Anyone else using one of these for their primary hunting handgun?

I hunt with a 5 1/2-inch Ruger Bisley in .45 Colt. I prefer it over the Vaquero as I am not a fan of fixed sights.

Here is a hog I shot with it last year some time:

I tried to get by with a Bisley Vaquero as my every day gun, but I found the thin stainless sight would get hard to see when a bright sun was shining off of it. Especially from the side. I replaced it with a stainless Bisley Blackhawk with the adjustable sights.

I know a few folks who hunt with fixed sight handguns as well as having done it myself. One needs to have a more robust front sight than typically comes on the factory model. Also, one usually has a specific load the sights are regulated to shoot properly. It can be done, but adjustable sights make life easier.

I did for a bit with one I tweaked following an article by Ross Seyfried. I was able to shoot it as well as any other handgun I owned. Sent it down the road due to another desire but would have no issue using the same gun today.

I had one that Dustin Linebaugh upgraded for me. As usual I got the hots for something else and let it go. HUGE amount of regret there.



Just got another OM Bisley Vaquero 45 Colt and I am regulating it for a 270 grain WFN@1200 for this year. I hope to talk Dustin into replicating the last one.

quote:

I found the thin stainless sight would get hard to see

I cure that with a drop of Flourescent Orange paint

Or you could do like I did and have David Clements install a set of his S&W style sights on your bisley vaquero.

I'm new to the 45 LC, having just acquired a Ruger Redhawk, 4 inch stainless model and a 4 5/8" Blackhawk. Looking for load data that works for hunting.

I shoot 13.0 grains of HS-6 behind the Lyman 260 SWC Keith style and it kills deer very well.

I enjoy 250 grain xtp over 21 grains of H110 in my 7.5 inch old model vaquero.

18 grains lil-gun with 300 grain sierras in my 5.5" blackhawk.

Haven't shot anything with it yet. Missed a doe a couple days ago I think I shot just over her.

I will add that, with a fix site gun, you gotta find a load that you like and stick with it. The hotter the load the lower it shoots. I filed the front site down quite a bit to make the fast loads hit at point of aim. So 'standard' 45 loads now shoot quite high. Its a good tho, all I shoot are 1200 fps or fast loads anyway. Its not as accurate as it could be because of the narrow front blade, but I bought it because I liked the nostalgic look......just takes more effort to be proficient with it ;-)

I have 3 Old Ruger Vaqueros and two are Bisley models.

One in a 45 Colt with a 4.75" barrel and one in 44 Mag with a 5.25" barrel and both are stainless. The other one is a 45Colt standard frame in a4.75" barrel also stainless. I was into the Cowboy shooting for a while with the 45 Colts but soon found out the way to compete in that sport is to shot a 38 Spec. at 600 fps to score fast times.

I turned the two Bisleys into hunter mode with some 300g hard cast slugs and topped at at 1213fps in the 45 Colt that was too hot for that pistol. And the 44mag topped out with the 300g. bullet at 1377 fps. The 44 mag actually ran one through the chronograph at 1393fps. Needless to say neither are comfortable for a long shoot but the 44 mag should be able to take a buffalo with that 300g load.

I did shoot a average size black bear about 15 years ago with a the 44Mag out of a tree stand at about 15 yards but that is it.

I have shot mule deer with a Sig 226 .40S&W but would like to shoot one with one of the Bisleys. Between the two the 44Mag is the more accurate for me.

Bisleys grips are one of my favourites ,i dont like fixed sigths either.Ross Seyfried influenced me a lot in my taste for hunting handguns .

I still prefer proper Patridge sights ,1/8" square front and 1/8" square slot rear .I started that with my Mauser 22 rifle and all my rifles have the same sights ! If you want to deal with low light conditions then use a white dot front and even two white dots in the rear if you need !

I like the idea of one load and lots of practice. I have seen a few vaqueros set up right. John L had one I shot several years ago that would have been ideal for a hunting set up. Hitman is on with the 13grs of HS-6 it is one of the best loads I have found in the 45 colt.