Help me save my knuckle

disseminator · February 11, 2018, 11:29 AM

Hey all,

I just bought a new Super Black Hawk in 480 Ruger. It has a Bisley grip which I have never used before. I took it to the range last night and shot about 40 rounds from it, what a great gun!

Problem: my knuckle hurts from striking the trigger guard. I was trying some different ways to hold but the most comfortable grip seems to place my knuckle right in line with the trigger guard.

Any tips would be appreciated. I love the gun and the cartridge.

Thanks

BigJimP · February 11, 2018, 12:25 PM

I have the same problem on revolvers where the grips don't fit my hands...and my knuckles are up against / or real close to the trigger guard...only 2 options that I know of:

a. Wear gloves...a pair of Winter Rain golf gloves, come in pairs, and will give you just a little cushion / and still enough feel in your grip not to be too bulky. Foot Joy makes a black glove ...I like the synthetic version over the leather.

b. Change the grips on the gun ...you need a "fatter" grip to move your knuckles away from the trigger guard a little. I don't know what you will find that will help you on the Ruger..in terms of grip options for bigger hands..
( personally for a single action, I went with the Freedom Arms, large frame, model 83's ...for my single actions because of the same issue ).

On double action revolvers like K frame S&W revolvers ( that are too small for big hands generally), I went with Hogue aftermarket wood grips, with a palm swell in them and finger grooves...to give me something bigger...to move my knuckles away from those trigger guards.

Erno86 · February 11, 2018, 02:16 PM

I prefer Uncle Mikes padded shooting gloves to alleviate knuckle pain.

I just did a search, and they no longer seem to be available --- that is --- the open finger, padded on the outside middle finger gloves.

Erno86 · February 11, 2018, 02:39 PM

The BlackHawk Hellstorm S.O.L.A.G. half finger gloves, looks like a much better performer than Uncle Mikes. It has padding on the outside knuckles.

I'm going to pick-up a pair myself, since I have better trigger control with half finger gloves. If need be...you can put on a pair of thin gloves underneath them.

Optics Planet sells them...

buck460XVR · February 11, 2018, 03:33 PM

Sounds like a change of grips is due. The idea of the Bisley type grips is to allow the gun to "roll in your hand" with the recoil. I never had much luck with that either. One reason I went to DA profile S&Ws. If you look you'll see most of their grips move your knuckles below the trigger guard. You'll notice, so do the standard grips for Ruger Redhawks.

VoodooMountain · February 11, 2018, 04:11 PM

I have that issue on my contender and still haven’t found what I feel to be a proper fix. Gloves have seemed to be the only stop gap solution for me.

Targa · February 11, 2018, 04:15 PM

I have the same gun in .454. It smacked my knuckle a few times as well when I got a little bit lazy with my grip. To remedy that I payed a bit more attention to my grip, wrapping my fingers around the grip so that my knuckle was past the trigger guard ( I have big hands which allows me to do this), this with a firm grip kept the knuckle issue at bay. If this doesn’t work then I guess gloves or different grips are in order.

jsust · February 11, 2018, 04:55 PM

I had the same issue with a sbh in 44mag. I tried what i could but ultimitly installed so hogue grips. The grips remedied the problem and allowed me to control the recoil better. It looked a lot better with the rose wood grips but I didnt like to shoot it. New grips actually allowed me to enjoy the gun instead of admiring it.

disseminator · February 11, 2018, 05:03 PM

Thanks for the responses so far....

I put a leather glove on after the first two cylinders but the damage was already done to my knuckle LOL.

I was also thinking it was because my grip went slack. I will try a much firmer grip next trip and see if that helps, oh and some gel gloves too.

The Bisley is a LOT different from my 460 XVR S&W that's for sure.

That 480 is one h*ll of a round though. I loaded up four different loads with 275 Speer HP, 325 SP Speer, 355 TrueShot Hard Cast, and Cast Performance 410 grain GC.

They all shot great, the 275 was about 1600 fps (estimated) and made an impression on me. ( or my knuckle at least )

I have Big Bore-itis.

Driftwood Johnson · February 11, 2018, 05:50 PM

Howdy

First of all, I don't have a 480.

But I can tell you I learned a long time ago that the way to prevent my knuckle from getting whacked by the trigger guard of a single action revolver in recoil is to NOT keep the knuckle hard against the trigger guard.

I learned if I allowed about 1/4" of space between the rear of the trigger guard and my knuckle, I would not get my knuckle whacked.

