Vaquero help?

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

brl150

Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2007
Messages
55
Location
Southwest, FL
I inherited a Vaquero from my brother when he passed several years ago. I've been going through his collection recently to see exactly what he had and what I might want to start using. His taste in guns was completely different from mine. My purchases were mainly practical hunting purchases and he didn't hunt, just shot a lot.

Anyway, I'm not much on single action revolvers so I'll need a little assistance. After looking on Ruger's website, it seems to be right on the cusp of 2004 & 2005...I guess right when the transition was from original Vaquero to the New Vaquero? Serial number starts with 58-88...The frame just says "Vaquero". I assume I have an old Vaquero? If so, are these the models that will handle the heavier 45LC loads?

What are the pro's and con's of these revolvers? I'd like to use it for range work to practice for hunting deer/hogs. I already have a Redhawk in .44mag but thought it might be fun to hunt with the Vaquero. The rear site is fixed and may not be easy to get accurate with out to 50 or 60 yards? But, I'm sure I can get to hunting accuracy with it...or is that not easy with these guns?

Thanks for any tips, comments, suggestions!!
 
The Ruger Vaquero is built like a tank...

As long as it's in good shape, it should handle any type of 45 Colt loads. As far as hunting, they are easily good out to 50 yards depending on the shooter :rolleyes:
 
The Old Model Vaquero had a much stronger frame and can handle the hottest ammo out there including the +P+. The New Model is a lighter frame and is not recommended for defensive or hunting ammo. I use my 7 1/2 inch .45 for Deer hunting or any time I'm out in the woods.

LD45
 
I have 2 old model Vaquero's in 45 Colt. The old models are a little bit larger than the "new" model. POA and POI are usually regulated with 250 gr bullets they can be adjusted to lighter boolits. I personally would not shoot the TC only loads in it they were designed for the Thompson Center Contender type guns and are a bear to shoot. Would be kinda like shooting CORBONS in a K frame smith, may not come apart right then but will eventually. I had a buldged chamber in a colt from using some WW Silver tips. So I now stay with the common loads in 45 Colt.

Hope this helps you.
Robert
 
The original Vaquero is basically a NM Blackhawk with fixed sights. The frame is actually a little stronger than the Blackhawk's because there's no square cut for the rear sight. How much stronger is unknown.

The New Vaquero is basically the old, medium frame Blackhawk with fixed sights. While not as robust as the original Vaquero or the NM Blackhawk, it's quite a bit stronger than a Colt 1873 or one of the Italian clones. It's fully up to handling standard .45 Colt loadings or a bit heavier if you handload. A 250 grain cast SWC at 900 fps from the 4.625 inch barrel is no sweat. That load will serve well for defense, and will shoot shoulder to shoulder through the average Whitetail from 50 yards...and nearly lengthwise at 25 yards. Not a "Magnum" but no weak sister, either.

If it's a New Vaquero, it'll say so on the gun. If it's an older, large-framed Vaquero...it'll just say "Vaquero."

On the overload "Ruger Only"data given in the manuals...please note that Ruger has never given a green light on those loads. Best advice is to use them sparingly as need dictates.
I've seen stretched, expanded chambers on more than one New Model Blackhawk in that caliber.
 
I have both Ruger Vaquero and Ruger New Vaquero and...

the "new" vaquero will be on the left side of the frame just above the trigger . I like them both and enjoy shooting them. The Vaquero as has been mentioned is much more robust and of course heavier too. You can shoot very hot loads in it( I shoot 250 gr bullet at 1200 ft/sec) . The new vaquero is lighter in weight and I would not shoot real hot loads in it. For the money , I find they are well made and much fun to shoot. Many custom gunsmiths use the Vaquero platform for building fine single action revolvers, which is a big plus for this fine revolver. Have fun with yours.
 
If you're not well aquainted with single actions, they're a little different animal than you're accustomed to.

The long, heavy hammer fall and slow lock time make them a bit harder to shoot consistently than a double action revolver, and the "Rollup" recoil makes it necessary to reaquire your grip after the shot...which makes you have to work harder for a consistent grip.

When a friend bought his first single-action revolver...a .357 Blackhawk...he was in a snit over its terrible accuracy. Since I cut my teeth on single actions...I shot the gun from sandbags, and it ate the 10-ring out of a B27 target at 25 yards. After he figured out what was wrong, he learned to shoot it and vowed to never part with it. That was almost 30 years ago, and he still has the gun.
 
brl150

As others have already attested, the original Vaquero is one well built single action revolver. Mine shoots to POA out to about 25 yards with both factory ammo and handloads. Always a fun gun to take along to the range.
gunpix1012-1.gif
 
Opinion Warning! The 1st model Vaquero revolver, was made to be a single action that reloaders wouldn't blow up, so they would quit, wrecking old Colts. Since you can never make everybody happy the second version was designed as an attempt to recreate the size and balance of the Colt. Only because, 8 guys in California thought the first one was too heavy. If your gonna hot rod it 1st model. If your sensitive to weight or fad, get the second model.

Clarification: the 8 guys in California write magazine articles, origin of hue and cry. Robust Blackhawk and Vaquero frames both cater to hand loaders. For literary support look for the same type magazine articles,starting circa 1955, that usually start with a enlarged photo, of a Colt SA with a half a cylinder, or the top strap blown off.( I know thats not when the Blackhawk came out, Ruger has always talked about stuff 2 or 3 years before it comes out.)
 
Last edited:
I suspect that the original Vaquero came in the way it was because Ruger had beaucoup NM Blackhawk frames and cylinders in stock, ready to be finish machined. Only when the cry arose for a SA revolver that was closer to the 1873 Colt in size and weight...and after they concluded that the demand was there to warrant tooling up...did they break out the old mid-frame cores and start producing them again.

