I just recieved a 45 Colt Ruger Bisley.

The barrel is 7.5" long, and I'm thinking it's TOO long.

CHop it ot 5.5" ???

Yes/No?

Gatehouse, what are you going to use it for?

I'm getting one back from John Gallagher that I had that very thing done. My preference is for 5.5 to 6" barrels.

Wilderness carry, general fun plinking.... May visit a US friend and shoot a bear or deer wiht it...

Have Ruger Bisleys with factory 4 3/4, 5 1/2, and 7 1/2 inch barrels.

Like them all.

The shorter ones are easier to twirl.

Twirling, is indeed important.

Other than a little extra velocity and a little longer barrel to sight down, what is th eadvantage of the longer barrel?

I have a few handguns but I am mostly a rifleman, sorry if this is a dumb question...

PS I came home, made up 6 rounds wiht 300gr hard cast bullets and seated them over Unique...Man, this gun is fun to shoot!

What powder seems to work best wiht 255-3000gr bullets?

The only dumb question is the one not asked!

Personally I like the 7.5-inch barrel. It's an inherently accurate length. The shorter barrel will be easier to pack, but I wouldn't cut it down......JMHO......

Why is the longer barrel more accurate? Just ease of aiming?

I'm not sure I like the sights, they seem a bit too fine/small...

While I agree that a longer sight radius is "easier" to shoot, a 5 1/2" barrelled gun is not difficult to learn to shoot well. I was out shooting the piece below today, 325 gr LFN's over 22.5 grs of H110, a fairly stout load. I have tweaked the gun some with properly sized throats, tightened cylinder to bore alignment, an Old Army mainspring, Bowen rear and Clements front sights, a locking screw added to the factory base pin and refitted factory gips. While I blew it every cylinder-full, four of five shots would typically cluster inside 1 1/2" at 25 meters. Monday I will move back to 50 meters. If you are going to carry then I would lean toward the 5 1/2" gun.

Perceived recoil, or at least muzzle lift will be more with a shorter barrel.

Boxhead, that's a great looking revolver, actually more what I was after in the first place.

Unfortunately, I couldn't track down a stainless medium length Bisley in 45 Colt in Canada, so I went wiht a blued model, and thought I'd shoot it a bit and see if I wanted to chop it down or not....

I like your sights much better, I have to look into the options.

Do they still make Rugar Bisley`s in Stainless with differnt barrel lengths????I have never seen one around here.Thanks,OB

There was a special run of stainless 45 Colt Bisleys with the 5.5" barrels. Have not seen any lately. Bisleys usually just come with a 7.5" barrel.

The standard catalogue Bisley has a 7 1/2 inch barrel.

Think it was for AccuSports... Several were made in stainless steel with 5 1/2 inch barrels in 357, 41, 44, and 45.

Bisley Vaqueros were made in 44 and 45 with both 4 3/4 and 5 1/2 inch barrels and in both stainless and CH/blue.

Thanks for the info.I will have to keep my eyes open as I would like a 5 1/2 barrel on a stainless with adj. Sights.I have the standard 7 1/2"Bisleys in 45 and 357 but they pack a little heavy.

That's really nice, boxhead!

Mine is one of the first run of Acusport's, they just did a second run that is a onvertible with the 45 ACP cylinder.

All of my revolvers are my main hunting guns. I like 10" barrels with 7-1/2" minimum. I use a shoulder holster plus a sling on the butt. For carry or a backup gun I would want a shorter barrel. For general use the 7-1/2" is ideal.

To me 5 1/2 to 6" is perfection. You still have enough sight radius that it doesn't degrade your ability to hit, and the guns balance is perfect. The 7 1/2's are just a tad nose heavy, and the 4 5/8's have a neutral balance and the shorter sight radius does make it slightly harder to hit with.

Gatehouse, pick the holster and mode of carry you intend to use, strong-side hip, x-draw, chest holster, etc., Then chop the barrel to fit and install a wiegand base so you can change blades for different loads and conditions.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.as...E+FRONT+SIGHT+SYSTEM

accepts Weigand and S&W DX style blades.

Thanks for bringing this up gatehouse, I've been contemplating chopping my 7 1/2" Bisley .44 mag barrel too. I've shot a 5 1/2" Blackhawk .44 mag and feel that it is an ideal length for an all around gun.
How much should it cost to have a competent gunsmith perform this operation?

Where are you located treg? I just got my Bisley back from John Gallagher and am well pleased with the work he did. Gallagher is located in Jasper, AL.

Hitman, what did you have done?

Do you have an adress for Gallagher?

I had the Bisley rebarreled to a 5.5" with a Wiegand front sight, action job, steel ejector rod housing, slim the grip panels, and refinished.

John's contact information is:

Gallagher Firearms
3923 Bird Farm Road
Jasper, AL 35503
205-384-5229

The two handguns that I hunt with have 7.5-inch barrels and I find that they balance really well.

I didn't dislike 7.5 on my .41 Bisley but after I chopped it to 5.5, I liked it better.

Anybody interested in a Colt Anaconda in 45LC with a 4" barrel? Yes, they did make a few, and I have one.

Rich
DRSS

boxhead ive got a 5.5 inch 44 accusport set up identical to yours mines got a set of scrimshawed white micartas or theyd be indentical. Its one of my favortie guns and is the best shooting out of the box ruger ive ever owend. Makemineastainless your thoughts are not entirely correct. Ive got two 4 inch 500 linebaughs and they actually have less felt recoil and muzzle flip then my 5.5 inch guns. I think it has something to do with how long the bullet is traveling in the barrel. You will notice it more in the real heavy kicking guns but for the most part in a 44 mag there is no difference in muzzle flip or recoil. Longer barrels more accurate. Not a chance. Barrel lenght has nothing to do with accuracy. If you can line up and hold the sight picture with a 2 inch barrel it will shoot as well as a 10 inch barrel. I like them short. I shoot short barrels for the most part and tend to shoot them better then long barrels. I like 4 inch guns but a 4 5/8s is about the ideal lenght for a field gun.

I like my 7.5" barrelled SRH. That said, I think 5.5" is my favorite barrel length for balance, handling, and sight plane. I also think the Accusport Bisley looks great with a 5.5" barrel.

I always liked Bisley with 7.5" barrel, however, lately I am leaning toward 6.5". Some moons ago I was shooting 4" S&W 66 and 9mm XD semiauto, and couldn't believe how well I was grouping. In that respect, considering tradition that is part of SA revolvers, as well as regulations in many states requiring min. barrel length 6", I am thinking of 6.5" as the most logical choice.

Onty, one of my Model 29 Smiths has a 6.5-inch barrel and I agree with you that it handles really well. But I like the 7.5-incher on my Rugers.......

2400 is a good powder that will cover a wide range of bullets and velocities. If you want to load on the hot end, then 296 will work very well, just don't try to load them down with it.

I have a 4 5/8" 45 Blackhawk and really like it for packing. I think I would prefer a 5.5" barrel though. I have an EJH cross draw holster that works well for getting into and out of the truck.
The short barrel is easy to shoot accurately with. My eyes are starting to get tired and don't focus as well anymore. I think it's easier to keep the sights in focus on a shorter barrel vs a 7.5 or 10.5".

I didn't know Brownells had those sight bases and interchangable sight blades. It looks like a great way to go.