New Vaquero?

Looking at getting a 5.5" SS New Vaquero .357 Mag or 45 Colt.
What do I need to look for, or look out for ?
And help me decide, .357 or.45 ?

I really like the New Vaquero, the 45 has a better balance IMO. I don't reload so I got one in 45 ACP. Real fun to shoot it and stands home defense duty in cue. May seem like heresy to shoot a SA in 45ACP not "Long Colt" but it works for me.

The 357 RNV is a heavy sturdy beast- many perfer them- esp cowboy action folks.

2 centavos.

Both.
Each caliber has it's merits, it's fun factor, and resulting in different reasons to own each one.
My only thing is that you do not have the ease of sight adjustment in a New Vaquero over a Blackhawk. But, in my case, I own some of each,,,,,,,,,,!
If you are buying, give any gun a good, close inspection prior to paying for it.

The 45 is lighter, and it's a 45.

No matter which one you choose (both are excellent,I own several of each) you will surely want to own the other variety also. If I was to pick my favorite from them, it would have to be a coin toss but I do favor the .45 for handling.

If you do not reload...357, hands down...that colt will break you, if you like to shoot a lot.

Thanks for the input
I am ready to order just have to decide.
I reload and cast my own, so ammo is not an issue.
I already reload for the .357 but the .45 seems to keep calling to me :lol:
Been reading that the .45 Vaqueros always need the Throats opened up and the forcing re-cut to 11 degrees before they will shoot well. What about the .357 ?
Kind'a hate buying a new gun knowing I will have to spend another couple of hundred to make it shoot.

The only reason to cut forcing cone to 11 degrees is if shooting lead to possibly cut down on leading. Same with .357/.38 BTW. It just seems to be the best angle for some reason. But you may not even notice the difference accuracy wise if you don't cut it.

As the for the cylinder throats of .45 Colt.... Well, Ruger has gotten better so you may be okay there. I did ream my to .4525, but it was already 'close'. .451 if I remember right. Last I read, reaming costs were like $25 or so. Not a deal breaker. I have my own reamer, so I do all mine myself.

I worry more about the front sight with fixed sighted revolvers. All of mine did not shoot to point of aim. All had to get their barrel turned to shoot good horizonally. Then of course a bit of filing to bring up to point of aim on one of them. The others shot high, so nothing I could do there.

I know which I would pick up if it was me . But your call!

I love my Davidson's New Vaquero 4.62"/45 Colt.

Hylander said:

Thanks for the input
I am ready to order just have to decide.
I reload and cast my own, so ammo is not an issue.
I already reload for the .357 but the .45 seems to keep calling to me :lol:
Been reading that the .45 Vaqueros always need the Throats opened up and the forcing re-cut to 11 degrees before they will shoot well. What about the .357 ?
Kind'a hate buying a new gun knowing I will have to spend another couple of hundred to make it shoot.

Click to expand...

The only other thing that I will add is to reread what Rclark said about shooting to POA. It seems to be common among Vaquero's...not just the NEW Vaquero...for them to not shoot to the sights. I have a 45 colt that I have been pissing with for nearly 2yrs and I still can't get it to shoot acceptably, to point of aim...only gun that I have ever had that I could not get a handle on. Now, this is not to say that they are all like mine...cause, if they were, Ruger would no longer be making them. I am honestly to the point that I am quitting with it...I don't sell guns, but it is in the safe for the duration.

At any rate, caveat emptor...if you don't want to possibly have to go to a lot of hassle.

Rclark said:

The only reason to cut forcing cone to 11 degrees is if shooting lead to possibly cut down on leading.

I know which I would pick up if it was me . But your call!

Click to expand...

I will be shooting lead almost exclusively with some plated thrown in for good measure.

So which would you choose if it were you ?

I've got the 4-5/8" blued model .45 LC, from 4-5 years ago and it needed its cylinder throats reamed. Mine were undersize by 0.001"-0.002"....for cast bullets, this amounted to a 3"+ grouping ability at 25 yds. After reaming, [by cylindersmith.com now out of business I hear], it will throw those big slugs into 2" with ease.

Mine also shot 2"+ to the left, and a cpl inches low. I've attempted to bend Ruger front sights in the past on a baby Vaquero in .32 H&R with disasterous results. I broke it off, or more accurately, broke the soldered joint. My soldering technique is minimal to say the least, but I managed to get it back on and secure.

For the New Vaquero in .45 LC, rather than sending it back to Ruger for a barrel turn [which I probably should have done], I widened the rear notch in the top of the frame, and was able to center the group with my favored hand load [8.0 gr of Unique with a 250 gr flat pointed round nose]. Elevation was an easy job with a fine flat mill file and some touch up cold blue. All in all, Rclark's suggestion to send it out for barrel turning to align the gps with the POI is a better idea. I think Ruger can do this, but maybe on your dime if it's now within their manufacturing tolerances....

Ruger does have a history of undersize cylinder throats over the years and the .45 LC is a cast bullet gun for the most part. If you don't want to get into those kinds of issues, and the sight quandary is a problem, I'd go with the .357....Here's a pic of the blued .45...

HTH's Rod

Do what I did with my Ruger Blackhawk convertibles. Buy both.

Yup my advice also when you can't make up your mind buy both, if you do I bet the 357 will end up being used the most because of ammo expense, kind of like owning 2 cars the one with the best mileage gets drove the most, the other one sits in the garage or safe when it comes to guns.