Puzzled by blackhawk & vaquero prices

[ChristopherG]

I'm looking at Ruger SA sixguns as I contemplate getting into CAS, and I'm puzzled by what I find. Blackhawks and Vaqueros are the same guns, so far as I can see, except that Blackhawks have the additional feature of adjustable sights; yet Vaqueros uniformly cost more.

I can figure two possible explanations. Either there's some other difference between these guns I don't know about, or the craze for CAS, and the desire to shoot 'Traditional' rather than 'Modern' class (though I don't see why this would matter in a sport with no awards) pumps up the demand for Vaq's beyond the (more obviously multifunctional) Blackhawks.

Am I missin' sumthin? Is the Blackhawk not the excellent and potentially multiuse gun I imagine? Is the Vaquero something special I haven't spotted?

 

[Dr. J Frame]

The color-cased and high-polished finishes are probably the reason for the Vaquero's higher price.

 

[Majic]

The popularity in CAS was the reason for the Vaquero to be built. It was redesigned because more and more shooters reconized that the Colts and clones handled better than the larger Vaquero. It's this popularity that affects the pricetag as the Vaquero is probably Ruger's best selling single action today.