Talk Me Out of a Vaquero

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sentinel89

sentinel89

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Good afternoon,

I've been looking at getting a SAA revolver in 38/40 to match my 1892 SRC. But I have just been given the opportunity for a smokin' deal on a LNIB Ruger Vaquero, .45LC, 5.5", blue with case colors and wood grips. It's been turned but doesn't appear to have been fired. How is the quality, performance, fit, feel and function of these SAA revolvers? Resale value?? For the price, I'd be a fool to pass this up, and if worse came to worse, if I didn't like it, I could always resell it for at least double what I'm going to be paying for it. Thanks for your time and cooperation. As always your valuable knowledge and insight are greatly appreciated. Have a great day and Merry Christmas!
 
I have a New Model Vaquero, and it's my favorite gun out of all my handguns (although, I'll admit the collection isn't very large), and I also use it as a carry gun. Mine is also in .45 Colt, blue and CCH and a 4 3/4'' barrel. Fit and finish is almost top notch, the fake case hardening doesn't hold up very well, and when mine started to wear I sent the gun off to become fully blued. Other than that accuracy, handling, everything else is great. I do believe that a real Colt feels a little better and has a smoother action (also it doesn't have a transfer bar to muck things up), but then again a new 3rd gen streets for roughly 3x the cost, so it had better be higher quality!

If you are a stickler for historical accuracy, it isn't the gun for you as its innards are a bit different, but externally you can't really tell the difference (other than the ruger eagle grips and the safety warning). Someone who's really astute might notice that the external screws/studs aren't quite the same as a real Colt or authentic clone.

Also, if it's an old model Vaquero you can shoot the "Ruger only" super hot loads out of it which can equal a .44 magnum. This is not safe in the New Vaquero though, so make sure you know what you have.

Obviously I'm quite happy with mine (other than the case hardening thing), and if you are getting a smokin' deal I see no reason to pass it up.
 
Hopefully, Jim March will be by - he's got a lot of experience with the things.

In the spirit of a "talk me out of" thread, I suppose we're expected to dwell on whatever negative nits might be noticed?

As noted above, the fake case color is cheesy. But it wears quickly so it won't be around to offer offense for very long.

Vaqueros are difficult to talk about in intertubz gun boards because of the whole "terminology thing". You see, there are Vaqueros and there are New Vaqueros but there are no Old Vaqueros. I would have thought that anything older than a New Vaquero would be an old Vaquero but, evidently, an old Vaquero, were such to exist, would have no transfer bar and 3 screws, or something like that. I find the whole thing rather confusing but assume what you're looking at is a Vaquero, aka: "Not New Vaquero" if you prefer.

"Not new Vaqueros" are very stout and can shoot stuff labeled as "Ruger Only" whereas New Vaqueros can't (actually they can - but only once), even though they are Rugers. Of course, this means that "Not new Vaqueros" are large-ish and do not much match the profile of the SAA and this bothers some folks. Think of an F-550 with a pick-up bed parked next to an F-150. It'd look normal except when contrasted with the other product.

Hearsay has it that New Vaqueros are, on average, more accurate than Vaqueros that are not new - something about gang-drilling the not-new cylinder chambers vs. using a single bit multiple times.

Compared to a SAA-alike of high price, both types of Vaqueros have triggers that aren't quite as nice. "Thirty miles of bad road" is perhaps overstating the issue - many folks like Ruger SA triggers just fine.

There's a lot of aftermarket support, parts interchangability and the like - kind of a Mr. Potato Head or Lego single action if you will. But those things wouldn't do much to talk you out of one, so we won't mention them.
 
I was talked out of one this week but just went with a different Ruger single action. They are very nice weapons and will last a long time. I have heard the New Vaqueros are not as strong as the old one but are supposed to be more accurate. But in all reality, are you planning on shooting the super 45 Colt monster rounds that are made for hunting bears and Buicks?

If you want to hunt with it the standard pressure rounds should work pretty well. The Buffalo Bore standard pressure rounds are still pretty stout.
 
Talk Me Out of a Vaquero
Click to expand...
DON'T DO IT!!!
Why would you want to buy one of these:
Vaquero-2.jpg

They are fun to shoot, are accurate and again, fun to shoot. They also look cool and you can play Cowboy with one. Why would you want to buy something that shoots an old caliber like the .45 Colt? Just because someone still makes a revolver that looks old doesn't mean you have to buy it!! :D

So, how did I do? Did I help at all?? :neener: (I didn't think so)
 
Too Good to Pass Up

I'm not too crazy about the painted on case colors, and I'm not sure if it's recent mfg or an "older" model. A guy at work is selling it, and all I've seen is pics. It has the box, all paperwork, and the only problem I could see from the pics is a faint drag line on the cylinder. He's practically giving it away, so I think I'm gonna buy it. He's asking less than half of what it blue books for. I feel if I don't get it, it will be one of those non-purchases we always beat ourselves up for not making. How many times have we said, "Damn, I should have bought that gun."??

I'll let you know how I make out with it. Thanks again for your time and cooperation. Merry Christmas!
 
If you don't buy it, ask the seller to whomp you upside the head with it....

I have both a Vaquero & Blackhawk in .357...like them both. Biggest difference is that my Vaquero (2003 vintage) is fixed sights, while the Blackhawk has adjustable sights.
 
Vaqueros are good guns. A friend has a Bisley which is a marvelous handgun.

When I was considering a single action revolver, I ruled out the Vaquero, not because it wasn't a good gun, but because it was a MODERN gun. I wanted a real SAA-like experience, and the modern (and safer) mechanism of the Vaquero wouldn't have given me that. If I ever buy a single action, it'll be a Cimarron. But I'm NEVER going to carry it or compete with it. It'll just be a toy to remind me of my childhood and "The Wild Wild West".

If you actually want to carry and frequently use a fixed sight single action revolver, you could do much worse than a Vaquero.
 
The Vaquero (and the new one) are good guns. My only complaint about the "not New one" is that when ejecting spent shells the cylinder doesn't automatically index lined up with the ejector rod which has to be manually lined up.

I ended up trading my Vaguero on a Beretta Stampede Marshall.

img4618oc4.jpg
 
I say go for it. I don;t have a Veq, but do have two nice SAA's, one a tricked out AWA Longhorn which is a beauty with real CCH done the right way with charcoal. The other is a LNIB Uberti Cattleman both in .45lc. I love them.
 
Don't buy it!

If you are really looking for an out just give me the number of the seller and I'll make it so you won't have to worry about purchasing it.
:cool:
:neener:
:D
 
I say, if you like it, get it.

If you wnat me to talk you out of it though:

If you have a problem, expect to either pay out of pocket to have it fixed or to spend a LONG time at Ruger. I sent my Ruger MkIII that had issues straight out of the box back to the factory. It took over three months to get it back with no apology and no indication of what they fixed. Works flawlessly now.

If you want a really cool cowboy gun in 45 Colt, how about a Schofield replica. Will really get you noticed at the range, much faster to load and unload since it just breaks open, and sweet to shoot.
 
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