Super Blackhawk Hunter. Bisley..?..Plow

[357 Terms]

Grip preference

I know this is solely based on personal opinion.
I like the grip on my 357 6.5in Blackhawk.
I have shot a 4 5/8 SBH in 44 hundreds of times.
From what I read neither of these grips is the same as a SBH Hunter. (Plow)
Never fired a big bore Bisley.

So basically I don't have any real experience with these Hunters.
Hot loads will be shot regularly.
For those with Big Bore experience, which would you choose?
And why

 

[Ru4real]

I’ve had both grips. 330 grain thumpers in 45 Colt push the handgun down thru my hand grip for both grip styles for six rounds. The Bisley grips from the factory are better, however.

My advice is to shop around, and the money you save, spend on Hogue grips. You can find regular gripped guns cheaper than Bisley guns on the used market.

Rubber Hogue’s are pretty ugly, sure. But, functionally way better than wood grips, also. With proper grips and hand loads, the Hunter is pretty tough to beat, IMO.

 

[357 Terms]

Rubber Hogue’s are pretty ugly, sure.

I see what your saying, but I'd really like to avoid that route.
Those things look like something only a mother could love!!

 

[Big Bore TX]

Handgun hunting is really all I do and specifically big bores. I personally like a Bisley grip a lot better for mitigating recoil.

 

[357 Terms]

Handgun hunting is really all I do and specifically big bores. I personally like a Bisley grip a lot better for mitigating recoil.

44 Mag. 240grn 1500fps
300 grn 1200.
Regularly, nothing really barnstorming.

In this platform does it make much of a difference?

 

[Big Bore TX]

44 Mag. 240grn 1500fps
300 grn 1200.
Regularly, nothing really barnstorming.

In this platform does it make much of a difference?

Man I’d really hate to speak for you and your preferences. Generally speaking, most will tell you the Bisley grip is better at managing recoil. For me and the loads you mentioned, I’d say absolutely Bisley. But it really comes down to personal preferences. I wish you could shoot both styles side by side and see what you like most.

As a side note. I have a Ruger SBH Hunter in 41 mag that started with a plow handle. It didn’t kick bad at all, even with the hottest of 41 mag loads. I did a Bisley grip conversion and it completely changed the way that gun feels. I absolutely love that gun now.

Also, I have a 454 Casull on magnum researches Bisley grip iteration. I shoot near max 300 grain hand loads out of it and can shoot it a long long time without fatigue. No way in heck I could do that with their plow grip.

 

[edwardware]

Hot loads will be shot regularly.

Hot Loads -> Bisley

Plow handle is fine for pusillanimous (original 45 Colt, 44 Spl, etc) cowboy loads. For real recoil (Ruger-only 45 Colt), you want a Bisley grip frame.

 

[Kookla]

pu·sil·lan·i·mous
/ˌpyo͞osəˈlanəməs/
Learn to pronounce

adjective

1. showing a lack of courage or determination; timid.

 

[doubleh]

I see what your saying, but I'd really like to avoid that route.
Those things look like something only a mother could love!!

They are cheap. Try them and you might change your opinion. I did and love them. Ugly they are but they make shooting the gun so easy that I can ignore the looks of them, so easy in fact that I put the same grips on my 357 Blackhawk. You really won't notice what they look like when holding them to shoot.

 

[edwardware]

/pyo͞osəˈlanəməs/

That's the one, although I prefer it with the midwest pronunciation: pyo͞osəˈlanəmoose.

 

[Herman B]

Grip type aside, make bloody sure you have ample clearance between trigger guard and grip for your knuckle lest it be tenderized. Notice the difference in the op photos.

 

[357 Terms]

I wish you could shoot both styles side by side and see what you like most.

I would settle finding an example (to get a feel) of either one for sale within a 200 mile radius of me.
No real chance at a side by side comparison.

 

[SDGlock23]

I have the 7.5" SBH Bisley Hunter 44 and love it, I do find the Bisley grip better when you're shooting heavier recoiling wheelguns. For 357 and below, the plow handle is fine but when it comes to 44 and up, give me the bisley grip everytime.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I've been shooting Super Blackhawk with Sierra 300gr. JSP loads - 2400 and IMR 4227 powders, mostly; H110 is blinding at any kind of real velocity. Been shooting things that walk on four legs a long time with it and never found a problem with the Dragoon frame and checkered walnut grips. Except maybe that the rain and grit tends to require more cleaning and care but, you get used to that.
I like the fact that it's fast handling and draws well from a plain holster. But that's me. I tend to shoot things at ground level and at not very long distances.

