Most powerful commercial loads for old model Vaquero

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GetmeoutaCT

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Good morning all-

I purchased an old model Bisley Vaquero (before it was called "old") because I wanted a gun that could handle heavy 45 Colt loads without costing me an arm and a leg. I understood at the time that this gun was as stout as a Blackhawk, which I now wonder about because (to my aging eyes at least) the Blackhawk looks like a much stronger gun.

Here are my questions - is this gun in fact as stout as the BH? Also, what are the most powerful commercial loads I can safely shoot in this gun- I'm wondering specifically whether it can handle BB loads.

Thanks in advance - Alan
 
Howdy

The 'original model' Vaquero, as opposed to the New Vaquero, is every bit as strong as a Blackhawk. They were made on the same size frame and have the same size cylinders. When the Vaquero first came out, it was the exact same gun as a Blackhawk, the only real difference was the frame had been recontoured to resemble a SAA frame and the adjustable sight was deleted.

This photo shows the cylinder from an 'original model' Vaquero in the center and a Uberti Cattleman on the left and a 2nd Gen Colt on the right. All are chambered for 45 Colt. You can see how much heftier the Vaquero cylinder is.

cylinders_01.jpg



As far as loads is concerned, I know of no specifics, but you should be fine shooting any of the Ruger Only loads found in some reloading manuals in your 'original model' Vaquero.
 
Thanks again all -

Yes, it appears that my Vaquero will handle these. I guess what prompted me to ask the question is the fact that the cylinder on the Vaquero is fluted, while the one on the BH is not. I assumed from this that the cylinder on the Vaquero is not as robust. That does not appear to be the case, thankfully.

As an aside, while the new model Vaquero is a closer copy of the Peacemaker than the original model, it still is not that faithful a copy, given its transfer bar safety. Frankly, given this fact, plus the fact the new Vaqueros cannot handle the heavy loads, I'm not sure Ruger made the right move with the new Vaqueros, since if one is looking for a faithful copy of the SAA, there are better ones out there, and the new Vaqueros have less utility.

My personal favorite SAA clones are (were) the ones made by American Western Arms, which sadly are no longer made, although I have managed to find two NOS Longhorns, and am constantly on the lookout for more. I love these guns, as they are faithful copies down to the four C-O-L-T clicks the hammers make...
 
The only unfluted .45's are the Bisley models. The flutes have no bearing on strength anyway.

It is Vaquero and New Vaquero. Anything else is extraneous, unnecessary and confusing. "Old Model" is Ruger's official designation for single actions built 1953 to 1973 with the traditional half cock action. "New Model" is the official designation for all 1973-present single actions utilizing the so-called "New Model" lockwork with the transfer bar. So in fact, both the Vaquero and New Vaquero are "New Models". I don't know why people have to over-complicate this.

That said, some have lamented the passing of the large frame Vaquero but Ruger has sold enough New Vaqueros in the almost 10yrs of its production to make me believe it has a substantial fan-base. You don't have to be able to drive a 300gr bullet at 1400fps to have utility. The New Vaquero and subsequent mid-frame Blackhawk convertible are capable of standard weight bullets at 1100fps and that is plenty of most duties. Personally, I prefer the old style half cock action but there are plenty of shooters who prefer the New Model action.
 
I've got an early Vaquero in .45 Colt that I bought at a gun show in 2000 for about $250.00. Yes, those were the days, my friend. I also own a Bisley Blackhawk in .45 Colt.

I load my own ammo for these guns, and the only downside is keeping the Ruger-only loads separate from SAA loads (I also own a USFA Rodeo II - nice gun). A good stout load is a 300g lead bullet with a full load of 296. The only downside to this load is that you can't easily tone it down. 296 (or 110) has a narrow range of loads.

Mostly, I've just used the 296 loads to shoot bowling pins at a friends range - they really get those pins to jump!
 
GetmeoutaCT said:
Thanks again all -

As an aside, while the new model Vaquero is a closer copy of the Peacemaker than the original model, it still is not that faithful a copy, given its transfer bar safety. I'm not sure Ruger made the right move with the new Vaqueros, since if one is looking for a faithful copy of the SAA, there are better ones out there, and the new Vaqueros have less utility.
Click to expand...
The New Vaqueros weren't intended to be exact copies of the SAA, they were made for "cowboy action" shooters that wanted something "close enough" to use.
 
It is Vaquero and New Vaquero. Anything else is extraneous, unnecessary and confusing. "Old Model" is Ruger's official designation for single actions built 1953 to 1973 with the traditional half cock action. "New Model" is the official designation for all 1973-present single actions utilizing the so-called "New Model" lockwork with the transfer bar. So in fact, both the Vaquero and New Vaquero are "New Models". I don't know why people have to over-complicate this.
Click to expand...

Because Ruger themselves has started calling the New Vaquero simply 'Vaquero'.

Go to their website if you don't believe me.

http://www.ruger.com/products/vaquero/index.html

I understand they have also started stamping Vaquero on the current New Vaqueros, rather than New Vaquero as they did when the New Vaquero was first introduced.

Used to be you could tell what it was just by looking at it.

Logo_original_Vaquero_zpsdc0223f6.jpg

Logo_New_Vaquero_zpsfa1ef7ad.jpg

Not anymore.

It's Ruger's own confusing nomenclature that causes the confusion. Yes, all Vaqueros are New Models, but try explaining that to somebody who has never handled one. If Ruger had done the smart thing like they did with the 22 semi-autos, Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, there would be no confusion. But they added to the confusion when they decided to call the smaller version of the Vaquero 'New Vaquero', and then made things worse when they resurrected the Vaquero name for the smaller version.

I will continue to call the older, larger version 'original model' Vaquero, typed exactly that way, and the smaller version New Vaquero, also typed exactly that way, thank you very much.

Venting mode off:

Yes, flutes have no bearing on the strength of the cylinder. There is still plenty of metal left even with flutes.
 
True, Ruger has not made it any easier but it's made a lot worse and a lot more complicated when individuals start introducing extraneous, unnecessary nonsense into the mix. I've said all I'm going to, not gonna get into another stupid argument over it.
 
The confusing nomenclature is another example of why this forum is so important - it enables relative ignoramuses like myself to benefit from the wisdom of folks like Craig and Driftwood. Thank you, gentlemen.
 
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