ivan the Butcher is offline
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Accurate? almost all of the shot better than most anybody I know! For a blue model, that seems a little high to me. I bought a pair of stainless regular model for $375 each about 3 years ago. Almost 20 years ago I bought a pair of 5.5" Blue Vaquero Bisley used in the boxes for $125, but that's too long ago for price comparisons.

Earlier models (circa 1970-1975) had a lot of problems with shaving lead, not just 357's I had 44's & 45's that did too. You might take an extended look down the barrel with a light outside the cylinder gap!

All the Ruger single actions I have now are post 1990 production and haven't given me a single problem. I use them for Cowboy shooting and they get 2500 to 3000 rounds a year each (in the Bisleys) and all they show for it is holster wear on the ejector tube!

Ivan
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Old 01-08-2019, 10:29 PM
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It’s a blue model and that’s the one I would buy, looks more like what a cowboy would carry & shoot. It’s in excellent condition, shot very little. Supposedly this is a discontinued model. I’m just not sure how good the Rugers shoot. Anyone can chime in with how good your Ruger single action shoots. Are the 9mm cylinders available anywhere?? Larry

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Old 01-08-2019, 10:43 PM
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I had a Super Blackhawk in the usual .44 Magnum caliber. The normal 7.5 inch barrel. Stainless.

In careful aimed fire at 25 yards from "offhand" it grouped right along with my M-29 (6.5 inch barrel, made about 1960) and a very accurate .45 Colt New Service made in the 1930's. We're talking all six shots forming one ragged hole at 25 yards.

In quick pointed fire at 15 yards, shooting as the sights came to bear in a flash picture, it was actually hard NOT to score killing hits on silhouette targets. This was in both cases with full .44 Magnum ammo, 240 grain Remington softpoint and JHP loads.

My son has a Vaquero in .45 Colt, 5.5 inch barrel. He says it's very accurate. He normally shoots autoloaders. But if he wants penetration and smashing power, as when strolling his land where wild pigs live and he may encounter a cougar, he likes warm .45 Colt loads. Or carries his nickel M-29 with four-inch barrel. The M-29 is also very accurate, but the Ruger .45 is easier to shoot well, quickly. He is a very fast, deadly shot who's killed several men in intense combat in Iraq and learned to work a pistol well as a kid. In his teens, he was a competent shot with his Browning MK III 9mm and a Colt .45 auto.
Actually, I think the .45 was a Norinco copy, but it shot well. At a tender age, he was coached one afternoon by Jo Anne Hall, then Women's International Action Pistol Champion. As in, of the world! He could manage her Colt .45 autos surprisingly well.

In other words, his is as expert an opinion as you will get concerning the worth of a handgun in real world terms. If he likes that Ruger, it must be a good gun!

So, I feel pretty sure that a Ruger SA will shoot well. On the other hand, I think the one you referenced is overpriced. I'd look for a stainless one for about $450. And if you learn to work a SA revolver right, the lower hammer on the Bisley and the odd curved grip will let you deliver pointed fire very well at normal pistol ranges. And the grip shape is reputed to control recoil well.

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Old 01-08-2019, 10:51 PM
cowboy4evr cowboy4evr is offline
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I have 2 Rugers single actions . A Vaquero in 45 Colt , 4 5/8" barrel and a Super Black Hawk , in 41 magnum , again 4 5/8" barrel . They both are very very accurate . The Vaquero is fixed sights and shoots " spot on " with my hand loads . A 255 gr cast bullet @ about 900 fps is a real winner . They both shoot my cast bullets with no barrel leading . I couldn't be happier . Good Luck , regards, Paul
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Old 01-08-2019, 10:59 PM
BigMuddy BigMuddy is offline
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Generally every Ruger SA revolver I own or have owned have shot very well. Most of them benefit from some trigger work. I own several Bisleys and they seem to shoot better than most. Maybe I just shoot the Bisley grip and curved trigger better, but they seem to be put together "right".

I have never known of any Ruger Bisleys that had a 6 1/2' barrel. The blued 357's were 7.5" and the SS versions were 5.5". (This is referring to the adjustable sighted guns, not the Vaqueros) They are built on the large frame and in 357 recoil is almost non existent. The only adjustable sighted 6 1/2" Bisley I have ever seen is a 41 owned by a friend and it was a regular Blackhawk fitted with Bisley parts. Those parts are not just the grip. The hammer and trigger are different as well.

$550 is not a steal but worth it if you want the gun. If it is one of the earlier guns with fluted cylinder they can bring a bit more money.

Dan
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Old 01-08-2019, 11:36 PM
JohnRoc65 JohnRoc65 is offline
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My Blackhawk convertible in 357mag/9mm has a 5.5" barrel and shoots like a laser beam. Very accurate gun with a 3 pound trigger right out of the box.
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Old 01-09-2019, 12:00 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jebus35745 View Post
It’s a blue model and that’s the one I would buy, looks more like what a cowboy would carry & shoot. It’s in excellent condition, shot very little. Supposedly this is a discontinued model. I’m just not sure how good the Rugers shoot. Anyone can chime in with how good your Ruger single action shoots. Are the 9mm cylinders available anywhere?? Larry
Discontinued doesn't necessarily mean good when it comes to Ruger, especially considering that Ruger had some production problems with various runs in the past, and unlike some other manufacturers, Ruger firearms have only improved over the years, so getting an old model doesn't mean that you're getting a better product when it comes to Ruger.

