Bearcat
The Ruger Bearcat is one of their smallest and lightweight revolvers and is available with either a plow handle or birds head design grip.
Bearcat & Super Bearcat 1958 – 1974 ________Bearcat & Birdshead Bearcat
New Model Bearcat 1993 – Present________Bearcat & Birdshead Bearcat
Birdshead
Ruger birds head grips are designed for style, concealability, and for shooters with smaller hands.
Birdshead 2001 – Present________Birdshead
Available on New Vaquero, New Single Six, & New Single Seven
Bisley
Ruger Bisley grips have a longer overall profile with a much straighter backstrap. They have been preferred by many shooters with larger hands to allow them to get a better grip on the revolver. Though many shooters have changed out their smaller plow handle grip frames to the Bisley style in the past, Texas Grips has been marketing their Extended style grips for the plow handle grip frames as a faster and less expensive solution that retains the plow handle look.
Bisley 1986 – Present________Bisley
Available on Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, New Vaquero, New Single Six, & New Single Seven
Blackhawk
The Ruger Blackhawk has used three different styles of grip frame over the years. The original “Old Style XR3” style grip frame was modeled after the Colt SAA. In late 1962, Ruger redesigned their grip frames slightly and it is commonly referred to as the XR3-Red grip frame. These XR3-Red style grips are used on all of the New Model Blackhawks, except for their New Model Flattop models. Those New Model Flattop models use the XR3 style grip frames which are the same as the New Vaquero models. Not sure what year your Ruger revolver is? Try the Ruger serial number lookup site. https://ruger.com/dataProcess/serialHistory/
Original Flattop 1955-1962________Old Style XR3
3 Screw Blackhawk 1962-1972________XR3-Red (1/2″ Grip Frame)
New Model Blackhawk 1973- Present________XR3-Red (1/2″ Grip Frame)
New Model Blackhawk Flattop 2005 – Present_____XR3 (7/16″ Frame)
Flattop Blackhawks ________XR3
Hawkeye
The Ruger Hawkeye had a very short lifespan and was made with the XR3-Red grip frame.
Hawkeye 1963 – 1964________XR3-Red
Old Army
Ruger Old Army model use the XR3-Red grip frames.
Old Army 1972 – 2008________XR3-Red
Single Six – Single Ten
The Ruger Single Six was Ruger’s first SAA revolver. The Single six was first developed with the “Old Style XR3” grip frame and was changed to the XR3-Red style near the end of 1962. The Super Single Six, Single Seven, Single Nine, & Single Ten models all use the XR3-Red grip frames. The Single Six revolvers with the Vaquero sights, chambered in .32 commonly referred to as the “Baby Vaquero” uses the XR3-Red Short grip frame which are about 1/4″ shorter for small hands. (See Vaquero-Baby Vaquero)
Single Six 1953 – 1962________Old Style XR3
Single Six 1963 – Present________XR3-Red
Super Single Six 1964 – 1972________XR3-Red
Single Seven 2014 – Present________XR3-Red
Single Nine 2012 – Present________XR3-Red
Single Ten 2011 – Present________XR3-Red
Super Blackhawk
The Ruger Super Blackhawk was originally made with it’s own style of grip that is larger than their other plow handle style grips. That grip frame is used on the Super Blackhawk Hunter with the square trigger guard and the long barrel 7.5″ and 10.5″ models. The shorter barrel 4.6″& 5.5″ models use the XR3-Red style grip frame that is the same as the New Model Blackhawks. (Barrel length is measured from the muzzle to the back of the barrel, or front of the cylinder)
Super Blackhawk (Short Barrel 4.6″ & 5.5″)________XR3-Red
Super Blackhawk (Long Barrel 7.5″ & 10.5″)________Super Blackhawk
Vaquero
The Ruger Vaquero was introduced in 1993 with the XR3-Red style grip frame. With customers requesting a revolver with a grip style that was closer to the Colt SAA, Ruger introduced the “New Vaquero” in 2005 with the XR3 grip frame. This new XR3 grip frame had slight variations in the shape and the locator pin position, compared to the “Old Style XR3” used on the original Single Six & Blackhawks. The larger caliber New Vaquero chambered in .44 magnum needed a beefier frame, so those were upgraded to the XR3-Red style grip frame. The Single Six revolvers with the Vaquero sights, chambered in .32 commonly referred to as the “Baby Vaquero” uses the XR3-Red Short grip frame.
Old Vaquero 1993 – 2005________XR3-Red
New Vaquero 2005 – Present__XR3 (7/16″ Grip Frame) (Except .44 Magnum)
New Vaquero .32 ________XR3-Red Short (1/2″ Grip Frame)
New Vaquero .44 Magnum________XR3-Red (1/2″ Grip Frame)
Wrangler
The Ruger Wrangler typically uses the XR3-Red style grip frame, but there have been some produced with the Birdshead style grip frame.
Wrangler & Super Wrangler 2019 – Present________XR3-Red
***This list is compiled with the information that was available to me at the time of posting. If you have corrections or updates that you can suggest, please let me know.***
