Howdy Again
Here is a photo of a Stainless 'original model' Vaquero and a blued New Vaquero. Both are chambered for 45 Colt. The Stainless gun has a 5 1/2" barrel, the blued barrel is 4 5/8" long.
Ruger started making the 'original model' Vaquero in 1993. It was basically the same as the large frame Blackhawks in production at the time. Like this 45 Colt/45 ACP convertible that I bought way back in 1972.
I bought this 'original model' Vaquero used around 2000. The only significant difference between it and the Blackhawk is the sights, and the rounded frame profile. Also, Blackhawks have always had aluminum grip frames and ejector housings. When I picked up this Vaquero I immediately noticed it felt heavy. That was because the grip frame was steel, not aluminum. I later changed out the aluminum ejector housing for a steel one. All Vaqueros come today with steel grip frames and steel ejector housings, so they are a little bit heavier than a Blackhawk of similar dimensions. Notice too this Vaquero has a 'color case' finish on the frame. It is not true Case Hardening, Ruger hardens their frames all the way through, Case Hardening is a method of hardening the outer surface of the steel only. The mottled colors on the Ruger 'color case' finish were accomplished through a chemical process.
The 'original model' Vaquero was a big gun, and you could buy one chambered for 44 Magnum. That was because there was a lot of steel between chambers on the 'original model' Vaqueros. In this photo, left to right is a 'original model' Vaquero cylinder, a New Vaquero cylinder, and a 2nd Gen Colt cylinder. All are chambered for 45 Colt. Notice how much more steel there is between chambers on the 'original model' Vaquero cylinder. I forget the numbers now, but it was something like .050 for the 'original' cylinder and something like .032 or so for the other two. That is why the 'original models' could handle the 44 Magnum cartridge. There would be even more steel between the chambers than the 45 Colt cylinder. You will hear guys asking if the frame of the 'original model' Vaquero was stronger than the New Vaquero frame. That is the wrong question. It is the cylinder that must withstand the pressure generated when a cartridge fires, not the frame.
Go back to that first photo and you will notice the 'original model' Vaquero has wood grips, the New Vaquero has injection molded plastic grips. The plastic New Model grips are slimmer than the grips on the 'original model'. I can clearly feel the difference. With my heavy Black Powder loads I like the wooden grips better, but I can shoot the plastic grips just fine to.
Anyway, Ruger introduced the New Vaquero in 2005 and discontinued the 'original model' Vaquero. The New Vaquero had a smaller frame and cylinder more like the original Colt Single Action Army. Here is a photo of the New Vaquero and a Colt Single Action Army. They are very similar in size. Because the cylinder of the New Vaquero was not as beefy as the 'original model' cylinder, the New Vaquero is not chambered for 44 Magnum. Pretty much only 45 Colt and 357 Magnum. Notice the profile of the hammers. The New Vaquero hammer originally pretty much duplicated the shape of the Colt hammer. Go back and look at the first photo to compare hammer shapes. WIth the 'original model', one could sight the gun with the hammer down. With a Colt, the hammer spur obscures the sights until the hammer is cocked. Same with the New Vaquero. You cannot see the sights until you cock the hammer. Why would you need to? Today, some variations are available on the New Vaquero with a lower hammer spur, but that is what they looked like when they first came out. Notice too, the 'color case' finish is gone. There were complaints about rust with the old 'color case' finish, so Ruger did away with that and now you can only get the frame blued. Or stainless.
OK, finally, front sights. The front sight on this Stainless 'original model' Vaquero is .368 high. The New Vaquero front sight is .360 high. I'm sure there is probably some variation from gun to gun. I don't hunt, but is .008 really enough to matter?
Regarding filing the sights down: I did that with my first couple of 'original Vaqueros', to get the point of aim just where I want it. I have not filed down any front sights in years now. I mostly shoot my single action revolvers at steel plates in CAS, and if I miss it is because I did not aim well, not because of the height of the front sight.