Taurus Gaucho or Ruger New Vaquero

[Nightcrawler]

I'm still contemplating the purchase of a real fun-gun, a Colt-style SAA. I like these two models, the Taurus Gaucho and the Ruger New Vaquero. Both have the feel and balance of a Colt, but both can be carried six up and are made with modern heat-treating. The Taurus is designed to be fan-fired without damage; while I won't be doing a lot of that, it's nice to know they took the time to heat-treat all the internals.

The Ruger has their reverse-indexing pawl (which I sincerely hope they make standard on all of their single actions) making for easier loading. I've also read in some gun rag that the New Vaquero can also be fan-fired. If true this would be a first for the New Model Rugers, as such things would damage the lockwork on the regular models.

I still might just get the 5.5" Blackhawk convertible (all .45, of course), but I think I might have more fun with the cowboy gun.

Is there a conversion kit to simplify the loading of the standard Blackhawk? I'd prefer a half-cock notch, but well done, so it's not fragile...

 

[Pilot]

If they have a transfer bar, its not a real SAA clone. If you want a real SAA clone with the clickety click cocking like the Colt and very high, American made quality get a USFA Rodeo.

 

[MCgunner]

Hang the tradition and give me a Blackhawk. JMHO of course. I don't shoot cowboy stuff.

 

[Jim March]

Fan-fire either much and you'll break it.

There have been some complaints about the bolts breaking on some Gauchos. Dunno where you heard they can be fanned but...I wouldn't.

Given the same choice I went with a New Vaq in 357 over the Gaucho or the third "transfer bar SAA", the Beretta Stampede for these reasons:

1) Ruger tough, coil springs, etc. Can't take "Ruger ONLY!!!" 45LC+P-from-hell loads but it's otherwise pretty stout.

2) Killer aftermarket support. All New Model grip frames fit the New Vaquero so long as you get a mainspring strut from an "old Vaquero" ($5) and a spring kit from Wolff or whatever for an old Vaq; Milt at QPR hasn't fitted one of his brass grip frames to a New Vaq yet but one of his customers did so successfully. All New Model Blackhawk hammers and triggers fit. Want a Superblackhawk hammer on a New Vaq, for less thumb reach? No problem. Bisley conversion? Doable! Belt Mountain has started making screw-locking New Vaq-length base pins, including "Sheriff's model head length" for a longer ejector stroke. Even the "poor boy trigger job" works perfectly on a New Vaq.

(Ruger will probably not do their own bird's head New Vaq because the mainspring would be too short to allow use of that internal keylock thingie...but with aftermarket parts you can ditch it altogether.)

3) The New Vaq loading drill with the hammer down and just open the gate (which also locks the hammer/trigger) is the safest SA loading pattern available and with the revised system in the New Vaq also the fastest.

I am VERY happy so far. Bone stock, my windage is dead on, groups are tight and elevation is just a bit low - if I was keeping the stock sights for CAS/SASS a bit of filing for my load would put me dead on, which is exactly what you want. Barrel-to-cylinder gap is about .003" (perfection!), timing is perfect, there are no "flyer cylinder bores". Most people are reporting similar experiences in both 357 and 45LC. They also appear to have gotten the cylinder throat issue in 45LC right on the New Vaq.

What I don't like is the "fake case hardening" in general but I have to say, this is apparantly the newest rev of that system and it appears to be pretty good. Mine is a "smoky gray" all over that's not at all traditional but looks pretty damn good and so far hasn't acted as a "rust magnet" as some of the earlier processes did. I left a bit of fingerprint on an unobtrusive place after a range trip a month ago, inspected it just yesterday and no problems whatsoever.

I would have preferred stainless but when I came across this one in case-color and the caliber and barrel length I wanted (4.68") and it passed inspection with flying colors, I went with it and do not regret it at all.

Having decided to keep it, now the mods start . Sights and brass bird's-head grip frame to start with, a Belt Mountain sheriff's pin plus score an SBH hammer or modify the stock hammer...haven't quite decided, I'll make that choice once the bird's head is on. Get a cylinder hone tool from Brownell's and polish the bores to a mirror finish.

And then just maybe, down the road...$250 gets a second cylinder in 356GNR from Gary Reeder, $90 for a set of dies in 356....which is a 41Magnum necked down to 357 . Full power at less pressure, faster loading with bottleneck shells...ohhh yeah .

 

[Gunz]

How does the Uberti stack up? It is a REALLY plain looking gun with flat black finish, brasstrigger guard, and sells retail for $259 at Gander Mountain.

