Hunting & Fishing Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

[HOGGHEAD]

I have narrowed it down to either a Ruger Bisley in 45 Colt or the BFR(in 454-but I will be shooting 45 Colt ammo in it). I am looking for a companion for my 45 Colt Low Wall.

The BFR is $280 more than the Ruger. The Ruger is blued, and the BFR is stainless. I am thinking I can do a good bit of after market work to the Ruger for $280. And the BFR comes with most of this basic work already done. What do you guys think. Tom.

 

[Chucky]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

I have used ruger single actions a lot and loved them. The frames are very strong and can handle even the hottest hard cast bullet loads. I would highly recommend the ruger. Get some hogue grips though it helps with the recoil a lot.

Chuck

 

[noahmercy]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Ruger Bisley, hand down. I have sent tens of thousands of rounds downrange from Ruger single actions with the Bisley grip and a couple thousand through various BFRs. I own Rugers...the BFRs all belong to someone else, and there is a reason. The BFRs are very good firearms (they are- after all- nearly clones of the Rugers), but the average accuracy of those I have shot has not equalled that of the Rugers. I also feel that the Bisley is <span style="font-style: italic">much</span> more comfortable to shoot with thumper loads. (I've shot both guns chambered in 475 Linebaugh and even though the Bisley was <span style="font-weight: bold">24 ounces</span> lighter than the BFR, I would rather shoot the Ruger.)

Get a set of Bowen sights for your Bisley, slim down the factory grips or replace with Gunfighter grips, trim the mainspring, polish the innards to a mirror finish (or if you're uncomfortable with that and unsure what areas to leave alone, just do a toothpaste action job), install a Wolff trigger return spring, and you have a revolver with a feel and action that rivals most custom guns. The trigger pull on the Bisley Vaquero I use for long range shooting is 12 ounces and I never touched the sear engagement, so it is as safe as when it left the factory (as long as you keep your finger away from the trigger when you don't want it to go bang!). It still has a strong enough hammer fall to pop military large rifle primers, so it is 100 percent reliable with any pistol primer on the market. With a stout load of LilGun and a 325 grain WLN hand-cast slug, my Bisley Vaquero produces groups at 100 yards that can be covered with your palm (unless you've got really small hands ). Of course, I have to be holding my tongue just right, but it has printed three inch groups at 100 yards often enough to prove to me it's not a fluke. Penetration and wound channel with this load must be seen to be believed.

Happy hunting, brother!

 

[barnes12]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Ruger by far, + 1 on a set of the Bowen sights and maybe a trigger and action tune. You would want the Bowen Rough Country sights. I have 2 of the Bowen Nimrod Ruger Bisleys a 41 and 44 mag. With the Buffalo Bore 45LC ammo you are not far behind the 454 Casull power in the Bisley.

 

[Niles Coyote]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Many a whitetail has fallen to 250 grain XTP's from my bisley.

 

[robozebra]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Maybe I didn't get a very good Bisley (45 LC), but my BFR (454) is hands down a better pistol. I'd buy another BFR long before I purchased another Ruger. Not saying that I won't purchase another Ruger, but if I'm buying something for hunting, I'd be either a BFR or I'd save my money and get a Freedom Arms. My Ruger has a terrible trigger. I do like the Bisley grip, more than the regular Vaquero grip. But, I like the weight, feel, and accuracy of the BFR more than the Ruger. Just my 2 cents...

CWJ

 

[rdl65]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Ruger gets my vote. I use to shoot a Redhawk in big bore pistol silhouette matches back in the late 80's.

 

[PatrickChewing]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

+ 1 for Ruger

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

I use a Super Blackhawk .44mag and a Super Redhawk .454 The Casull in that frame with a scope is a good accurate combo. Given the choice between those 2 I'd go Ruger. Their revolvers are solid and take the abuse. The Ruger single actions are fairly easy to put in a target sear/spring kit.

 

[Combat Commander]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Ruger and 45 Colt is a excellent choice.

 

[renegadelizard]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Have you checked out the taurus raging bull in 454?...mine is a shooter..6 inch groups at 100 yard with open sights...and my eyes cant do much better than that with a precision rifle...one of these days ill get a scope on it...

 

[finnwerke757]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

If you are looking for only a revolver, RUGER is the only option, unless you would look at a Freedom Arms. Otherwise the Ruger will outlast you. I have used a Bisley and a regular framed Blackhawk with great success and excellent service. I used LBT style heavy hardcast bullets in the 310-325gr. range. Excellent performance and accuracy. Golf ball sized holes through and through, shoulder bones no problem.

 

[hill billy]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Ruger, Then a Ruger, then another Ruger. Did I mention Ruger?

 

[Alaskaman11]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

I watched a guy schwack a moose with a Smith 460, that moose was downed faster then I expected. Hell of a good hunting pistol.

 

[chansen49]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??



What do you guys think of the Colt Anaconda in 45LC with handloads?

I have a 6" model.

 

[olympian]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

I would go with the Ruger Bisley. Rugers are generally good, basic revolvers. They are not the most accurate, but they are very reliable. They balance well and shoot well. The trigger might use a little work. The 45 Colt in a Ruger can be a handful when loaded hot...plenty of power.

Freedom Arms can be scary accurate, but I would not taken into the backcountry unless it was my only option. They are so tight a little dirt can lock them up. I keep mine at the range.

 

[264win]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

i would go with the bfr if you want a gun ready to go . if you want to tinker or have a smith customize , go with the ruger and spend the $ on upgrades . not to bash the bisley , it just needs work to be in the same class as the bfr imho. if your not set on sa , s&w is where its @

 

[finnwerke757]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

The S&W 45LC chambered revolvers will not hold a light to the strength of a Ruger, Ive had Mod 25's and Rugers both, and the Ruger hands down can truly get the performance out of the 45LC cartridge potential. The trigger can be corrected very easily, and the rear sight I would definately recommend the Bowen rear sight.

 

[dogmessiah]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Can say anything about the BRF, but I have a ruger .357 and it is awesome. In my opinion ruger is hard to beat on quality/cost for .22 pistols and revolvers. Out of curiosity why go with the Bisely over the package with the conversion cylinders or the regular blackhawk if you are going to upgrade. The scroll on the cylinder, won't affect accuracy, and the wood grips are something I would be upgrading anyways.

 

[crumpmd]

Re: Hunting Revolver---BFR?? Ruger??

Ruger super Blackhawk in .44mag.
You can load full power or hard cast at .44 special speeds. I have killed deer, hogs and wild dogs with mine.
Pair it up with a Ruger .44 carbine and you can kill just about anything out to 80 to 100 yards. Big hogs are no problem out to 50 yards even with the pistol.