 

[.38 Special]

I greatly prefer the Bisley grip for most things, recoil especially. That seems to be the general opinion - I'd say something like 95% of the folks I've heard discuss it will demand Bisley grips for things like hot .44 Magnums. No guarantees, however: there are folks who really do not like the Bisley grip and prefer the plowhandle even for very heavy recoil.

This one is mine.


Between the grips and the scope, it's the most comfortable .44 Magnum I have ever fired.

<edit> As to why, the Bisley grip is a little longer, allowing a man with an average-sized hand to grip it with all the fingers, whereas the plowhandle normally requires the little finger to be curled under the grip, where it does no good. More importantly, at least to me, is that the plowhandle encourages the gun to roll up in the hand upon firing. This is great for standard loads, but gets uncomfortable as recoil increases. By the time you're into things like max .44 loads - let alone the truly hot rounds like the .454, .475, etc. - the plowhandle puts you at risk of getting the hammer spur buried in your wrist. The Bisley grip brings the recoil back straighter into the hand, where it is more controllable and less damaging - at least for the majority of handgunners.

 

[JDeere]

I have the SBH in .44Mag with the Bisley grips. As others have said they are much better with recoil. All I run in mine is full house loads. A day at the range is pleasure...

 

[Tallball]

I have a 7.5" SBH 44 magnum with a plow-handle grip.

My FiL has a 7.5" SBH 44 magnum with a bisley grip.

We've shot them both a lot of times, and each of us strongly prefers his own grip style.

Different strokes for different folks.

PS: If you tuck your pinky underneath the plow handle grip, your middle finger won't bump into the trigger guard.

 

[blue32]

I use my SBH 480 for plinking. Not sure I'd want to touch one off with a plow, and my general blasting load is only 20 gr. of 2400 over 325 gr SWC.

 

[Obturation]

Bisley is better for me. I don't love big funky rubber grips on revolvers with recoil , I like them on my 357 mags though. I feel like the grip should be allowed to rotate slightly in your hand , with rubber grips I feel more recoil.
I'm not very recoil sensitive but I feel more with a plow handle.

 

[Drail]

The original plowhandle grip frame will roll in your hand and wipe skin off your palm with heavy loads. The Bisley does not roll. It feels like a modern S&W grip frame. I tried shooting a Blackhawk in .41 Magnum for a few years with heavy handloads. Even with a heavy glove it would skin your palm. Then I bought a Bisley. Huge improvement.

 

[Beach Bum]

I bought both hunters so I could decide for myself...with the Bisley being the clear winner , don't get me wrong I like them both , 44 mag and above is where the bisley shines .....

 

[LOLBELL]

I have all 3 SBH Hunters. The 44 and 45c have Bisley grips while the 41 is a plow handle. I load heavy for caliber bullets very near published max. Of the three the 41 is the hardest for me to handle. Logic would tell you that it should have the least recoil.

 

[357 Terms]

I have all 3 SBH Hunters. The 44 and 45c have Bisley grips while the 41 is a plow handle. I load heavy for caliber bullets very near published max. Of the three the 41 is the hardest for me to handle. Logic would tell you that it should have the least recoil.

Convinced.. thanks all

 

[GarrettJ]

Rubber Hogue’s are pretty ugly, sure. But, functionally way better than wood grips,

They are ugly. Hogue also makes a hardwood version. It also doesn’t look right on a single-action, but it’s better than the rubber. And these are also much more comfortable with heavy-recoiling loads than the plow handles.

 

[NeroM]

Have a Bisley grip vaquero in 357,
Like the grip a lot.
Got a Bisley Blackhawk in 44 SPL,
Some how just didn't work for me.
Have a Blackhawk in 41 Mag and one in 45 Colt with a plow handles,
A third of my hand hung off, put on the Hogue
#83000 grip. Comfortable for my hand,
Even with max loads.
Ugly, but effective and economical.
However, not as comfortable as FA83 grip.