An American classic — the Ruger Bisley: more value than you pay for, is the author's assessment of the popular Ruger Bisley revolver

Guns Magazine, Jan, 2003 by Glenn Barnes

According to Webster's, a "classic" is defined as: A work of enduring excellence or a standard of excellence. Noah Webster could well have included Bill Ruger in his dictionary under "classic." Not since Colonel Sam Colt has there been a gun maker who had his finger on the pulse of what American shooters and hunters want and need.

His modem day innovations and inventions have helped two generations of shooters excel in their sport. Handgunners in general and single-action lovers in particular, owe a debt of gratitude to Bill Ruger.

Finest Ever?

In 1986, Ruger offered to the public what is arguably the finest single-action revolver ever to be manufactured -- the Ruger Bisley. Based on the popular Super Blackhawk frame, the new Bisley differs somewhat from its parent sixgun.

The grip frame of the Bisley is obviously an adaptation of the original Colt Bisley design, with some very important changes.

First, the grip frame of the Ruger Bisley does not come up as high behind the trigger guard as the original Colt, which directly adds to the controllability of the sixgun, especially when shooting heavy loads. Second, the grip frame is wider than the Colt's, which spreads felt recoil more evenly in the hand, thereby reducing the painful slap associated with heavy loads.

The hammer spur is low and swept back, just where it should be, with deep serrations for a firm purchase when cocking the revolver for firing. The trigger has more of a curve to it than a Colt Bisley's, which adds greatly to trigger control. In essence, what Ruger did, for many of us, was create the perfect sixgun -- good looking, as well as highly functional.

Why don't we look at and discuss a few of the reasons why the shooting public is so enamored with the Ruger Bisley. Let's talk about strength first.

One Big, Tough Sixgun

Topping the scales at a whopping 48 ounces, the Bisley obviously carries plenty of steel on its frame. Plenty of steel doesn't mean a whole lot by itself, but if placed in the proper areas, areas that take the brunt of pressure when a cartridge is fired, it adds greatly to the strength and longevity of the sixgun.

Ruger added the extra weight where it needed to be, with no excess, creating a revolver that is bull strong, but still pleasing to look at, with smooth, classical lines. Combining this rugged construction with a superior grip design, plus the use of durable coil springs, resulted in perhaps the strongest, most comfortable shooting sixgun on the market.

Another reason shooters turn to Ruger is purely economical. Price. The average American is not wealthy. Mortgages have to be paid, our cars run better when they are serviced regularly, the kids need new shoes, etc. Fortunately for us, Ruger has always kept the average guy, or gal, in mind.

Affordability has been a hallmark of Ruger products since the first Mark I rolled off the line. With the Bisley, we get just that. Retailing for an attractive $535, the Ruger Bisley is one of the few things in life that delivers more than you pay for, in terms of price and quality.

Designed For The Hunter

Most who consider purchasing a Bisley sixgun, do so with the sole intent of using it as a hunting tool. This is where the big Ruger really shines. Designed from the outset with handgun hunters in mind, the Ruger Bisley combines all of the features a hunter desires (accuracy, strength, power and portability) with good looks and quality. That's a hard combination to beat!

I purchased my Ruger Bisley, chambered in .44 Magnum, several years ago with the primary intention of using it as a backup for my rifle. Anyone who has hunted wild boar knows things can sometimes get hairy and close real fast. I wanted a sixgun that was accurate and powerful enough to handle any hunting chore I deemed necessary. I got all that and then some.

Three Big Bores And A .22, Too

Ruger offers the Bisley in three calibers suitable for big game: .357 Magnum, (suitable for deer sized game at reasonable ranges, say under 50 yards), .44 Magnum and .45 Colt. Loaded with properly constructed bullets, both the .44 Magnum and .45 Colt are exceptional big game cartridges, capable of taking the largest of North American big game.

Currently, the big-bore Bisley's are offered in only one barrel length, 7 1/2 inches, and you may have any finish you like, so long as it is blued steel. The small-frame Bisley .22 LR sports a 6 1/2 inch tube, and wears the same finish.

We've agreed the Ruger Bisley is a bull strong, economical, hunting sixgun, but how does it perform on the range? Just how well does it shoot? Is it a one-load handgun, or can it handle several different loads to make it a more useful hunting tool?

Putting It To The Test

For our accuracy test, I chose my .44 Magnum Ruger Bisley. This revolver has proven itself to be very accurate with several different loads, so we decided to try a few more loads to find out its true potential. My good friend, Larry Leadingham, accompanied me to the range packing a couple of his own Bisley sixguns for a test comparison.