Gripping big bore revolvers

[ZAP035]

I have a 454 casull BFR Bisley revolver that I’m having trouble shooting consistently. I have multiple revolvers of various chamberings and love shooting/hunting with them. However, when I step up to the casull I have trouble finding a hold that feels comfortable yet allows good control over the gun. I have smallish hands (just big enough to make medium gloves too tight) and my friends that shoot big bore all have bear paws so their style doesn’t suit me well. Anyone have tips/images/references for how they grip the thumpers?

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Too funny. I spent most of the day yesterday looking for your revolver. I've called Magnum Research 4X already today!

Love to hear about the BRF

The 454 is simply NO JOKE. I've had a FA 83 in 454 and an older BRF in 475 Linebaugh. Both are simply too much of a good thing.

Currently have a SuperRedhawk in 480 Ruger with the thinner grip frame and Hogue grips. It's a handful as well.

If you have the Micarta grips on your BFR.....there is supposed to be no equal to them in felt recoil. Best of the best.

 

[Bluefish]

Do you normally shoot a Bisley grip? The angles are different and for some they dont work as well. I believe it was designed for single handed target shooting. Might need different scales or grip.

 

[ZAP035]

Load it down, learn the gun, and then bump back up to full chooch

That’s what I’ve been attempting so far. Got it down pretty well with colt loads including some +P loads, but as recoil climbs it becomes apparent from knuckle-bashing that the holds I’ve been trying don’t work well with the combo of my small hands and the large gun. How do you position your hands? Grip high or low, and support hand placement?

 

[ZAP035]

Do you normally shoot a Bisley grip? The angles are different and for some they dont work as well. I believe it was designed for single handed target shooting. Might need different scales or grip.

It’s my first Bisley single action, and feels somewhat similar in the hand to my 44 mag redhawk, just scaled up. I just feel that I’m not placing my hands correctly on the gun I guess. I shoot it comfortably, but inconsistent groups OR I shoot tight groups, but smash the heck out of my knuckles of my support hand. Gloves definitely help, but then I struggle with the slick panels on the gloves. I’ve been warned not to texture the grips, but do you think it would be a good idea?

 

[ZAP035]

Too funny. I spent most of the day yesterday looking for your revolver. I've called Magnum Research 4X already today!

Love to hear about the BRF

The 454 is simply NO JOKE. I've had a FA 83 in 454 and an older BRF in 475 Linebaugh. Both are simply too much of a good thing.

Currently have a SuperRedhawk in 480 Ruger with the thinner grip frame and Hogue grips. It's a handful as well.

If you have the Micarta grips on your BFR.....there is supposed to be no equal to them in felt recoil. Best of the best.

Mine has the white poly grips. It’s doesn’t hurt at all even with very hot loads (unless it gets your knuckle) but it’s very slick and really rolls and moves around. I’m told that’s good, but it’s quite difficult to find a consistent hand placement on the gun that gives control and comfort. Idk if texturing the grips, or a different hand placement is my best option. Hoping someone else out there with small hands can show me how they place their hands on the gun or offer any tips!

 

[Snowwolfe]

Bisley has been the current "buzzword" in revolvers for last 10 years. But they do not fit everyone by any means. Try to find a buddy who has a similar chambering in a BFR with the old style grip.
Magnum Research will swap grips (for a price of course).
Another option is to try to find someone who has a BFR whose grip was modified by Jack Huntington Inventor of the 500 JRH). His grip mod is amazing. He can mod the old style grip but not the newer Bisley.

 

[Alder_]

Just grip it like you're choking a chicken.

 

[ZAP035]

Are you normally more of a S&W guy? I have to grab my bisley way different than my S&W. Took me a bit to learn that.

Also look at what a chunk of hard lead can do just bebopping along. Sometimes hot rodding shit isnt needed....

I'll grab some pics when I get home

Most of what I own are standard plow handle single actions and semiautomatics. I’ve shot a few super Redhawks in 454, and 460 & 500 s&w but find the recoil impulse much nicer in the Bisley single action for big bores. I’ve since found that I don’t naturally shoot the Bisley grip as accurately, but I attribute it to not having a good teacher or learning resource for how to shoot Bisley grips. One old timer simply told me the Bisley grip is meant to shoot one-handed and that I’ll shoot it better if I try that….im not exactly eager to attempt that with a healthy 454 load . Guidance much appreciated!

 

[Bluefish]

It’s my first Bisley single action, and feels somewhat similar in the hand to my 44 mag redhawk, just scaled up. I just feel that I’m not placing my hands correctly on the gun I guess. I shoot it comfortably, but inconsistent groups OR I shoot tight groups, but smash the heck out of my knuckles of my support hand. Gloves definitely help, but then I struggle with the slick panels on the gloves. I’ve been warned not to texture the grips, but do you think it would be a good idea?

Bisley grips tend to have less room for finger clearance If I remember correctly. My big bore contenders smash my off hand finger, so I started to grip the bottom to keep them away from trigger guard. Doesn’t seem to be a great grip, but it doesnt hurt.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Shooting big bore revolvers is terrible. My bisley 454 would bruise the bone on my thumb. I got rid of them after switching to the g20.

 

[TaperPin]

I don’t care for smooth grips because there’s so little resistance to muzzle flip. I like to wrap my off hand around the front - right pinky under left ring and middle finger, and pull back firmly with the off hand. This keeps the muzzle from rising as far and returns the sight picture faster, but this does transmit more recoil rearward to the strong hand.

A shooting glove with padding in the palm and thumb web makes a world of difference with heavy kickers. The right hand is the only one that needs a glove, but it does seem weird to not wear both. The pair I had was made by Past and were ideal.

I’ve gone shooting with guys that let the muzzle flip straight up, and while that works for some, it kills the web of the thumb, I could never get used to the movement and it makes me want to flinch.

 

[B23]

The most unpleasant handgun I've personally ever shot was a Freedom Arms 454 Casull. I thought the grips were smallish and the base of the grip had sharp edges that would dig into my hand. For me it was just not a very fun gun to shoot. I had a 4in S&W 500 for a long time and it was no cream puff to shoot but it never hurt my hands like that FA 454 did.

With shooting my 4in 500 I found that I had to use a much tighter grip. I'm right handed and what worked best for me was not only gripping tighter but I would push into my left hand harder with my right and sort of pull back against my right hand harder. Hopefully that makes sense. When I first started shooting my 500, before I figured out what worked for me, under recoil and these big hand cannons definitely have recoil my thumb would hit the cylinder release button and I'd have to relock the cylinder back in place ever shot. Once I changed my grip I never had that problem again.

I think shooting these hand cannons tend to expose our bad technique/s considerably more then even a 44mag does.

 

[Wildhorse]

I have average hands I shoot all 44mags a Dan Wesson and two super Redhawks the bisley grip has never felt good to me I really like the stock grips on the super Redhawks though.