New Vaquero 4 5/8 in .357

[Thomas Traddles]

Is there anyone here who owns both a Ruger New Model Blackhawk and New Vaquero in .357? I have been looking into the possibility of purchasing a New Vaquero in that caliber. I already own an NMBH in .357. I have noted that these guns weigh about the same. Will the NV feel the same as the NMBH, but simply have a different look and fixed sights?

 

[tubeshooter]

I have both in the configuration you describe.

My NMBH is blued and has the aluminum grip frame. I find the balance of the gun to be rather pleasant, personally. 42 ounces.

I got the NV a little later. Although the gun has a smaller frame, it is all steel and the balance is different. It makes the single extra ounce feel like more than it actually is. 43 ounces.


A stainless NMBH is a different kettle of fish, being all steel. I don't own one, but have held one and it feels somewhat chunky compared to the other two. Weighs in at a beefy 46 ounces (same 4 5/8" barrel).

 

[BCRider]

The fixed sight revolvers have by far a much cleaner and sleeker look to them than the big boxy frame and lumpy sights on the Blackhawks. The downside to the svelte look is that you can only shoot a limited selection of ammo that has matched POI's and the sight blade has to be trimmed to suit that ammo's POI. Otherwise you're always compensating for this or that ammo.

If that's OK with you then you'll do fine with a fixed sight revolver.

 

[Thomas Traddles]

Well, I went ahead and plunked down $ for a new Vaquero in .357. I reload, so I don't think I will have any trouble tailoring a load to suit the gun. Hopefully, it will take kindly to a mid-range load 158 gr RNFP @ around 1100 fps. I just hope it doesn't shoot left or right when I am aiming plumb center. I'm plenty experienced at introducing Kentucky windage where it doesn't belong.

I had been handling some non-Ruger six guns -- Uberti/Cimmaron -- and was quite impressed with the way they felt. They are much lighter, I think, than the Ruger New Model Vaquero. But I hope that the Vaquero feels as balanced in the hand as these others did. I will see about that. Unfortunately, the LGS did not have a 4 5/8 Vaquero in the inventory when I went poking around. Even if it doesn't feel the same, the Vaquero's updated internals are something that I value. Most of the SAA clones' innards are patterned after the original which may not be as mechanically robust as the Ruger. Since I am not looking for an historical replica I'll be content with it just kind of looking like one.

 

[Fiv3r]

I call my Ruger 4 5/8" .357 Vaquero my "Irrational Gun".

I often play a game with myself called "Why would I sell it?". Basically, it helps me mentally note if I really truly love a gun enough to hang onto it if I need the money or a trade comes up.

I have often talked myself into what I would let my 1911 go for or why I would trade a carry piece FNX away for something similar or why the .380 stuffed in my belt should be replaces with something that would hold the same 6+1 and do the same thing, etc.

I honestly can't think of a reason to ever get rid of my NV .357. Its my favorite caliber, my favorite revolver action, my favorite barrel length, and in my favorite finish (glossy stainless). It's not particularly GOOD for much. As a defensive weapon it's kinda slow (though I pack it from time to time). As a target or hunting gun it kinda sucks having fixed sights. I certainly get more performance out of my 6.5" Black Hawk of the same caliber.

That said, she's such a fine arm. Honestly, I dunno if I could ever under any circumstances give the NV or my SP101 up. Sure, I might pick a 9mm autoloader if I want to play the "there can be only one" game if we're talking about civil unrest and all the silly things we muse upon.

However, as a plinker and a robust gun built for the ages, the 4 5/8" NV just might be my favorite gun.

 

[gc70]

The NV will not feel the same as the NMBH.

The NMBH frame and grip are larger than the NV frame and grip. The NMBH grip is aluminum (except for stainless models), while the NV grip is steel.

If you want the same feel in a Blackhawk and Vaquero, I believe you only have two options:

• A stainless NMBH and an original Vaquero are both built on the larger frame with a larger grip and are all steel.
• A 50th Anniversary Blackhawk flattop and New Vaquero are both built on the smaller frame with a smaller grip and are all steel.

 

[tubeshooter]

I actually like my NV, much the same way Fiv3r does. I got it expressly as a general purpose .357 to last a lifetime. Therefore the transfer bar and extra toughness are welcome features for me over most other brands. I also don't mind the fixed sights, obviously.

When I show people (especially non-shooters) both the NMBH and the NV, they always say the trim and shiny NV is prettier. To be fair, it is also much newer...

It actually took awhile to procure; I wasn't really cognizant of how popular that particular length, caliber and finish is for Cowboy Action Shooting.


At any rate, I think a NV would handle all of that specified load you would care to throw at it. I don't think the NV is weak by any means, but it sort of gets an undeserved bad rap because the NMBH .357 cylinder is the definition of overbuilt. If you want to shoot a bunch of max loads, definitely go NMBH.


Also thanks to gc70 for mentioning the 50th Anniversary NMBH. It is a configuration that is rare and rather desirable to some, but they just made it the one year so you'll generally pay a premium if you find one. Whether you'd want to jump that high for a shooter is up to you.

 

[35 Whelen]

Good for you on ordering your NMV. There are some very good points raised in this thread.

I own a 5 1/2" Flat Top Blackhawk .44 Special and a 4 5/8" NMV. the NMV certainly has cleaner lines and is just generally more trim.

I do not find the fixed sights to be a hindrance in the least. I think most folks don't realize that at handgun ranges there's simply not enough difference in trajectory from one load to the next to need any sight adjustment. My NMV 45 Colt shoots very similar points of impact at 50 yds. with loads ranging from a 262 gr. SWC @ 830 fps on up to a 285 gr. SWCHP @ 1060 fps. Oddly, I find different bullet shapes affect POI more than velocities and weight. ('Splain that one!) If there's any drawback to the fixed sights, especially those on the NMV, it's that they're not a heavy and easy to see as those on the Blackhawk.

I too, not two weeks ago, came within a hairs breadth of selling my NMV 45 Colt in favor of a USFA Rodeo. Fortunately the deal didn't come together. Just to "make up" with her, I loaded a box of shells and took her on a date Sunday afternoon, out behind the shop and decided I just couldn't part with her. As brutish, blue-worn and ugly as she is...



...she ALWAYS shoots good!

Enjoy yours, TT.

35W

 

[Thomas Traddles]

gc70 and others: Thank you for the replies, they are helpful to me. I am not looking for the NMV to feel like the NMBH. I was thinking that they might since they are built on the same frame, or so I understand. What I am hoping is that the NMV feels like the SAA clones I handled. I found them to have an amazingly comfortable feel. But I don't know how to explain the difference. Don't get me wrong, I love my .357 NMBH. It is accurate and fun to shoot, but it feels much differently in the hand than the SAA clones and I found the clones to fit more comfortably. Maybe it is the way the weight is distributed in the NMBH that makes it feel differently. I wonder too how much the sense of the feel of the gun has been impacted by the fact that I had been shooting a 4" GP100 almost exclusively for the past year or so. That gun also feels different in the hand than the NMBH.

35W -- that is a nice looking gun. I like the looks of the working gun, she looks loved. Thanks for the comments and the pic.

 

[Fiv3r]

The Vaquero, to me, feel balanced but quite heavy. Most would say that they vastly prefer the lighter weight of the .45 colt version as it improves handling.

For me, it didn't bother me much at all. I don't reload, so the caliber is what won me over. I can still clear leather pretty dang fast with that chunky Vaquero.