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Ruger Vaquero ammo question

Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
edited January 2012 in General Discussion
I stopped to get some ammo for the two 45 Colts I have and the salesman told me to stick with Cowboy Action loads for the Vaquero.

I gots some learning to do, somebody educate me on the 45 Colt. I have 4 guns in 45 Colt, still need to pick up the other two yet but so far I have the Vaquero and an EAA Bounty Hunter. What ammo is safe to shoot out of these? I have a box of Magtech Cowboy Action Loads.
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Comments

  • gesshotsgesshots Member Posts: 15,678 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Cowboy Action loads are low pressure, low velocity rounds intended for target shooting.
    The Ruger is very strong and can handle any commercial ammo, From CA to the "hot" rounds from Corbon and Buffalo Bore.
    No experience with the EAA Bounty Hunter. [;)]
    It's being willing. I found out early that most men, regardless of cause or need, aren't willing. They blink an eye or draw a breath before they pull the trigger. I won't. ~ J.B. Books
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  • CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There are two Vaqueros, the Vaquero and the New Vaquero, stick to lighter loads for the New Vaquero, the old Vaquero will handle the +P hot loads like CorBon and Buffalo Bore. The New Vaquero is slimmed down and closer in size and weight to a Colt SAA.
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  • TrinityScrimshawTrinityScrimshaw Member Posts: 9,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What CS8161 said.

    I have two Older Vaquero's, and they are built a lot stronger then the newer ones. The new Vaquero is built closer to the original Colt SAA. They won't stand up to a lot of high pressure ammunition. They were made for Cowboy action in mind, because a lot of the SASS shooters claimed that the older Vaquero's were too bulky, and were not in tune to original equipment used during the days of the Old West.

    Trinity +++
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  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hmm, I'm new to these guns and I'm not quite sure how to tell the difference. Right now the only info I can give on this gun is it came with a .45acp cyl, does that help in determing if it is an older or new one?
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  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What's the serial#, that my help. I have a 4 5/8" shiny stainless old Vaquero in .45 Colt. That thing is hell-for-stout, and shrugs off "magnum" loads with ease. I also had a Uberti SAA copy, and that was only fed low-pressure CAS type loads.

    If it's a new one, like the posters have said it was designed to be closer to the look/feel of the SAA, so stick with the CAS loads. An "old" style? You're good to go with any commercial .45 Colt load, +p or otherwise.
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  • Sig220_Ruger77Sig220_Ruger77 Member Posts: 12,754 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you have both models to compare, the Vaquero will be heavier and slightly larger(noticebly in the cylinder area) then the New Vaquero.

    The 2 easiest ways to tell without having them side-by-side, are the base pin and locking mechinism. The base pin on the New Vaquero is rounded the whole way. There will be some inletted loops, but round from front to back. The Vaquero will be almost identical, except for it will have a large protruding 3/4 moon type piece of metal that mates up with the ejector round housing when it is put in place.

    Or, you can look and see if it has a internal locking mechanism. The Vaquero doesn't and the New Vaquero does.

    Jon
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  • CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think the New Vaqueros are marked on the frame as such.
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  • drobsdrobs Member Posts: 22,620 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Beleive the one you got from DW (U beat me too it) is an old style Vaquero and will handle hot & heavy 45 colt loads.
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  • countryfarmercountryfarmer Member Posts: 4,552
    edited November -1
    vaq_r5.jpg
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  • duckhunterduckhunter Member Posts: 7,687 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    New Vaqueros have a three digit prefix serial number . 510-xxxxx
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  • River RatRiver Rat Member Posts: 9,022 ✭
    edited November -1
    The "old" Vaquero had, I believe, a Blackhawk/Redhawk cylinder. It is one tough mudda and I love mine. The New Vaquero handles better, like a Colt SAA, but to do that they took some meat off the frame and cylinder.

    If you have an old Vaq, you can feed it anything manufactured today, including +P bear rounds (such as Buffalo Bore or Cor-Bon). If it's a New Vaq, you have a great gun -- just keep the +Ps out of it.

    That clerk was wrong, IMHO. The "cowboy loads" are low-power, if I can coin a term they are "minus-P" ammo. You can shoot standard SAAMI ammo in the New Vaquero.
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  • RocklobsterRocklobster Member Posts: 7,060 ✭
    edited November -1
    You may find this to be helpful:


    http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-NewVaquero.htm
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  • ruger41ruger41 Member Posts: 14,665 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you are talking about the Vaquero that you got from Doug Wilson if I remember seeing it-it was an old model Vaquero and they can handle any .45 Colt load on the market including the Plus + stuff. The EAA Bounty Hunter and New Vaquero's are safe with ANY standard pressure .45 Colt load--meaning everything from the Cowboy Action loads to plain white box Winchester. They cannot handle the Plus + loads from Buffalo Bore & Grizzly etc.

    You can also tell the difference between an Old Model Vaqero and a New Model by looking at the hammer--the Old Models have the same hammer as a Blackhawk--the New version has a totally different looking hammer and you can see what they look like on ruger.com
    Serial numbers can also confirm what you have by going to ruger.com and looking in the faq section.
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by CS8161
    There are two Vaqueros, the Vaquero and the New Vaquero, stick to lighter loads for the New Vaquero, the old Vaquero will handle the +P hot loads like CorBon and Buffalo Bore. The New Vaquero is slimmed down and closer in size and weight to a Colt SAA.




    Gospel.
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