I alost bought one because of price, but have held off until I do further research.

I did buy a 44 mag Vaquero case-color finish. I oil it with break-free and wipe it down regularly. It has held against rust so far.

 

[Jim March]

Ubertis are OK but they're five-guns, not sixguns for all practical intent. No safety worthy of the term. Beretta bought Uberti recently, quality seems to have gone up some and the Stampede is the "high end Uberti" under the Beretta brand name and DOES have a real transfer bar safety just like the Gaucho, New Vaq and Freedom Arms '97.

I personally would rather have a transfer bar gun. I was seriously torn between the Stampede and New Vaq but settled on the latter. To me the Gaucho wasn't in the running.

Another issue: the Uberti you were looking at is most likely a "very close clone" of the Colt SAA which means flat springs throughout, no coil springs. Flat mainsprings are bad enough; flat smaller springs are a real pain unless they're GOOD quality and a lower-end Uberti model is unlikely to have springs good enough for frequent shooting. They can be swapped out for better aftermarket flat springs and they'll do fine but it's a nuisance. The Gaucho and Stampede have flat mainsprings but all other smaller springs are coil, a major improvement. Rugers use coil on everything, main and smaller. FA too I think.

 

[Crosshair]

Semi-Hijack:

Presonaly I would go with the Ruger because they are generaly known as a better brand than the Taurus. (We can debate this all day.) The aftermarket stuff is nice plus as well.

My question: Who do I call at Ruger about getting a 45 ACP cylinder fitted to my Old Vaquero in 45 Colt? It is still on layaway, but I want to be able to get a new cylinder fitted as soon as I get it.

 

[Jim March]

Ruger won't do it. Gary Reeder will:

www.reedercustomguns.com

$250 for a full custom cylinder, less if he can modify something used (old 357 cylinder or similar).

 

[ArmedBear]

Between the two, Ruger. American made, incredible customer service, unbeaten track record of quality and support, lots of excellent upgrades (grips, springs mainly) available readily and (sometimes) cheaply. The Ruger is considered CAS-ready from the box, though it can be tuned. Few other guns and none for the price meet this criteria.

For a fun gun, a true Colt clone is my choice, though, since I'm a bit of a history buff. Click, click, click. (I shoot BP revolvers, too.)

Italian guns are quite good now, and also tunable for cheap. USFA if you're rich and want the best, Colt if you're rich, label-conscious and don't mind paying a gunsmith to make it feel as good as a USFA.

For a good SA shooter, a Ruger Blackhawk would be my choice if I didn't care about the Old West connecion. Sight picture is a wonderful thing.

 

[Pilot]

USFA if you're rich and want the best, Colt if you're rich, label-conscious and don't mind paying a gunsmith to make it feel as good as a USFA.

Rich? USFA? I bought a USFA Rodeo a few months ago for $450. I don't think they are much more than that now, especially if you watch the online gun sites. Even at $500 - $550 they are worth it.

 

[ArmedBear]

Rich? USFA? I bought a USFA Rodeo a few months ago for $450. I don't think they are much more than that now, especially if you watch the online gun sites. Even at $500 - $550 they are worth it.

Good call. They're still out there. And they are indeed worth it.

 

[9mmhpfan]

If your a purist you will want to go with the Colt Single Action. If you want a look alike you will get an Italian made replica. If you are on budget but want quality go for the Ruger..sure it won't ckick 4 times when you cock it but you also do not have to put it at half cock either. Me personally I like the old model vaqueros

 

[ArmedBear]

WRT the Uberti Millenium...

I like mine. Well-made gun, durable finish for guilt-free field use.

And now I like it even better with Wolff springs in it.

 

[Sistema1927]

I have a pair of the Taurus Gauchos, 5.5" with the CCH frame in .45 Colt.

Very, very good triggers, they will serve me quite well in CAS. I have an old model Vaquero, 3.75" bird's head grip .45 in the "fake" CCH, and it is an excellent weapon as well, but I really like the four clicks of the Taurus, even if it does have a transfer bar.

 

[chaim]

I've been doing some research into the Gaucho and it looks promising. Reportedly the trigger is like it had a trigger job out of the box. Taurus seems to have engineered it to be quite strong. Taurus' execs were quoted in a recent gun mag as saying that it was designed from the factory to be ready for fanning. I recently got to see a few at a local gunshop in polished stainless, matte stainless, case hardened, and polished blue. The finish on these guns (except the matte) was absolutely beautiful.

The Gaucho is definately on my "must have" list.

Of course, the Ruger is a good gun, but I really like this Taurus.