ruger blackhawk/vaquero frame confusion

[greyling22]

As far as I understand it, the blackhawk and the vaquero are basically the same gun, other than the sights and some cosmetics.

I want a blackhawk. from my research I have determined that there are 3 screw, blackhawk, new blackhawk, and flattop versions.

there are also vaquero, and new vaquero guns. the new vaquero has a smaller grip than the old vaquero. I greatly prefer the feel of the new vaquero.

The question is this: did the blackhawks grip frame shrink when the new vaqueros did? or are the current production new blackhawks the same as they have been for 20+ years?

Boo hiss on ruger for not giving them clearer model nomenclature.

 

[Gary A]

The Blackhawk frame is the same as it has been for years with the exception of the frame on the 50th Anniversary .357 Flattop commemorative which is on the same smaller 357-sized frame as the New Vaquero. The 50th Anniversary Blackhawks in .357 and in .44 (large frame) and the New Vaqueros also have the older (and now re-issued) XR3 grip frame which is somewhat smaller and shaped slightly differently than the more recent XR3-RED (redesigned) which remains on most of the other Blackhawks. The newer Blackhawks with the hard rubber grips feel (to me at least) more similar to the XR3 grip frames I think because the hard rubber grips are much slimmer, especially at the bottom than the previous Rosewood grip panels.

You are correct that the frame on the New Vaquero and on the .357 50th Anniversary Blackhawk is smaller because Ruger has for years (I think since around 1973?) made all their single-actions on the larger .44 Magnum sized frame until they re-introduced the .357-sized frame for the New Vaquero (and the subsequent .357 Flattop 50th Anniversary model) and at the same time dropped .44 Magnum chamberings in the Vaquero line, now having only .357 and .45 Colt. The smaller frame New Vaquero is not to be used with the heavy .45 Colt +P loads that can be used in the larger frame Vaquero. The smaller frame is perfectly fine for any manufactured .357 loads.

If I am incorrect on any of this I am sure and hope that some Ruger experts will offer a correction.

 

[greyling22]

so if I wanted a 357 that felt like the new Vaqero I need to get the anniversary edition flattop or one of the original 3 screw guns?

 

[BlkHawk73]

so if I wanted a 357 that felt like the new Vaqero I need to get the anniversary edition flattop or one of the original 3 screw guns?

Correct.

 

[batmann]

You can also go with the New Vaquero, it is on the same size (mid-size) as the .357 50TH Flat top in the Balckhawk

 

[Gary A]

It might be worth adding that I think the limiting factor in not shooting the heavy +P .45 Colt loads in the New Vaquero is not the strength of the mid-sized frame per se compared to the larger frame but rather the lesser strength of the smaller and thinner-walled cylinder required to fit within that frame. I'm sure someone will correct me if that is wrong.