The Colt Bisley

by
posted on July 10, 2012
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wiley-clapp.jpg (1)

Recently, I saw an old copy of a movie poster from the 1980s. The film was called “The Grey Fox” and starred the late Richard Farnsworth—a wonderful actor in an off-beat western set in Canada at the turn of the century. That poster, a small triumph of the graphic arts, showed a dour Farnsworth in period dress with a big revolver stuffed in his waistband. It was the gun that caught my eye and intrigued me into seeing the movie when it was originally released. The film is a movie-go-er’s delight, but I have to chuckle about why I was personally attracted to it. As a life-long so-called “gun guy,” I was enthralled with someone using a Bisley Colt.

From 1894 to 1915, Colt Firearms sold a special version of the classic Single Action Army revolver. Named for the internationally known shooting venue in England, the Bisley was intended to be a competition piece. The Bisley became as popular as the Single Action Army, if not more so, in the hands of shooters who realized that the gun’s special features made it a natural for speed shooting. And—for the pure competition shooter—there was a Bisley Target Model with much improved sights.

While the original Peacemaker worked very well, especially when fired with one hand, it was slow to quickly fire accurately because it rolled in the hand with recoil. The Bisley version was developed to keep the gun under better control and speed up recoil recovery.

It starts with the distinctive Bisley hammer, which has a spur that is lower and wider than the original SAA type. Shaped in such a way that its highest point is below the line of the top of the frame, this hammer is easier to reach with the thumb of the shooting hand. Of course, like all Colt SAA variants, the outline of the butt is formed by the shape of the backstrap and trigger guard, and how these two parts abut the mainframe. On the SAA, they’re shaped to make the gun point beautifully, but roll on firing. On a Bisley, they create a longer butt that forces the hand higher and takes recoil more straight to the rear. To finish off the modification, Colt fitted the Bisley with an enlarged trigger guard and a wider, more radically curved trigger. There’s no doubt but that the modified Bisley is a better handling, easier to shoot handgun.

While it all started for purposes of competition, revolver shooters took rather quickly to the Bisley and used it for just about everything. A decade into the 20th Century, Colt wasn’t selling many single-actions of any kind. Then, in 1915, Colt sold the last Bisley, which many shooters thought was as ugly as a mud fence. I, however, always thought the gun was kind of classic Victorian in its look.

Latest

Making Keltec Pr57 1
Making Keltec Pr57 1

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.