Ruger New Vaquero Bisley or Plow Handles

[talkinghalls]

Howdy Folks,

I am looking to pick up two single action Rugers pretty soon, both the plow handle and the bisley feels good in my hands. But I am not sure on how the felt recoil is with the bisley vs plow. I know the plow tends to roll in hand, but what about the bisley.

Also if its important I am interested in the gunfighter style one in each hand.


Thanks for your help!

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

If your game is SASS, go4it and suit yourself.

If your game is NCOWS the Bisley in the Old Model Vaquero was NOT legal.  I'm not aware of any difference with the NMV.

I'm sure more free advice will follow, and worth every penny spent.

[Pettifogger]

If you are shooting CAS you will probably not be shooting ammo with enough oomph to worry about the gun rolling in your hand.  The handle shapes are purely a matter of what feels good to YOU.  What anyone else thinks is immaterial.  I know many top shooters that shoot the Bisley and love them.  I shoot duelist and simply cannot get used to them.  One thing about the Bisley is that the lower hammer makes it easier to cock one-handed.

[Mustang Gregg]

No real recoil to CAS loads (for most guys).   
The best check I know is to put a pencil in your hand like its a pistol (normal) grip. 
If it has a good forward cant, try the plowhandle gripframe. 
If it's more vertical, try the Bisley gripframe.

Better yet, go a match and try each.  SASS Pards are very generous with their revolvers and long guns to newbies and veterans alike.  The decide which you like.

Mustang Gregg

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

The Bisley grip frame was conceived to allow a more natural point when using the common 19th century limp wrist-bent elbow style of pistol shooting.  With the more ridgid straight-arm hold that is generallly used these days the reason for the Bisley frame is largely passe.

[yeti76620]

I have BOTH, Bisley in 45 colt and plow handles in 38's { both pair are OMV } and I shoot them both as close to the SASS speed limit as allowed per caliber.....ALL TOO much fun!

Bisley's in "gunfighter" and 38's "squaw grip"....  One handed I do like the Bisley better and the recoil doesn't roll as much in my hand; however, Veni, vidi, vici.......    

If You're interested in Bisley 44 Special blue in 4 5/8 bbl or 5 1/2 bbl my FFL is on a Ruger sale last day is 03/31/2112 and if I remembers correctly he's a pair of each at $515.00 per piece NIB....  I might be wrong on the $$$$$  CALL 'im!    

[Pay Dirt Norvelle]

If things go right I will be buying a Bisley Vaquero in 45LC tomorrow as long as the gun shope hasn't sold it, but it has been there quite a while so I should be ok.  Of course I will then have to wait 10 days to pick it up (California you know) and then 30 days to get the matching one.   

[Pay Dirt Norvelle]

I did it.  My Vaquero Bisely in 45LC is now in jail and I can pick it up on April 10th, however i will be out of town that date and will have to wait until the 11th. 

[Tall Dark Slim]

Lucky you! Out of town trips ease the pain of the bureaucracy. Long hunter spring kits to top it off.

For the OP anything will work if you shoot two on one. If duelist or GF you'll likely favor the plow unless you pin the trigger back or have small hands.

[Pay Dirt Norvelle]

As I previously posted I get to bring my Bisley Vaquero in April 11th.  I did something bad  and was looking around on the internet and found another Bisley Vaquero and guess what?   I ordered it and it is on its way for my FFL, but I will have to wait until April 30th to do the paperwork and then wait another 10 days before I can bring the second one home (California you know) 

[yeti76620]

As I previously posted I get to bring my Bisley Vaquero in April 11th.  I did something bad  and was looking around on the internet and found another Bisley Vaquero and guess what?   I ordered it and it is on its way for my FFL, but I will have to wait until April 30th to do the paperwork and then wait another 10 days before I can bring the second one home (California you know) 

I was wonder'n wajaya have ta do if'n ye purchased those SWEET SASS duos???  Nows I knows the People's Republic of Kaliforny.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

As I previously posted I get to bring my Bisley Vaquero in April 11th.  I did something bad  and was looking around on the internet and found another Bisley Vaquero and guess what?   I ordered it and it is on its way for my FFL, but I will have to wait until April 30th to do the paperwork and then wait another 10 days before I can bring the second one home (California you know) 

A Pair to draw to

[August]

I've owned both and shot them in matches.

Every time I grabbed the Bisley in a match, my purchase was different than before.  There is so much real estate on that grip that it can be apprehended in many different ways.  Needless to say, this does not help one's shooting!

The plow handle, on the other hand, offers a more consistent hand to gun mating because there is simply less area to move around on.

I much prefer the plow handled guns and never could run the Bisley's consistently.

However, several one-handed shooters (duelists and gunfighters) use the Bisley frame because when the gun moves under recoil, it brings the hammer closer to the thumb for cocking.  But, I've noticed several long-time gunfighters switching over to plow handles the past year since SASS changed the rule on hammer substitutions in guns.  Apparently, the hammer of the Bisley has been the Huckleberry all along.  Not the frame.

It would be much more difficult to develop a consistent purchase on a Bisley frame than on the plow handle.  That was my experience, anyway.  I got rid of mine.