Ruger Birds Head Vaquero 32 H&R ??

[kywoodwrkr]

Went into local shop yesterday and they had a 'used' Ruger as title suggests.
Price was $375.
How does this stack up with what they are going for NIB.
This one is still stiff. Ruger says a box or two will loosen them up for smooth operation so this one has hardly been baptized.
Reason person brought this one back was 'cost of ammunition'.
Obviously, not a reloader, let alone a caster of boolits!:mrgreen:
Had it squirreled away till I decide if I can or cannot live with out it.
Whats the word on the street?
Thanks.
DaveP kywoodwrkr

[Dale53]

kywoodwrkr;
I am a real lover of .32's and have several. I first bought a Ruger SS 4 5/8" blued and it shot well but a friend's 6" was easier to shoot. Mine seemed to want to lead in the throats. However, it shot really well. It was just a bit harder to shoot than the longer barrel.

Another friend knew the revolver and its few warts and talked me out of it. It was stolen from him within two weeks....

I ended up with a S&W 631, an S&W 16-4 (6") and have recently purchased a Ruger SP101 4". I had a trigger job done on the SP and am rather happy with it. However, old age is catching up with me and I am having trouble seeing iron sights. So-o-o, I am having a Weaver rail installed and will put a small reflex Red Dot Sight on this piece. It will be my new "walk around" piece for the woods.

I have lots of revolvers but frankly shoot my .32's more than anything else. I also like .38 WC's but have just fallen in love with the .32's. Just for the record, I have several .44 magnums as well as a .375 JDJ TC pistol and shoot them well but most of the time I prefer the lighter guns just for shooting fun. I no longer feel the need to prove anything (if I ever did) the these little .32's pretty much fill the bill for me.

I need adjustable sights and the SP101 only adjusts for windage (a pity). However, with the new dot sight that will take care of that. I want/need target loads for general shooting and edible small game. For the occasional ground hog, I want to jack up the load to magnum levels (well, at least .32 magnum levels).

These guns really need adjustable sights as you really have several levels of performance that are really useful to use. I have a GB 100 Keith for general and target use as well as magnum speeds. I also have a GB 120 gr RF that is useful also (it shoots really well).

I currently have three .32 H&R caliber revolvers, one SSK TC pistol, and also a little "J" frame .32 S&W Long. Don't forget my TC Carbine. Yep, I am addicted to the .32's. Economical of powder and lead, easy to load for and have enough power for many uses. I prefer something more authoritarian for personal defense, but I wouldn't feel naked if forced to "make do" with a .32 H&R magnum. In my many travels while competing, I used to regularly run into a famous "gun fighter" of the New York Stakeout Squad. He was a big proponent of "only hits count" and he told me that there is nothing that beats a .38 wadcutter in the left eye... If you believe that (and I find it hard to refute) a hot loaded .32 with a proper bullet is not to be sneezed at. It is certainly not my first choice for a gun fight (12 gauge with 00 buck is my first choice) but it is not exactly "chopped liver", either.

Dale53

[klausg]

DaveP-
I've got one nearly identical, regular grips/polished stainless. The stiffness went away with around 250 rounds or so in mine. Mine likes a cast boolit 90+ grains backed with around 2.5 gr of Red Dot. I got mine before I started casting and so had around 1000 Meister 94gr LRNFP's on hand, because of this I have yet to load any of the GB 100 Kieth boolits yet. That and it's been too damn cold to cast any. When I got mine I looked at the bird's head very hard, it does have the "nifty" factor, but didn't really like the way it felt in my hand, YMMV. Take care.
-Klaus

[ktw]

Mine seemed to want to lead in the throats. However, it shot really well.

Mine does this, too. Not spitting lead, but a good film of lead on the front of the cylinder and wrapping arond the sides a bit after a shooting session of any length. Doesn't matter what bullet I use, what I size them at or what lube I use.

Does anyone have any idea what the design issue is here? Would opening the forcing cone a bit help?


kywoodwrkr: I paid $350-375ish for a new one back when Davidsons was closing them out.