I only ever had one Ruger with their version of the Bisley grip, and did not care for the gun. With the typical plowhandle grip of a Colt or Ruger Blackhawk, I always curl the pinky of my shooting hand under the grip. This shifts my hand down a bit and opens up a gap of about 1/4" between my knuckle and the trigger guard. Shooting this way, even with my Black Powder 45 Colt loads, which have a pretty stout recoil, I never get my knuckle whacked by the trigger guard anymore.

Many shooters like the Ruger style Bisley grip because it allows them to cram their entire hand onto the grip. But cramming your entire hand onto the grip, forcing your knuckle in contact with the trigger guard is a pretty good prescription for getting whacked by the trigger guard every time you fire the gun.

disseminator · February 11, 2018, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Many shooters like the Ruger style Bisley grip because it allows them to cram their entire hand onto the grip. But cramming your entire hand onto the grip, forcing your knuckle in contact with the trigger guard is a pretty good prescription for getting whacked by the trigger guard every time you fire the gun.

That's it.

I just tried it like on my Vaquero with "regular" grip and it gets my knuckle well clear. I don't know why I didn't try that. It just seemed natural to put a "full" grip on.

I think that will help a lot. It might induce the gun to roll up a little more, but still feels like it will do the trick.

Thanks.

Real Gun · February 11, 2018, 07:40 PM

I started this with my 12 gauge coach gun, but it works for my bigger drama revolvers. I wrap my knuckle with a few passes of elastic bandage. Works! I found that gloves with two cut out fingers only really help if they have a padded palm, no help to the knuckle.

Hawg · February 11, 2018, 08:07 PM

Quote:

The idea of the Bisley type grips is to allow the gun to "roll in your hand" with the recoil.

Ummm, no it's not. The Bisley grip pushes the gun straight back into your hand. I hate Bisleys. The Colt style plow handle allows the gun to roll up. If the grip is too small curl your pinky under it like Driftwood said.

disseminator · February 11, 2018, 09:08 PM

Hawg is correct about the Bisley. I'm not sure I "hate" it, but I do like the the grip on my Vaquero better I think. However, with the recoil of the 480 I'll take all the grip contact I can get.

HiBC · February 11, 2018, 09:35 PM

I don't know that this will work for you,but with my SBH .44 Mag,sq guard plow handle,I grip tight enough it does not roll.I'm "hard handing" it. If I were to "soft hand" it,my palm would compress.
At the same time,my forearms are free to recoil.I shoot two handed with my left thumb at the ready to cock during recoil.

The Bisley is different. It does recoil more straight back rather than roll.A lot of surface area,too. I like it for the big cartridges.

The Shadow · February 12, 2018, 12:35 AM

disseminator - You may want to seriously consider contacting Jack Huntington of JRH Custom Guns regarding his Custom Grip Extension. His modification creates more gap between rear of trigger guard and front strap of the grip/grip frame. His modification nearly eliminates the middle knuckle from getting rapped by trigger guard, particularly when shooting heavier loads, offhand. He'll request a tracing of your hand for a proper fit. His modification, including new grip panels, is pretty reasonable at around $300.00. Turn around time isn't bad either. This custom extension appears to be the perfect solution to the knuckle rapping problem, and to date, have never heard of any complaints from people that had this modification performed by Jack on both Bisley or "plow handle" grip frames. Good luck !
The Shadow (JR)

Kreyzhorse · February 12, 2018, 09:19 AM

I've got a Vaquero in 44mag and a Blackhawk in 45. Both of them get my finger knuckles but I've always just dealt with it. Ultimately it doesn't bother me enough to change grips, but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one.

buck460XVR · February 12, 2018, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Ummm, no it's not. The Bisley grip pushes the gun straight back into your hand. I hate Bisleys. The Colt style plow handle allows the gun to roll up. If the grip is too small curl your pinky under it like Driftwood said.

Me bad.
Ruger's Bisley is much different than the original Colt Bisley and Uberti's repros. I was under the impression that the Ruger Bisley's are intended for two handed shooting with heavy recoiling loads, whereas the Colt's and Uberti's were/are intended for one handed target shooting. The "knuckle busting" of the Ruger style is notorious, and you are not the only hater.

Real Gun · February 12, 2018, 10:38 AM

Knuckle abuse is not unique to Bisley grips.

