Ruger New Model Blackhawk Bisley .45 Colt
Model: 0470
Ruger New Model Blackhawk Bisley .45 Colt
Model: 0470
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Ruger New Model Blackhawk Bisley is a stainless single-action .45 Colt built for handgun hunting. It was a distributor exclusive and Ruger no longer lists it, so it's a used buy. Its Bisley grip frame is straighter than the plow handle on a standard Blackhawk and its hammer spur sits lower, which keeps the thumb's reach short when the gun is cocked from a firing grip.
It weighs 46 oz and runs 12 inches overall on a 5.5-inch barrel, with rosewood grip panels, a ramp front sight and a rear sight that adjusts for windage and elevation. A transfer bar and loading-gate interlock let the cylinder be loaded full. Nothing on the frame is cut for an optic, and because this one came through a distributor and not Ruger's own catalog, the usual spare-parts and grip listings can be thin.
If you're cross-shopping, the Ruger New Model Blackhawk is still made and has an MSRP of $889, with the same adjustable sight and transfer bar on a shorter 4.62-inch barrel in blued steel at 39 oz. The Ruger Vaquero Bisley Stainless has an MSRP of $1,199 and the same Bisley grip frame and barrel length at 41 oz, but its rear sight is a fixed notch, so it cannot be regulated to a load.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- The lower Bisley hammer spur can be reached without breaking the firing grip, which the taller plow-handle hammer makes awkward.
- Rosewood panels on a stainless frame need nothing beyond a wipe-down after a wet day.
- The loading-gate interlock blocks the hammer while the gate is open, so the revolver cannot fire during loading.
- Used is the route, so condition, timing and cylinder lockup are the buyer's problem to check.
- The straighter Bisley grip points differently from a plow handle, and a shooter who learned on the standard shape has to relearn the draw.
- Single action throughout, with one case per stroke of the ejector rod.
Category Rankings
How the Ruger New Model Blackhawk Bisley .45 Colt ranks among full-size .45 Colt handguns.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Bisley grip shape come from?
Target revolvers of the 1890s shot at the Bisley range in England. Ruger carried the name and the straighter grip frame over to its own single actions.
Will grips from a standard Blackhawk fit it?
No. The Bisley grip frame is a different shape, so panels have to be cut for a Bisley.
Is it the same frame as the New Vaquero Bisley?
No. This is the Blackhawk frame with an adjustable rear sight; the Vaquero Bisley is the smaller-framed fixed-sight gun built for cowboy action.
