Help with Ruger Vaquero

[rpalmer]

My .45 Colt Ruger Vaquero seems to have the front sight leaning to the right. It looks as if the barrel was not tightened quite far enough. My gun shoots low and to the left at 50 feet. To be honest I've owned it for about 10 years and have not shot it very much for this reason. I did not want to send it back to Ruger because of the shipping expense and hassle of finding a shipper. If I take it to a local gunsmith to have the barrel turned, I'm afraid the ejector housing will not align with the barrel. Therefore the barrel will need to be redrilled. I have looked at several Vaqueros, Bearcats and fixed sight Single Sixes that seem to exhibit this problem.Why does Ruger allow this? It seems to me that a final inspection should catch this. How do others handle this problem.

[Ilwil]

I have had three Vaqueros, in .44-40, .45 and .44 mag. All of them shot a good 6-7'" left of the point of aim. I refused to bend the front sight or try to torque the barrel, so I sold them all (with warnings about the shot groups) I would not have another fixed sight Ruger revolver. Like you, I cannot understand how Ruger could let such revolvers out of the factory.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I had to send a revolver back to Ruger, did not cost me a cent, just called them and they sent UPS to my door. I would give them a call they will set it straight for you, in fact they would be more then happy to have that Vaquero back if it is an "old" model, but I warn you it will come back to you with a transfer bar safety inside, but they will include the original parts if you feel the need to go back to the way it was.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

BTW if you do want to sell it I would not mind hearing your asking price.

[44MAG#1]

Send it to a gunsmith and have a drift adjustable sight put on. Make sure it is extra tall so it can be filed in for elevation. You will still incur shipping both ways but it will be a very nice revolver then and one you will want to shoot.
Better than it lying around.

[rpalmer]

I'm going to look for a dovetail front sight and find a gunsmith in my area that I can trust to do a good job to install it. I sometimes think that many of the companies that make handguns feel confident that customers will not return shoddy work due to high costs of shipping and difficulty in finding a shipper.I know that some companies will cover shipping, but the customer will need to take time from work waiting for return delivery. I don't like the idea of a firearm laying unattended on my front porch while my family or I are away from home.

[KCSO]

No two people see the sights the same way so fixed sights are sort of a happy medium with the sights set for what the laser gismo says is right. #1 try some different loads and when you find the best shooting load that prints closest to centet have the sights adjusted to that. By the way DON"T try and bendthe Ruger sights they are brazed on and are hard as the hubs of H#!!. It will break before it bends. Turning the barrel enought to move the sights will not move the ejector rod enough to bother.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I would just give Ruger a call, see what they will do, won't take more then 15mins of your time, and you could save alot of money. So what is there to loose?

[August]

A real gunsmith, or Rooooger, will silver solder a new sight in the proper location without turning the barrel, moving the ejector tube, or otherwise disturbing the gun.

This will take care of the "left" part of your problem. The "low" part is characteristic of Roooooogers as they are NOT regulated from the factory. This is for your convenience in setting the gun up for the ammunition and purpose you choose. You'll have to regulate the gun once the sight is properly installed.

[mtgrs737]

Call Ruger, they will take care of it on their dime. It's their fault, let them fix it.

[03lover]

I have a Ruger Vaquero old style. I don't have any problem with it shooting to the left or right. It will shoot low with lighter weight bullets. My load using a 260 grain cast bullet, RNFP, with 6.1 grains of Trail Boss shoots to the point of aim at 50 to 75 feet. Using a lighter charge of Trial Boss, 4.5 grains, the 260 grain cast bullet will print 1-1/4" above the point of aim at the same ranges.

6.1 graing of TB is a modest load and 4.5 is quite light and a great plinker. Both are plenty accurate in my 7-1/2" barrel.