T. O'Heir · February 12, 2018, 01:15 PM

"...allow the gun to "roll in your hand"..." Other way 'round. The SAA style grip frame is supposed roll(it was designed for use while on a horse too.). The recoil with a Bisley is taken by the palm of one's hand. The Bisley grip is a target grip frame and is designed to be best when the revolver is held at eye level when bullseye shooting vs rolling.
Anyway, the whole thing is about how the revolver fits your hand. It sounds like the Bisley is too small for your hand. Just a guess though.

Driftwood Johnson · February 12, 2018, 01:46 PM

Howdy Again

To further clarify, all my single action revolver shooting is done one handed. In the CAS world we call that Duelist style. I do not hold the gun with a death grip, I allow the gun to rotate slightly in my hand, AND I do not keep my elbow stiff. I allow the gun to raise my forearm up as it recoils. Granted, this is not a 480 or a 454, but a full house 45 Colt round does have a stout recoil. Both the grip rotating in my hand, and the raised forearm eats up all the recoil energy. Plus, with the gun in the air, it makes cocking for the next shot easier.

As I said earlier, I no longer own a Ruger with the Bisley style grip. However I own two original Colt Bisleys. Yes, the Colt Bisley grip shape was designed for target shooting. However I have noticed that the forward sweep of the grip makes the gun tend to point down slightly, not straight forward. I believe this is because many 19th Century target shooters shot with a slightly bent elbow, rather than with the arm extended straight out as bullseye shooters do today. With a slightly bent elbow, my Bisleys tend to point straight ahead, not down.

When shooting a Bisley however, even though the grip is longer than the standard plowhandle grip. I do tend to curl my pinky under the grip. Just habit I suppose. This does leave about 1/4" of space between the trigger guard and my knuckle.

This Bisley is chambered for 38-40 and left the factory in 1909. Although the 38-40 does not have quite the punch of a 45 Colt, it still has a serious recoil and I don't recall this guy ever whacking my knuckle.

tallball · February 12, 2018, 03:43 PM

I always hold my SA revolvers like Driftwood recommended, with my pinky curled under the grip. I never get my knuckle whacked.

stinkeypete · March 5, 2018, 10:09 AM

+1 On Driftwood’s post and Tallball.

Things to try short of custom grips:
- adjust your grip slightly lower
- work on your grip strength by squeezing a tennis ball as exercise
- shooting glove with lots of palm padding... not for recoil but to shift your grip back from the frame without adding material to the back of the grip frame.

A good fit, consistent grip, and hand strength are all important to shooting consistent groups. My pistol smith recommended I work on hand strength and watch my bullseye target groups over a few months. He was right. Not only did my groups tighten, which could be due to practice, but I had to adjust my sights twice as the point of aim and point of impact changed. Big booms take work to make em look easy.

February 11, 2018, 11:29 AM	#1
disseminator Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2016 Location: Minnesota Posts: 960	Help me save my knuckle Hey all, I just bought a new Super Black Hawk in 480 Ruger. It has a Bisley grip which I have never used before. I took it to the range last night and shot about 40 rounds from it, what a great gun! Problem: my knuckle hurts from striking the trigger guard. I was trying some different ways to hold but the most comfortable grip seems to place my knuckle right in line with the trigger guard. Any tips would be appreciated. I love the gun and the cartridge. Thanks

February 11, 2018, 02:16 PM	#3
Erno86 Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2012 Location: Marriottsville, Maryland Posts: 1,739	I prefer Uncle Mikes padded shooting gloves to alleviate knuckle pain. I just did a search, and they no longer seem to be available --- that is --- the open finger, padded on the outside middle finger gloves. __________________ That rifle hanging on the wall of the working class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." --- George Orwell Last edited by Erno86; February 11, 2018 at 02:25 PM.

February 11, 2018, 02:39 PM	#4
Erno86 Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2012 Location: Marriottsville, Maryland Posts: 1,739	The BlackHawk Hellstorm S.O.L.A.G. half finger gloves, looks like a much better performer than Uncle Mikes. It has padding on the outside knuckles. I'm going to pick-up a pair myself, since I have better trigger control with half finger gloves. If need be...you can put on a pair of thin gloves underneath them. Optics Planet sells them... __________________ That rifle hanging on the wall of the working class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." --- George Orwell Last edited by Erno86; February 11, 2018 at 02:58 PM.

February 11, 2018, 07:40 PM	#12
Real Gun Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2004 Location: SC Posts: 2,743	I started this with my 12 gauge coach gun, but it works for my bigger drama revolvers. I wrap my knuckle with a few passes of elastic bandage. Works! I found that gloves with two cut out fingers only really help if they have a padded palm, no help to the knuckle. __________________ Not an expert, just a reporter.