Ruger has never given the green light to the "Ruger Only" data given in the manuals. Call'em and ask'em. They'll tell ya in quick time that if you use such ammunition, that they're not responsible for what happens.
 
"Opinion Warning! The 1st model Vaquero revolver, was made to be a single action that reloaders wouldn't blow up"

I agree. I would suggest reading the disclaimer/recommendation on the Buffalo Bore website for the .45, it pretty much says the Blackhawk and Old Model Vaquero are the only ones that can handle their ammo.

LD45
 
I dunno. I doubt that Ruger was all that concerned about people blowin' up other manufacturers' revolvers with insane handloads when they introduced the large-framed Vaquero. If that was the case, the Blackhawks were already there. Why go to the trouble of producing a Blackhawk with fixed sights?

They wanted a piece of the cowboy market, and they had unfinished large frames and cylinders on hand.
 
Yeah, that's why he built both to exactly mimic the strengths of the SAA. Thats why the reloading manuals have special sections for Ruger/TC Contender loads because he didn't give a thought to reloaders. It was all just a happy accident.

I am convinced that some people would not see a market for sturdy SA revolvers, based on the fact that they were blowing up someone elses product left and right. I dont think Ruger gave two hoots about Colt, beyond can I market a stronger revolver? Or cut em in price.?
 
Last edited:
Just in case ya missed it...again...

Call Ruger and ask'em if they're on board with the "Ruger Only" .45 Colt data in the manuals.

They'll tell ya in a heartbeat that they don't recommend exceeding SAAMI standards with any of their revolvers...Blackhawk or Vaquero.

Go ahead.

Back to the other question...

I seriously doubt if Ruger gave a rotund rodent's rump that a few morons were blowing up a competitor's revolvers. They wouldn't have jumped into a fixed-sight SA market for such a small number. The fast-growing CASS market? Yes...and since they already had unfinished Blackhawk frames and cylinders...there was no call to reintroduce the old, mid-framed Blackhawk just for that market. Later, when the cry arose for a smaller, lighter version...they crunched the numbers and decided that it was worth retooling for the smaller revolver...and the New Vaquero was the result.

And...Even if they did have an idea of producing a SA revolver that wouldn't blow up with proof-level handloads...the Blackhawk was already available. Why introduce a fixed-sight Blackhawk just for a tiny segment of idiots who wanted a fire breather?
 
Have you ever heard the term "Liability Legislation"? What do you think the official policy would be? I'll go call Ruger, While I'm gone, you can count the number of loads that dont exceed SAAMI specs in the special Ruger section. in the loading manual of your choice.

Its usually not a case of me missing stuff, its usually because I dont agree.
 
It's not a matter of agreeing. It's a matter of marketing. It's about making a profit.

No company is going to invest in retooling and introducing a new line unless they're about 98% sure there's enough money in it to make it worth the effort. That takes a larger number than a few fools who were blowing up Colts and Ubertis. The Cowboy Action Shooters movement was that market.

Then, the CASS folks asked Ruger for a smaller version of their Vaquero...and Ruger listened. Once they determined that there was enough money in it to make it worth the investment...they gave'em what they asked for.

It's about the money. If it was about making a fixed-sight revolver that a few idiots wouldn't smithereen with ridiculous handloads...they'd have never dropped the Blackhawk-based Vaquero...but they did...because it wouldn't sell to the larger market as well as the New Vaquero.

For the few who want to turn a .45 Colt revolver into a .44 magnum...the Blackhawks are there, and Ruger is aware that they're being hot-rodded...so they make them strong enough to handle it...but they'll not admit to that because it would leave them wide open for a major lawsuit when...not if...somebody enters the highway of no return with an insane handload and loses fingers and eyes.
 
So when you correct my opinion with opinion, would it just be easier to say your right, at the very first? Because in spite of your inaccuracies, I'm starting to like you. I can tell I'm going to have to build up a tolerance though.
 
It's not really my opinion. It comes from a knowledge of manufacturing and marketing, having been involved with both for years. If the number crunchers feel that a product will sell...the company will make it. If it doesn't do as well as projected...they drop it. For sure, they won't introduce it to a small market. In this case, it's not about supplying a few adventurous/reckless handloaders with toys. It's about appealing to the largest market possible. It's about the money.

And, I'm not "correcting" your opinion. I'd never do that. I'm presenting a logical counterpoint...not so much for you...but for the people who read the discussion. To let them decide which point makes more sense. In this case...Did Ruger introduce the large-framed Vaquero for a few people to experiment with...or did they introduce it to the thousands who like to go play cowboy on Sunday afternoons?

The introduction of the New Vaquero and the dropping of the old followed the same logic and the same driving forces. The masses wanted a smaller SA, and they wanted it from Ruger, and Ruger heard the death knell of the big gun. The market was too small to support it and they turned their efforts and manpower to producing the small one...which sells like kerosene in Alaska in winter. I can see why. Having handled both, I much prefer the New Vaquero. If I want a fire-breather single action...I've got a .41 magnum Blackhawk.

Follow the money. Always follow the money.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

ArchAngelCD
  • Locked
Ruger Vaquero .45 Colt
Replies
16
Views
1K
ArchAngelCD
ArchAngelCD
W
  • Locked
Ruger Sheriff 45LC
Replies
17
Views
1K
wheelyfun66
W
T
  • Locked
Vaquero 44mag reloading inquiry
Replies
16
Views
879
Cosmoline
C
S
  • Locked
Ruger Vaquero questions
Replies
6
Views
832
Werewolf
W
A
  • Locked
Bisley Vaquero trigger help
Replies
4
Views
453
JoeHatley
J
Back
Top