-ktw

[32 20 Mike]

I've been a heavy 44 abuser for years then I wanted a Ruger .32 mag. My local dealer in semi autos, looked down his nose, "as he only sells assault guns" and didn't want the sale. I ordered my 2nd Vaquero 44 mag from him and it was like pulling teeth. So I went down the street to the other dealer and lo and be hold he had a Cimarron (uberti) Mod. P jr. in 32 mag with an extra cylinder in 32-20. I fell in love: only problem was that it shot 14 in low and about 8 in. to the right with either factory rounds. After settling on a load of 4.2 grs of Unique with an original 115 gr. 32-20 blt. I shot, then filed the sights to shoot dead on at 50 ft. Its only about 900 fps. but it will shoot 1 to 1 /12 in groups off a rest. ( when I have a good day) it's said to say that my Ruger 44s would do that out of the box . Why??

I also went from 115 gr. sized to .312 to over bore .314 to tighten the groups. I saw an art. by Mike Venturo that stated he fixed an original non shooting Colt 44-40 with larger than bore size blts. According to the 2nd addition of Lee's manual states that its ok to "size" the blts with the bore as long as the loaded rounds enter without forcing/ binding in the chamber. I have no signs of excessive pressure ie. flattened primers, sticking cases. But the 32-20 is now my primary toy.
32-20 Mike

[9.3X62AL]

Mike--

I'm another one who sizes 32-20 WCF revolver boolits to .314". I use the R-P and W-W cases in my revolvers, saving the Starlines for rifle work with their higher pressures in Starline's heavier brass. I'm not sure of this, but maybe the fatter boolits and larger expander used in the thinner cases gets the rounds aligned/centered a little better. The relationship between most sizing dies and chamber dimensions in 32-20 is poetic, at best.

That little Cimarron revolver in 32-20 sounds like a sweetheart. Kinda like a cowboy's Police Positive Special.

[nelsonted1]

Buds gunshop has this one for $300

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/70494

This is a New In Box Ruger Single Six, Part Number 6511, model SSM4FSI. This model has been discontinued.

SPECIFICATIONS

* Type: Revolver
* Action: Single Action
* Caliber: 32 H&R
* Barrel Length: 4 5/8"
* Capacity: 6 rd
* Safety: Transfer Bar
* Grips: Simulated Ivory
* Sights: Fixed
* Weight: 35 oz
* Finish: Blued

[Uncle R.]

Dang Nab It !
That's a cute little bugger - but it's got those FIXED sights. :cry: I've long thought that a Single Six .32 with adjustable sights would be the berries as a trail gun - with capabilites from ultra-light plinking loads to fairly serious defense work. Unfortunately the few that exist are trading at breath-takingly high prices. I'd sure like to see Ruger make another run of the original S-S .32s. Apparently nobody buys single actions any more except cowboy shooters.
Groan!

[kywoodwrkr]

Here is what the Vaquero looks like with the birds head grips.
http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7871098
That is same model I have set aside for me.
Only one I can find out there right now.
Maybe the $375 isn't all that bad.
DaveP kywoodwrkr

[shinpaj_1911]

Mr Kywoodwrkr -

That is about what I would expect to pay ($350 - 400). You didn't say in your post whether the pistol is blued or SS. Its a nice little pistol and its not a bad $.

If you decide against getting the pistol, let me know...and if it is Stainless.

Thanks.

[Dale53]

I'm looking for a Ruger Bisley 6" in .32 mag myself. I will be at a major gun show this weekend, and maybe I'll get lucky (I've got several fine revolvers in this caliber so I really NEED this[smilie=1:).

I am still waiting on the return of my SP101 from the pistolsmith (Weaver Rail installation). I guess I am just an impatient feller (but I really would like to get it back before I cash in my chips:( ).

Dale53

[kywoodwrkr]

shinpaj_1911,
Pistol is blue and identical to the linked one, as I remember it, like an older Ruger I have in 32 H&R Mag.
This one just seemed to feel right even though the grips look different to me.
Guess I'll see next weekend.
Thanks.
DaveP kywoodwrkr