Finally got a Colt Bisley!
34 posts
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I finally found a nice Bisley Colt at a fair price and in .45 Colt no less! The little brown truck of happiness dropped it off today and she is a beauty! I've always liked the Bisley grip, but always either passed then up based on caliber or felt the need for another gun more than a Bisley Colt. I stumbled on this one the other day and jumped on it, 5.5" barrel, .45 Colt, real nice condition inside and out, made in 1898, and the price was right. It sure does feel good in the hand! The weather still isn't exactly great for shooting here, but I suspect there'll be a few fired out of this grand old lady tomorrow. |
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She's a beauty !!
What year was it made...? 1st...2nd...or 3rd Gen...? |
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First generation, 1898. She'll accompany two Winchester 1894's in the safe, both made in 1898 also, a saddle carbine .38-55 and a special order sporting rifle in .30WCF.
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Awesome score my friend...
How does she shoot...?! Different loads will hit different POA/POI...so, make sure you buy a few boxes of different offerings to test the sights. |
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Not yet, I just got it Friday, measured the cylinder throats and was surprised they're pretty uniform at .454". My 1904 Colt New Service throats are out of spec at .448". I'll cast some Lyman 454190's up and load some black powder cartridges for it and maybe next weekend the weather will be more shooter friendly.
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OK...post a range report here when you find the time.
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You bet! Nothing better than an old classic Colt or Winchester with some life left in em.
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Yes sir... !!
Looking forward to it.... |
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Ya know, one of those John Wayne commerative holster sets would be dandy for my old Colt! I'll have to look around and see if any are still available. For now I ordered a plain old 1890's style from ElPasso Saddlery.
Really nice Ruger, those are indestructible! Nice Colt too, I wish I woulda kept my 3rd. gen. 7.5" .44Spl. I really like that cartridge. Colt single actions, and Trapdoor Springfields...those who never shot either don't know what their missing! |
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Thanks Krag...that Ruger IS built like a tank...and the Colt SAA was a gift from my wife upon retirement from the DoD in 2008.
The original Bisley grips on your Colt are much more curved...and though I did handle one at a gun show, I've never shot one with those original grips. Never had a chance to fire a Trapdoor either...but maybe some day. |
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I hadn't noticed the difference in the grip curve between the Colt and the Ruger before comparing the pictures posted here. Looks like Colt continued the Bisley front curve into their New Service revolvers a bit later. Due to photo bucket not responding right today, the New Service pic will have to wait.
Well, looks like that wife of yours is a keeper! Mine wouldn't buy me a gun for fear of buying the wrong one, but she does keep me alerted to any yard sale guns and never complains when I bring a new one in. She just feels I'll get what I really want and can't remember what all I'm looking for. Trapdoors are still what I call a bargain and available. Very cast bullet friendly, but do require a certain amount of bullet fit and loading. Drag one to the range with black powder ammo and the first shot usually draws some comment, and a crowd. The deep, "BOOM" smoke and "SMACK" of the bullet against the backstop makes em wonder. |
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Yea...she IS a keeper. Knew that I wanted a SAA for a long time...and made it happen.
She was a Sergeant Major US Army CID...and a weapons expert. She carried a SIG M11A1 (P229) ...which is what I presented to her upon her retirement in a wood case with her challenge coin inset in the lid. Her last port of call in her travels was GITMO. She had quite the career. As far as Black Powder...the only one I shot is a Pennsylvania Long Rifle owned by my brother. |
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Boy, oh boy, I gotta get some more pictures up!
Seeing there weren't many old men in the infantry business in the 60's I figured one tour was enough for me and took my discharge. A few years after that adventure I joined a shooting association that combined history with target shooting, the N-SSA. A group that shoots Civil War small arms and artillery in competition. That led me down the slippery slope of casting and reloading, and exploring all sorts of cool old guns. One that I've never been able to live without has been the .45 Springfield "Trapdoor". They're just a ball to shoot! Everything the finest weapons of earlier times achieved to be, but with a centerfire cartridge. Ya gotta do it with cast bullets, or things just won't work out for accuracy though. |
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Here's my "shooter" Springfield. An 1884 Model with the Buffington sights and optional, "shall be issued upon request" pistol grip for target shooting. Also in the second picture, a late model Mills belt and .45 Gov't cartridge with a 405gr. LEE hollow base bullet, (an exact duplicate of the original 405gr. 1873 bullet). There's just some guns you find and can't ever rid yourself of the "bug" to have at least one around, the Trapdoor Springfield is that bug. |
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The 1904 Colt New Service. |
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Another .45 I can't do without, but of a different lineage.
Here's another of those guns I can't be without. A bit dated, but it's the one I pick if things were to go real bad. I have an AR, but the M-1 is still my primary fighting rifle if things get nasty. |
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Here's my S&W 629-3 as it came from the factory. |
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