Gun Review: Ruger Bisley

The anti-gun t-shirt hysteria below once again reminded the Posse that anti-gun people really seem scared of firearms.

They launch into bizarre psycho-sexual tirades about how firearms are there to compensate for sexual inadequacy, yet never seem to figure out that if a pistol is a Freudian substitute for a penis, what does it say about their fear of them?

The Posse's largest handgun is a Ruger Bisley, affectionately known as the Beast.

Chambered for the powerful .44 Magnum, this monstrosity packs a powerful punch, but is still a pleasure to shoot.

One of the things that makes the Bisley model unique is its grip. Compare the grip in the above link with this one.

See the difference? The Bisley was developed a century ago by Colt for the Bisley target shoots in England and the straighter grip supposedly gave it superior accuracy.

To our great shame, the Posse didn't really appreciate the difference until we read an article about it.

The Bisley is in fact quite accurate, as the 7 1/2 inch barrel would suggest. Here again is something anti-gun activists can't understand: barrel length isn't about proving one's masculinity, it is about accuracy.

Longer barrels allow the bullet to get more of a twist. This makes them more accurate. Longer barrels also let the bullet achieve a higher velocity, meaning it will go farther and hit harder.

It's basic physics. A snub-nosed .38 simply won't be as accurate as one with a 6 inch barrel. This is why we see "carbines" that are really small rifles that fire pistol rounds.

The Bisley can shoot both .44 Magnum and .44 Special. The latter caliber is becoming more common and (thankfully) cheaper these days. Time was .44 Special was about as expensive as .44 Magnum, but cowboy action shooting has changed this. More manufacturers are producing it and the price is falling.

We're not yet at the same situation with .357 Magnum and .38 Special, but things are getting better.

Enough with the preliminaries. How does it shoot?

It shoots quite well, even with magnums in it. The recoil with magnums is considerable, and the wood grips don't do you any favors. After around 18 shoots, we like to give it a rest and let some feeling return to the firing hand. Magnum rounds demand a powerful grip and for that reason they may be intimidating to some shooters.

When one loads it with .44 Special, however, the Bisley is downright fun.

The trigger action is nice and crisp, exactly what one would expect from a single action revolver. The cylinder is unfluted and engraved, giving it a fine antique look. The long barrel makes it somewhat heavy, but it points well.

We know women who like shooting this thing in .44 Special because it is very accurate, makes a nice big BOOM, but doesn't really move that much. Ballistically, .44 Special is quite similar to .45 ACP, making it hefty enough for just about everything.

We tend to fire magnums through it because that's what we will use on Bambi this fall.

The Bisley has a traditional loading gate, meaning loading and unloading it takes a little more work than it does with more modern-style revolvers. The gate uses the traditional Ruger mechanism, so there is no need for a "half-cock" position. Just open the gate and the cylinder spins freely.

All in all, it is a fine looking weapon and a pleasure to shoot. It's suitable for deer and similar game, or target shooting. It's too large for concealed carry, but will work for home defense - so long as you remember that its bullets will go through most walls. This can be a good or a bad thing, so be aware of it.

In sum, we are quite pleased by it and consider it an often-overlooked part of the excellent Ruger catalog.