Two Quick Questions

PhillipP · August 24, 2005, 05:48 PM

I'm looking to buy a single action revolver sometime in the future...probably going to be a Ruger Vaquero....I really like the look of the hammer and the grip of the bisley, but I have never shot one or even handled the bisley....Could someone tell me what would be an advantage or disadvantage of the bisley compared to the traditional style single action.

Next question for the lever action shooters,

I know that in a .357 revolver you can shoot .38's......does the same hold true in the lever action rifle.

Thank you

mec · August 24, 2005, 05:54 PM

everybody will probably have a different answer on this one. I tend to shoot better with the blackhawk and super blackhawk frames but find the Bisley grip a real advantage when the revolver has been altered to fire a cartridge more powerful than the .44 magnum.
With standard cartridges, I'm better off with the other frame designs.

Hafoc · August 24, 2005, 07:09 PM

If you're talking New Vaquero, I don't think they make a Bisley version. Not yet, anyway. So your Bisley would have to be the older, larger-frame version.

I had a Bisley Blackhawk for quite a while. The grip is a real hand-filler. My hands are large and it worked better for me than a standard Colt-style "plow handle" did. The Bisley grip is more vertical, and also attaches to the rest of the revolver a little higher than the standard grip, if I remember correctly. This is good for heavy-recoiling loads because, well, you have more of a handful to hang on to, and the line of recoil is more in line with your hand than with a standard grip; less tendency of the muzzle to buck upward when you fire.

Try it in your hand. The answer will be obvious. You'll think it's great or you'll hate it, one or the other, I'm pretty sure.

As for .38 Specials in .357 lever rifles; I have seen some advertised that fire both. There's no particular reason why you couldn't make a rifle that would. But you'd have to ask the manufacturer of the individual rifle, or just try it and see.

Personally, when I load .38 Special-level loads, I do them in .357 cases. I'm concerned about heavy fouling or perhaps even erosion in the front of the chambers, if I feed them a steady diet of Specials. I admit I haven't heard of this happening, but doing things this way makes me happy, so leave me be.

20cows · August 25, 2005, 11:12 AM

The .357 model 92 I shot handled .38 spec. just fine.

wrcook · August 25, 2005, 11:56 AM

A steady diet of 38s in a 357 will eventually cause some chamber erosion. I have seen this in a couple of revolvers that have been used quite a lot. I usually load 357 cases with the lighter load, or in black for frontier cartridge. I wonder if I should call it a "38 extra long"

Bill

Ozzieman · August 25, 2005, 12:24 PM

But you cant with a 44 mag vs 44 special in a marlin. The main problem is that with the shorter round I have had the gun lock open shooting 44 sp when more than one round came out of the tube, The second round would only come out the remaing length of the 44 mag and when you tryed to close the lever the ramp that holds the round hits the second round and your hosed. It then takes a complete tair down to clear the gun.
IF you shoot 38 in a lever gun have some screwdriver and tools handy and know how to dissassemble it before you try.
I havent shot the bisley but own 3 Vaquero's in 45 LC, there tanks, and industructable.

Hafoc · August 26, 2005, 04:47 PM

Wrcook:

Since iirc you had the .38 Short Colt, which was stretched to Long to Special to Magnum to Remington Maximum.. hrm. Let's see. We could have the .38 Short, .38 Long, .38 Really Long, .38 We Really Mean This Is the Longest One This Time, and the .38 Oops We Lied.

August 24, 2005, 05:48 PM	#1
PhillipP Member Join Date: April 2, 2005 Posts: 38	Two Quick Questions I'm looking to buy a single action revolver sometime in the future...probably going to be a Ruger Vaquero....I really like the look of the hammer and the grip of the bisley, but I have never shot one or even handled the bisley....Could someone tell me what would be an advantage or disadvantage of the bisley compared to the traditional style single action. Next question for the lever action shooters, I know that in a .357 revolver you can shoot .38's......does the same hold true in the lever action rifle. Thank you

August 25, 2005, 12:24 PM	#6
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	I cant answer for the 357 in a lever But you cant with a 44 mag vs 44 special in a marlin. The main problem is that with the shorter round I have had the gun lock open shooting 44 sp when more than one round came out of the tube, The second round would only come out the remaing length of the 44 mag and when you tryed to close the lever the ramp that holds the round hits the second round and your hosed. It then takes a complete tair down to clear the gun. IF you shoot 38 in a lever gun have some screwdriver and tools handy and know how to dissassemble it before you try. I havent shot the bisley but own 3 Vaquero's in 45 LC, there tanks, and industructable.

August 24, 2005, 05:54 PM	#2
mec Junior member Join Date: December 6, 2001 Posts: 1,536	everybody will probably have a different answer on this one. I tend to shoot better with the blackhawk and super blackhawk frames but find the Bisley grip a real advantage when the revolver has been altered to fire a cartridge more powerful than the .44 magnum. With standard cartridges, I'm better off with the other frame designs.

August 24, 2005, 07:09 PM	#3
Hafoc Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2005 Posts: 552	If you're talking New Vaquero, I don't think they make a Bisley version. Not yet, anyway. So your Bisley would have to be the older, larger-frame version. I had a Bisley Blackhawk for quite a while. The grip is a real hand-filler. My hands are large and it worked better for me than a standard Colt-style "plow handle" did. The Bisley grip is more vertical, and also attaches to the rest of the revolver a little higher than the standard grip, if I remember correctly. This is good for heavy-recoiling loads because, well, you have more of a handful to hang on to, and the line of recoil is more in line with your hand than with a standard grip; less tendency of the muzzle to buck upward when you fire. Try it in your hand. The answer will be obvious. You'll think it's great or you'll hate it, one or the other, I'm pretty sure. As for .38 Specials in .357 lever rifles; I have seen some advertised that fire both. There's no particular reason why you couldn't make a rifle that would. But you'd have to ask the manufacturer of the individual rifle, or just try it and see. Personally, when I load .38 Special-level loads, I do them in .357 cases. I'm concerned about heavy fouling or perhaps even erosion in the front of the chambers, if I feed them a steady diet of Specials. I admit I haven't heard of this happening, but doing things this way makes me happy, so leave me be.

August 25, 2005, 11:12 AM	#4
20cows Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2005 Location: West Texas Posts: 376	The .357 model 92 I shot handled .38 spec. just fine.

August 25, 2005, 11:56 AM	#5
wrcook Member Join Date: July 7, 2004 Posts: 30	A steady diet of 38s in a 357 will eventually cause some chamber erosion. I have seen this in a couple of revolvers that have been used quite a lot. I usually load 357 cases with the lighter load, or in black for frontier cartridge. I wonder if I should call it a "38 extra long" Bill

August 26, 2005, 04:47 PM	#7
Hafoc Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2005 Posts: 552	Wrcook: Since iirc you had the .38 Short Colt, which was stretched to Long to Special to Magnum to Remington Maximum.. hrm. Let's see. We could have the .38 Short, .38 Long, .38 Really Long, .38 We Really Mean This Is the Longest One This Time, and the .38 Oops We Lied.