Your opinions on new vaquero

[Ozark mike]

Im looking at maybe getting a 45 in the new vaquero and wanted you're opinions on the new vs the old model and do you think they are capable of the same pressures. Lookin forward to your personal experience

[NC_JEFF]

I've owned two of the early production New Model Vaqueros, they can definitely take higher pressure loads. Rarely did I ever load that hot. Own a Uberti Cattleman now and am just as pleased shooting it. The newer production V aqueros aren't the same guns as the early heavy frames were, I don't think I'd push pressure past standard saami recommendations

[bigted]

The original Vaquero is a blackhawk size frame and capable of blackhawk pressures.

The " new model Vaquero" is a smaller framed revolver and smaller cylinder. NOT capable of the blackhawk pressures.

I agree with JEFF in this case of keeping them to saami spec's.

They are fun revolvers and my new Vaquero chambered in 45 Colt is no exception. I even installed Super blackhawk grip frame to mine to give my large hands room to grip. Kinda like installing 1860 Army grips on a 1851 or 1861 navy colt for the same reason.

So no the new V old Vaquero are not able to exchange pressures. GREAT revolver tho. The "new Vaquero" gives the same "feel" as the old SAA. Very nice revolvers. I recomend the new Vaquero !

[onelight]

Here is a Gunblast comparison with a lot of pictures showing the difference .
https://gunblast.com/Ruger-NewVaquero.htm

[Dale53]

Brian Pearce has an excellent article on loading .45 Colt in Levels I, II, and III. The Ruger New Vaquero can be safely loaded and shot to Level II without long term issues. It CANNOT be safely loaded to Level III. Level II has a significant power level over Level I. Pearce also has an excellent article in issue of the Handloader #246 concerning the use of my favorite .45 Colt bullet - the RCBS cast bullet 45-270-SAA loaded to all three levels. This bullet in my alloy runs 285 grs weight and has a really wide meplat that makes this an excellent hunting bullet.

If you are planning on getting a new Ruger .45 Colt, for general use, you might want to consider getting one with target sights. They are more verstile - allow you to use a wide variety of bullet weights and velocities without point of aim issues. I have both and for general use much prefer adjustable sights. However, I do admit, that a New Vaquero, when regulated for a "standard" load can be quite satisfying. If I only was allowed to have one Ruger .45 Colt single action it would be one of the convertibles (.45 ACP/.45 Colt). I have the Ruger SS Bisley Convertible and it has been VERY satisfying. The Ruger Flattop Convertible (Level II) is a premier revolver and would probably be my first choice if I had not already had my SS Bisley. The slightly smaller frame of the flattop has better handloing feel in my hands.

Just a thought or two...

FWIW
Dale53

[contender1]

Lots of good points above.

I do want to point out a seemingly minor difference,, yet it makes a definite difference to many who handle a lot of Rugers.
Ruger NEVER made an "Old Model" Vaquero. All Old Model SA handguns by Ruger were stopped in 1973. They have a 3-screw action, and do not have the safety transfer bar.
Ruger marked their SA handguns with New Model after 1973.
All Vaquero's are New Models.
There are the ORIGINAL Vaquero's that were built on the Blackhawk sized frame. They can handle the same ammo that a Blackhawk can.
Then, Ruger muddied the water by scaling down the mainframe to the "mid-sized" frame of the 50's & early 60's, and called it the New Vaquero. Notice,, it doesn't say new MODEL."

An easy way to tell the frame size difference is by the serial number. The Original Vaquero's will have a 2-digit prefix,, while the New Vaquero's will have a 3-digit prefix.


Now,, to get a bit more on point,, study the purposes for the use of the Vaquero. I own several,, and it can be a chore sometimes to get one to shoot to point of aim. If your plans do not include a lot of different distances,, or target sizes,, then the Vaquero's are a fun choice. But if you plan on getting serious with a lot of different uses,, then I'd opt for a Blackhawk over a Vaquero due to the adjustable sights, and the larger frame.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I think this is pretty sound advice. I have 3 Vaqueros and 1 New Vaquero. The 3 older revolvers shoot pretty much to point of aim, but the new one, while it groups well, does not. Despite trying different loads it persists in shooting low and left. I can file the front sight to bring the group up, but it still shoots left, a condition that would be readily corrected with adjustable sights.

[44MAG#1]

I posted a couple loads I used in my NEW Vaquero on here quite a while back that was recommended to me by John Linebaugh that he uses in a NEW meaning the smaller NEW Vaquero, and the Load Data Police were on me in a heartbeat. They performed well but nothing from me on the subject.

[TNsailorman]

The only thing I don't like about the New Vaquero is not being offered in .44-40. james

[Ozark mike]

I already have a bh with adjustable sights even tho i could use a few more of em i always liked a good shooting pistol with fixed sights. I may try to locate a older one since i need the extra oomph for dealing with big ornery critters i was told the newer one felt better in the hand but i probably wouldn't notice since i like heavy handcannons

[Ozark mike]

Noooooo you just had to mention the 44 wcf that is one of my favorite cartridges now i got to build one dang you. :bigsmyl2:

[M-Tecs]

Im looking at maybe getting a 45 in the new vaquero and wanted you're opinions on the new vs the old model and do you think they are capable of the same pressures. Lookin forward to your personal experience

As pointed out two different frame/cylinder sizes and two different pressure levels. As to opinions it depends on intended usage? Do you want a Colt sized frame of a Blackhawk sized frame?

[DougGuy]

In saying New Model Vaquero, I am assuming you mean the recent production medium framed models. These are smaller frames and cylinders, in 44 Special and 45 Colt, they are safe to 25kpsi and 23kpsi respectively. You would have to hunt to find 44 Special data in +P pressures, but the data is out there. In 45 Colt, since they rated the same gun for 45ACP+P pressure which is 23kpsi, then the 45 Colt is equally rated because the cylinders are dimensionally identical in thickness measurements.

From what I have seen the fit and finish of the New Model Vaquero and New Model Flattop Blackhawk has been superb. "Lawyer warnings" have been transferred to the bottom of the barrel, out of sight mostly, and they have been impressed into the barrel much lighter than the side marked barrels. This means no ridges behind the lines of text inside the barrel. I have noted much less thread choke in the New Models than in previous models.

I liked them so much I had to have a Vaquero for myself. I also had a Lipsey's 45 Colt/45 ACP convertible that was excellent in every way. I honed the throats in both cylinders, recut the forcing cone, removed the creep from the trigger and installed a Wolff 30oz. trigger return spring, then sold the gun here on the forum for a reasonable price, somebody got a really sweet one!

It doesn't take much to turn these into tack drivers, the flattop I listed above would shoot into 1/ 1/2" at 25yds all day long. YMMV...

Edit: To reliably differentiate between the two models in discussion, guns with TWO digit prefixes in their serial numbers are large framed models, safe to 30kpsi "Ruger Only" loads, guns with THREE digit prefixes are the smaller medium framed models safe to 23kpsi but NOT RATED for the 30kpsi "Ruger Only" loads. Also, the ratchet star boss on the back of the cylinder on the large frame, 2 digit prefix serial gun is round, the ratchet star boss on the smaller 3 digit prefix serial gun is scalloped.