Vaquero customizing question

[Nightcrawler]

I've heard that the Ruger Vaquero revolvers have two clicks when you pull back the hammer, like a double action revolver. The original SAAs, however, had four clicks, including a half-cock notch that aligned the cylinder holes with the loading gate.

Is this true?

Secondly, I've heard that there's a conversion you can have done to a Vaq that'll give it the half cock notch. Is THIS true? If so, who does it? How much? And does it disable the transfer bar? Do you end up with four clicks like a Colt, or maybe three?

 

[Jim March]

There's two ways that I know of to get a "half cock conversion":

1) Jim Stroh at Alpha Precision does these, and has a page full of details on the process here:

http://www.alphaprecisioninc.com/revolver/halfcock.htm

Note that the safety is unaffected, and if desired, you can pop the loading gate open and it will function "just like any other Ruger New Model" as if you hadn't done the conversion at all.

I believe this actually gives you a "three click cock" versus four-click on a Colt. With Jim Stroh's mod, the trigger is further back in the triggerguard even with the hammer at full forward rest, effectively enlarging the triggerguard area for gloved use or similar.

Stroh charges $159 for the conversion. I don't know if that includes a basic trigger-feel action job or not; if it does, this is a pretty good value except that you have to add in gun shipping costs both ways, and the time delay with any custom gunsmithing.

2) Bolt in a complete conversion yourself with the Power Custom parts:

http://www.powercustom.com/revolver/parts_revolver.htm

Ron Powers has designed a complete hammer/trigger setup that gives you the half-cock conversion PLUS a quality action job, can be bolted in yourself (and by all acounts includes really good instructions) and as a bonus, you can choose between standard Vaquero-type parts or a Bisley hammer/trigger that will work in an unmodified Vaquero grip frame or a Bisley frame. Ruger's Bisley hammer/trigger needs minor alteration to work in a Vaquero grip frame.

Unless you have prior gunsmith abilities, I strongly recommend buying the hammer and trigger as a Powers-matched set. When you buy both, the sear face is pre-set for those two parts, it's very "drop in and go".

If you go this route, I recommend also adding the dirt-cheap freewheel pawl that will let the cylinder spin both ways with the loading gate open. This radically speeds reloading in some cases.

If it was me, I'd go the Powers route, esp. if you have eyes on a Bisley-bits conversion. The unpleasant shipping costs for a gun going both ways aren't present, you'll have it done a lot faster, you'll know a lot more about the insides of your Ruger, you'll have the spare parts in case of a breakdown, etc.

I've broken that Power Custom page out of it's frames, so to get to the ordering page goto:

http://www.powercustom.com

Brownell's also resells Power Custom parts, and you might get a better price that way.

Add $30 to the Powers costs, to get a set of proper Ruger SA gunsmithing screwdrivers from any of several sources.

 

[Indigo22]

I totaly agree with getting the Freespin Pawl. It is just as advertised drop in and easy to do. Worked slick in my SBH.

 

[Nightcrawler]

So these conversions work in a Blackhawk too? I haven't decided which to get yet, a Blackhawk or a Vaquero in .45 Colt.

 

[J Miller]

So these conversions work in a Blackhawk too? I haven't decided which to get yet, a Blackhawk or a Vaquero in .45 Colt.

Yes. Blackhawks and Vaueros are identicle internally.

I agree with the others about the Power Custom Action. I have one waiting for the next NM BH I get.

But I won't recomend the Freespin Pawl. To me it's a solution looking for a problem.
The problem is Rugers non existant half cock. A design defect if ever I saw one. Install the P.C. action, or modify your original so the half cock is there and then load appropriatly.
By using the P.C. action,or modifying the original the cylinder will always line up with the loading gate. You won't have to hold it there. When it clicks it's indexed.

If I understand the Freespin Pawl deal it spins either way without any indexing or clicking. With this you will still have to manually hold the cylinder in alinement with the loading gate. What have you gained, other than the ability to turn the cylinder backwards and manually index the chambers backwards?

 

[Jim March]

What have you gained, other than the ability to turn the cylinder backwards and manually index the chambers backwards?

Yup. Which is quite an advantage .

OK, based on my reading (versus experience), when you combine the Power Custom hammer/trigger halfcock setup with the freewheel pawl, when you half-cock it and then open the loading gate, you STILL get the clicks that tell you when the proper alignment is. The only thing the freewheel pawl gives you when the halfcock is set, is the ability to go backwards if you screw up and go too far.

You might want to check with Power Custom to make sure I'm right on that: does the freewheel pawl eliminate the index clicks you'd otherwise get with the halfcock hammer/trigger parts?

BUT the freewheel pawl gives you something else too: you can pop the loading gate open with the hammer fully down, and now you've got a straight-up "spins both ways" system (no usable indicator clicks). Under certain circumstances, this may actually be preferred. One example: you have a 45LC/45ACP convertable gun, with the 45ACP cylinder in place, and you're thumbing rounds in from a 1911 magazine . Proper technique is to ram a round forward, spin the cylinder underneath it, and just cram it in there the moment it will fit. Screw "click indexing", just pound 'em in there as it'll take 'em. If something goes wrong, you need the ability to back up and for that, the freewheel pawl helps.

Another advantage with the freewheel pawl: it comes with proper instructions to adjust the length to your gun. In some cases, a factory Ruger won't quite time right, if the factory pawl is too short. Put the Power Custom pawl in while following the directions, and you'll KNOW you have the right piece in there.

All this for the low, low price of $35 extra . And if you're going to take it all apart to put the Ron Power hammer/trigger in, heck, why not do this too while you're at it?

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Yes, the frames on all New Model Blackhawks, Vaqueros, Bisleys and SuperBlackhawks are 100% internally identical. Only the topstrap cosmetic shape and rear sight type varies. The Ruger Bisley hammer won't fit the Blackhawk/Vaquero type grip frame (XR3-RED) without minor tweaking while the Power Custom Bisley hammer will drop-and-go with any Ruger grip frame.