Bisley style hammers on non bisley frames??? Follow up with bird's head??'s

[horsey300]

Converting a Blackhawk requires a new grip frame, I understand that, but short of that, the lady of the house fell in love with a uberti cattlemen today (case hardened and all) and whilst celebrating that small win, I was caught red handed gushing over a bisley......the regular plow handles are a bit of a stretch for her to reach, and whilst she's completely smitten with the uberti plow handle grip frame as is, she did voice a great interest in a lower bisley style hammer on the same frame. Is it possible to get the bisley style hammer on a plow handle?

During the browsing, she also expressed interest in the bird's head models, what little feedback I could find suggested that her hands might like it more than mine, but no one could really differentiate whether the recoil with a full house .357 would be more noticeable than say a k frame.... so, on that note, .357 bird's head 5.5" barrel for plinking/field carry or plowhandle? Why? And apply bisley hammer ? here as well just for giggles.

 

[dickydalton]

Varminterror machined this one for my new vaquero and it works fine!

DSC00007

• dickydalton
• Feb 7, 2018

 

[horsey300]

Varminterror machined this one for my new vaquero and it works fine!

DSC00007

• dickydalton
• Feb 7, 2018

VERY nice! Thank you! I may just have to pester @Varminterror about this!

 

[Varminterror]

As @dickydalton mentioned above, I've done some of the "hammer transplants" to bisley-ize plowshare and birdshead gripped revolvers. You can start with a birdshead or plowshare and drop in a modified bisley hammer for about $30 plus a Saturday afternoon, OR start with a bisley, change the grip frame (lengthy fitting and polishing work), change the rear grip screws, modify the hammer, and modify the trigger or trigger guard, or replace with a non-bisley trigger... The Bisley's come with socket cap screws, hidden under the grip panel, at the upper rear of the grip frame, whereas the birdshead and plowshares come with stainless, finished head, slotted screws. The rump of the Bisley hammer does not fit into the non-bisley grip frames, but can be cut down and reprofiled to fit (see photo and details below). The Bisley trigger also does not fit in the non-bisley grip frames, such either the trigger window must be elongated, or the nose of the trigger must be cut down (the former is the better method) - OR the trigger can be replaced with a standard trigger.

If Ruger makes a barrel length and caliber you want with a plowshare or birdshead, it is far cheaper and easier to buy that and drop a bisley hammer into it. Converting a Bisley to a non-bisley grip is a lot more expensive and a lot more extensive. Neither are difficult, but you'll be somewhere around $30-50 into a new hammer, vs. somewhere around $200 for a new grip frame, grips, and screws, plus the extra working time to change grip frames.

Pictured below Left to Right: Super Blackhawk (matches profile of Montado), Blackhawk/Vaquero, Bisley modified for Post-1998 plow/bird, Bisley, Bisley modified for Pre-1998 plow/bird, New Vaquero.

You can see the large "rump" on the standard bisley in the middle, and how I reduced each to fit the pre and post 1998 models on either side of the standard. One has a continuous curve to fit the smaller grip frame bosses, one has a bump on its rump to fit the newer tall grip frame bosses.

Shoot me a PM if you're interested in either of the above conversions.