Wheelgun Wednesday: NEW Ruger Blackhawk Bisley

Ruger is a pretty squared away company in not only the firearms that they craft and sell to the public, but also their marketing. After all, you “only get to make a first impression once” - referring to announcing something new - and Ruger typically does a good job of directing that messaging. Although, there is a rare occasion where they might have a minor tweak to an existing model that does not require the same “pomp and circumstance.” That is the case today. Ruger has a new Lipsey’s Distributor Exclusive wheelgun with a Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .44 Special model that did receive the same fanfare one would expect. We are going to take a look at this single-action pistol today to see if it is something you may want to holster, or potentially leave behind. Let’s dive in!

Wheelgun Wednesday @ TFB:

• Wheelgun Wednesday: Talo Distributor Exclusive - Ruger LCRx 9mm 3”
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Charter Arms Coyote & Combo Series
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Charter Arms Target Mastiff Series
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Silver Creek Firearms – Who, What, Where, When?

Lipsey’s Distributor Exclusive - Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .44 Special

This Ruger New Model Blackhawk Bisley .44 Special is an intriguing piece not only because it is a Lipsey’s Distributor Exclusive, but also because of the Bisley grip and the given cartridge. That combination or pairing helps explain the “Lipsey’s Distributor Exclusive” moniker. Most shooters and manufacturers don’t bother much with dedicated .44 Specials anymore when you can easily skip up to a traditional .44 Magnum and shoot both rounds. The MSRP for this one is currently set at $1,019.

• Model: 5250
• Grips: Bisley Rosewood Hardwood
• Action Type: Single-Action (SA)
• Sights: Serrated Ramp Front & Adjustable, Target Rear
• Barrel: 5.5" Stainless Steel with 1 in 20” Right-Hand, 6-Groove Twist Rate
• Finish & Material: Stainless Steel
• Capacity: 6 Rounds
• Overall Length: 12"
• Weight: 45 Ounces

This revolver, curiously enough, is available for sale in the restrictive territory of California yet it does not satisfy Massachusetts’ demands for “legal” firearms (I wonder what’s “too scary” - the Bisley grip or the .44 Special cartridge).

Features - Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .44 Special

The Ruger New Model Blackhawk series as a whole touts several memorable features that wheelgun lovers, like us, would find desirable enough to tempt our checkbooks with. The Bisley grip - in my mind - is incredibly love-or-hate, but it's all about what trips your trigger.

• Features Bisley-style grip
• Target-grade accuracy with ramp front and adjustable rear sights
• Transfer bar mechanism and loading gate interlock provide an unparalleled measure of security against accidental discharge
• Cold hammer-forged barrel results in ultra-precise rifling that provides exceptional accuracy and longevity

Ruger also excitedly cites that they offer target-grade sights for these single-action models as well as a cold hammer-forged barrel to increase your accuracy. What also typifies these revolvers as “New Model” Blackhawks is the inclusion of a transfer bar safety mechanism.

Why a Bisley Grip? Why .44 Special?

As we previously mentioned, you might question, “Why even bother with the .44 Special? Why not just jump up to a .44 Magnum?” And, that is a fair question. The .44 Special cartridge has been around for over a century having been invented by Smith & Wesson back in 1907 (full cartridge name reads .44 S&W Special). At the time, .44 cal and .45 cal cartridges were quite popular throughout Europe and the United States in the early 1900s, and once introduced, the .44 Special was the biggest and baddest of them all. The venerable .44 Magnum round would not come about for another 48 years in 1955.

So, again, why .44 Special? (I’m dodging my own question). Well, it is commercially available unlike relics of the past like .44 Russian, .44 Colt, .44-40 Win, and other dinosaurs. It is also a lower pressure and lighter recoil round; both desirable characteristics. The only downside is that you’re pigeon-holed into only that cartridge, and .44 Special when found on gun store shelves, is often more expensive than regular ol’ .44 Magnum.

The Bisley grip is curious, too. As we mentioned, an extremely love-or-hate grip style that has more or less gone out of favor in the revolver community (for the masses, at least). Why some people might like the Bisley grip style is that it sometimes gives your hand more real estate to grip onto. It also attempts to flatten out your sight picture; make it easier to shoot one-handed if you’re into that sort of thing. The hammer is also generally lower and easier to cock into single-action.

Departing Thoughts

A distributor exclusive is meant to be something unique, somewhat odd, and have a feel of a “one of one” type of firearm, and this New Model Blackhawk Bisley .44 Special definitely fits that description. I don’t know how I personally feel about this revolver, but I always applaud manufacturers for pushing the envelope with creativity even if it makes us squirm a bit.

As always, let us know all of your thoughts about Ruger, their Lipsey’s Distributor Exclusive Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .44 Special, and any of their firearms in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.