February 12, 2018, 12:35 AM	#16
The Shadow Member Join Date: January 5, 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 83	Knuckle rapping ! disseminator - You may want to seriously consider contacting Jack Huntington of JRH Custom Guns regarding his Custom Grip Extension. His modification creates more gap between rear of trigger guard and front strap of the grip/grip frame. His modification nearly eliminates the middle knuckle from getting rapped by trigger guard, particularly when shooting heavier loads, offhand. He'll request a tracing of your hand for a proper fit. His modification, including new grip panels, is pretty reasonable at around $300.00. Turn around time isn't bad either. This custom extension appears to be the perfect solution to the knuckle rapping problem, and to date, have never heard of any complaints from people that had this modification performed by Jack on both Bisley or "plow handle" grip frames. Good luck ! The Shadow (JR)

February 11, 2018, 12:25 PM	#2
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I have the same problem on revolvers where the grips don't fit my hands...and my knuckles are up against / or real close to the trigger guard...only 2 options that I know of: a. Wear gloves...a pair of Winter Rain golf gloves, come in pairs, and will give you just a little cushion / and still enough feel in your grip not to be too bulky. Foot Joy makes a black glove ...I like the synthetic version over the leather. b. Change the grips on the gun ...you need a "fatter" grip to move your knuckles away from the trigger guard a little. I don't know what you will find that will help you on the Ruger..in terms of grip options for bigger hands.. ( personally for a single action, I went with the Freedom Arms, large frame, model 83's ...for my single actions because of the same issue ). On double action revolvers like K frame S&W revolvers ( that are too small for big hands generally), I went with Hogue aftermarket wood grips, with a palm swell in them and finger grooves...to give me something bigger...to move my knuckles away from those trigger guards.

February 11, 2018, 03:33 PM	#5
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	Sounds like a change of grips is due. The idea of the Bisley type grips is to allow the gun to "roll in your hand" with the recoil. I never had much luck with that either. One reason I went to DA profile S&Ws. If you look you'll see most of their grips move your knuckles below the trigger guard. You'll notice, so do the standard grips for Ruger Redhawks.

February 11, 2018, 04:11 PM	#6
VoodooMountain Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2014 Posts: 179	I have that issue on my contender and still haven’t found what I feel to be a proper fix. Gloves have seemed to be the only stop gap solution for me.

February 11, 2018, 04:15 PM	#7
Targa Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2014 Posts: 2,084	I have the same gun in .454. It smacked my knuckle a few times as well when I got a little bit lazy with my grip. To remedy that I payed a bit more attention to my grip, wrapping my fingers around the grip so that my knuckle was past the trigger guard ( I have big hands which allows me to do this), this with a firm grip kept the knuckle issue at bay. If this doesn’t work then I guess gloves or different grips are in order.

February 11, 2018, 04:55 PM	#8
jsust Member Join Date: March 14, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 52	I had the same issue with a sbh in 44mag. I tried what i could but ultimitly installed so hogue grips. The grips remedied the problem and allowed me to control the recoil better. It looked a lot better with the rose wood grips but I didnt like to shoot it. New grips actually allowed me to enjoy the gun instead of admiring it.

February 11, 2018, 05:03 PM	#9
disseminator Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2016 Location: Minnesota Posts: 960	Thanks for the responses so far.... I put a leather glove on after the first two cylinders but the damage was already done to my knuckle LOL. I was also thinking it was because my grip went slack. I will try a much firmer grip next trip and see if that helps, oh and some gel gloves too. The Bisley is a LOT different from my 460 XVR S&W that's for sure. That 480 is one h*ll of a round though. I loaded up four different loads with 275 Speer HP, 325 SP Speer, 355 TrueShot Hard Cast, and Cast Performance 410 grain GC. They all shot great, the 275 was about 1600 fps (estimated) and made an impression on me. ( or my knuckle at least ) I have Big Bore-itis.

February 11, 2018, 05:50 PM	#10
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Howdy First of all, I don't have a 480. But I can tell you I learned a long time ago that the way to prevent my knuckle from getting whacked by the trigger guard of a single action revolver in recoil is to NOT keep the knuckle hard against the trigger guard. I learned if I allowed about 1/4" of space between the rear of the trigger guard and my knuckle, I would not get my knuckle whacked. I only ever had one Ruger with their version of the Bisley grip, and did not care for the gun. With the typical plowhandle grip of a Colt or Ruger Blackhawk, I always curl the pinky of my shooting hand under the grip. This shifts my hand down a bit and opens up a gap of about 1/4" between my knuckle and the trigger guard. Shooting this way, even with my Black Powder 45 Colt loads, which have a pretty stout recoil, I never get my knuckle whacked by the trigger guard anymore. Many shooters like the Ruger style Bisley grip because it allows them to cram their entire hand onto the grip. But cramming your entire hand onto the grip, forcing your knuckle in contact with the trigger guard is a pretty good prescription for getting whacked by the trigger guard every time you fire the gun.