I know that Ruger has offered Blackhawks with both .357 Magnum & 9mm Luger cylinders over the past few years, but I don't think that modern 9mm Blackhawk cylinders are compatible with older model .357 Magnum Blackhawk frames. (Someone may correct me if I'm wrong about this.)

Personally, if it were me I'd just buy a new one. Old models can be something of a minefield when it comes to Ruger, and I'd rather pay a bit extra for a new one then go back and forth with the seller attempting to negotiate/haggle, much less asking him for the SN then having to research the manufacturing date in attempt to ascertain whether it was of a problematic production run or is lacking certain features/upgrades of modern examples.
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Old 01-09-2019, 12:21 AM
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I find the quality there in Ruger, just as was discussed last week regarding the Khunhausen statement. I recently bought a GP-100 5 inch 44 spl-took it to the range to dial it in today-marvelous gun-real pleasure to shoot-and the fit a finish is top notch, and compares with guns with much heavier price tags. Ironically, I took a M-10 no dash 6 inch (60+ yrs old?) with me that we are gifting to a friend, to check it out before we sent it-super accurate-shot 6 rounds and put it away-all close to the center with 1 bull-it made me look good! I thought of the Kuhnhausen article on this one as well. Add to that that Ruger arguably has the best service out there, bar none. JM2CW.
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Old 01-09-2019, 08:20 AM
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I own several Ruger revolvers and and have owned many more over the years. In that time I have come across exactly one that was inaccurate. It had a bulged barrel. Someone had obviously fired it with a barrel obstruction. (Ruger fixed for free.)

How accurate? Two and a half inch five shot groups off bags at 50 yards. Get the Bisley.

Ed

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Old 01-09-2019, 09:03 AM
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Default Ruger SA

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jebus35745 View Post
It’s a blue model and that’s the one I would buy, looks more like what a cowboy would carry & shoot. It’s in excellent condition, shot very little. Supposedly this is a discontinued model. I’m just not sure how good the Rugers shoot. Anyone can chime in with how good your Ruger single action shoots. Are the 9mm cylinders available anywhere?? Larry
I have four Ruger SA’s that I have owned and shot for over 40 years. A 22 / 22 mag, a 357 4 5/8 a 44 mag and a 45 LC 4 5/8 All of them are as accurate as I am. The 44 mag I shot in metallic sil. Production class for twenty years, shooting steel targets at 50,100,150 and 200 yards.
That revolver has had thousands of full throttle 44 mag’s through it, is still plenty accurate. Put venison in the freezer with it every year.
All four of them have have been shot, carried and have served me well.
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Old 01-09-2019, 09:08 AM
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All fired off hand with Ruger single actions at 15 yards by a dottering OLD man.

Ed
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Old 01-09-2019, 09:52 AM
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I think BigMuddy is correct, the bbl is 7 1/2”. Haven’t seen the gun for a while but remember it is in excellent shape and the bbl is long. He hasn’t shot it since last summer, he said Tuesday he is gonna sell it. The only revolvers I own are S&W’s and this is a little different. Since I load for .38 & .357, it is a good fit. Gonna look at it on Tuesday. Larry
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Old 01-09-2019, 10:01 AM
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Keep in mind that blued Rugers often turn a plum color. And the extractor rod tubes are aluminum.

Get stainless, and you also get a steel tube.
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Old 01-09-2019, 12:38 PM
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I bought 2 Ruger Bisleys for shooting SASS matches (Both 5-1/2 inch .357s). They seem plenty accurate but I have never had to shoot at a target past 70 yards. As a matter of fact all the Ruger pistols and revolvers I've ever owned have displayed good accuracy - something I can't say for their bolt-action rifles.
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Old 01-09-2019, 02:34 PM
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I really like the Bisley. I've had a blue super blackhawk .44 mag, 2 vacqueros SS .45 colt, Bisleys. All very accurate.
Now looking at New Blackhawk Bisley .44 special.
I would advise on a new .44 over an old .357.
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Old 01-09-2019, 09:13 PM
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Are they accurate?
Boy,they sure are!While they are not true target guns in the purest sense of the term,let me just say that they are the guns in my safe that'll shoot from very good to excellent any reasonably well put together load.I can't say that much of my other guns exept for a few.And BTW,no,I'm not a Ruger absolute fan.But that's what I've experienced these last 40 years of shooting handguns!
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Old 01-09-2019, 09:15 PM
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The 7 1/2" 357 Bisley is the only Blackhawk in that caliber that Ruger ever made in that barrel length. You can really light a fire under some reloads in that model. One of the few Bisleys I have not owned, but I have fired one. Very easy on recoil, and everyone that shoots that gun tries to buy it. Steel plates at 200 yards are no problem at all with that gun and the owner ain't sellin'.

I have a safe full of Ruger SA's, seven of which are Bisleys. Not a single one of them that doesn't shoot very well nor do I regret owning any of them.

Dan
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Old 01-10-2019, 08:00 PM
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Go for it! You will pay a little more for the Bisley gripped Blackhawks but for me it is the preferred grip and points nicely. I had a 7.5in Ruger Bisley 45 Colt, nice long sight radius, easy to hold and spot on accurate. Currently I have a Blackhawk in 357 5.5" std grip, got it for a bargain so the grip was secondary and I primarily shoot 38spl out of it so the grip is OK but would certainly prefer Bisley grip if shooting 357 mag.

An easy fix to lessen the trigger pull on the Blackhawk is to simply unhitch one side of the trigger spring that is located under the handle so no take down needed, if you have a clean trigger with little to no creep you will be fine The sight blades on front are not colored so maybe a few dabs of paint needed to highlight them in low light or indoor shooting.

Have fun
Karl
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