February 11, 2018, 09:08 PM	#14
disseminator Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2016 Location: Minnesota Posts: 960	Hawg is correct about the Bisley. I'm not sure I "hate" it, but I do like the the grip on my Vaquero better I think. However, with the recoil of the 480 I'll take all the grip contact I can get.

February 11, 2018, 09:35 PM	#15
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,288	I don't know that this will work for you,but with my SBH .44 Mag,sq guard plow handle,I grip tight enough it does not roll.I'm "hard handing" it. If I were to "soft hand" it,my palm would compress. At the same time,my forearms are free to recoil.I shoot two handed with my left thumb at the ready to cock during recoil. The Bisley is different. It does recoil more straight back rather than roll.A lot of surface area,too. I like it for the big cartridges.

February 12, 2018, 09:19 AM	#17
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	I've got a Vaquero in 44mag and a Blackhawk in 45. Both of them get my finger knuckles but I've always just dealt with it. Ultimately it doesn't bother me enough to change grips, but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

February 12, 2018, 10:38 AM	#19
Real Gun Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2004 Location: SC Posts: 2,743	Knuckle abuse is not unique to Bisley grips. __________________ Not an expert, just a reporter.

February 12, 2018, 01:15 PM	#20
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...allow the gun to "roll in your hand"..." Other way 'round. The SAA style grip frame is supposed roll(it was designed for use while on a horse too.). The recoil with a Bisley is taken by the palm of one's hand. The Bisley grip is a target grip frame and is designed to be best when the revolver is held at eye level when bullseye shooting vs rolling. Anyway, the whole thing is about how the revolver fits your hand. It sounds like the Bisley is too small for your hand. Just a guess though. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

February 12, 2018, 01:46 PM	#21
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Howdy Again To further clarify, all my single action revolver shooting is done one handed. In the CAS world we call that Duelist style. I do not hold the gun with a death grip, I allow the gun to rotate slightly in my hand, AND I do not keep my elbow stiff. I allow the gun to raise my forearm up as it recoils. Granted, this is not a 480 or a 454, but a full house 45 Colt round does have a stout recoil. Both the grip rotating in my hand, and the raised forearm eats up all the recoil energy. Plus, with the gun in the air, it makes cocking for the next shot easier. As I said earlier, I no longer own a Ruger with the Bisley style grip. However I own two original Colt Bisleys. Yes, the Colt Bisley grip shape was designed for target shooting. However I have noticed that the forward sweep of the grip makes the gun tend to point down slightly, not straight forward. I believe this is because many 19th Century target shooters shot with a slightly bent elbow, rather than with the arm extended straight out as bullseye shooters do today. With a slightly bent elbow, my Bisleys tend to point straight ahead, not down. When shooting a Bisley however, even though the grip is longer than the standard plowhandle grip. I do tend to curl my pinky under the grip. Just habit I suppose. This does leave about 1/4" of space between the trigger guard and my knuckle. This Bisley is chambered for 38-40 and left the factory in 1909. Although the 38-40 does not have quite the punch of a 45 Colt, it still has a serious recoil and I don't recall this guy ever whacking my knuckle.

February 12, 2018, 03:43 PM	#22
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	I always hold my SA revolvers like Driftwood recommended, with my pinky curled under the grip. I never get my knuckle whacked.

March 5, 2018, 10:09 AM	#23
stinkeypete Senior Member Join Date: July 22, 2010 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 1,293	+1 On Driftwood’s post and Tallball. Things to try short of custom grips: - adjust your grip slightly lower - work on your grip strength by squeezing a tennis ball as exercise - shooting glove with lots of palm padding... not for recoil but to shift your grip back from the frame without adding material to the back of the grip frame. A good fit, consistent grip, and hand strength are all important to shooting consistent groups. My pistol smith recommended I work on hand strength and watch my bullseye target groups over a few months. He was right. Not only did my groups tighten, which could be due to practice, but I had to adjust my sights twice as the point of aim and point of impact changed. Big booms take work to make em look easy.