Vaquero and Billboard qustion

This is my first post. I have lurked for a long time. I have read through sixty pages of both revolver and gunsmithing. Now to my question. I have a pair of Vaqueros with consecutive serial numbers in the 58-965XX range, they are 44 mags. Looking at Ruger they were made in 2005. They have the billboard on the bottom. Is this common for the 2005 guns? I have a 97 made vaquero and it has the billboard on the side. I guess the question is when did Ruger move the billboard? Thanks for reading and the info.

Greg

Welcome to the Forum. I believe 2005 was the first year for the billboard on the bottom. The NM Vaquero and most BH were on the bottom.
Eric

Welcome , i only come out every once+awhile myself and i have been here almost 10 years now.
jump in be friendly and these guy's + girls will answer any question you got.
and some are rite too.

2005 is when I got my first bottom warning label. I was thrilled !!

Rock....I don't know this for certain but I think the Vaqueros out there that have the billboard, as you call it, on the bottom of the barrel might very well be clean up guns. I have several Vaqueros with the 58 prefix, but mine are all 45colt, and only one has the information on the bottom of the barrel. All my New Model Vaqueros in CC&B, which are out of production, with the med-size frame have the information on the bottom except the 5.5 inch, it's on the side.

Maybe someone that is really in the know might be along shortly to shed further light on the subject.

Welcome.
JPG

The Warning roll mark did change to the bottom of the barrel sometime in 2005. However it does not coincide with the New Vaquero introduction. Therefore early New Vaqueros (serial # ranges are available) still have the Warning on the left side of barrel.

Since original Vaqueros and New Vaqueros use the same barrels, it's likely that early NV production used barrels already marked on the left side in inventory from pre-change to the bottom.

Original Vaqueros were issued thru 2005 and 2007 to 2009, (with some 'clean up' guns even later), and therefore will be found with bottom of barrel markings.

I didn't know they were issued that late. It would be nice to know how many were out there. I have a pair of the Talo special large frame Vaquero bids head and they have a serial of 59-003xx.
They are also consecutive. I reason that what is good for one hand is good for both.

Greg

There were about 3000 issued after 2005.

Your 59 prefix Birdsheads are late issue; marked under the barrel?

I have, supposedly the first SS FT .44 Special shipped to Dallas. The warning is underneath the barrel. I thought they had left it off for a couple of days. Anyway, I like it out of sight.

Jack

Hondo44

According to the magazine review for these birds head they are an early issue. They are the New Vaqueros in 44 mag. They are stamped New Vaquero and yes the warning is on the bottom. Off topic these guns need new grips the checkering really digs into the thumb.

The barrels aren't rollmarked until after they are screwed into the cylinder frame.
Ruger finished up Vaquero production well after the New Vaquero was in the market.
Ruger probably moved the billboard to the bottom because when Ruger's Studio of Art and Decoration was in business, nobody wanted that billboard in the midst of a bunch of barrel engraving.
It is correct that the first model Vaquero's with billboard on the bottom are cleanup guns.
Chet15

Thank you all for the information. I am now looking for more of the 44 magnums with the markings on the bottom.

Greg

rockledr said:

Hondo44

According to the magazine review for these birds head they are an early issue. They are the New Vaqueros in 44 mag. They are stamped New Vaquero and yes the warning is on the bottom. Off topic these guns need new grips the checkering really digs into the thumb.

Click to expand...

An early this year issue.

It was in this article that stated Ruger was bringing back the 44 magnum Vaquero and the birds head was the first. Maybe someone knows if that is in fact happening..

Greg

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/1/26/ruger-resurrects-the-44-mag-vaquero-revolver/

rockledr said:

It was in this article that stated Ruger was bringing back the 44 magnum Vaquero and the birds head was the first. Maybe someone knows if that is in fact happening..

Greg

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/1/26/ruger-resurrects-the-44-mag-vaquero-revolver/

Click to expand...

Greg,
I repeat:

Hondo44 said:

An early this year issue.

Click to expand...

It's the large frame like the original Vaquero but it's a "New Vaquero" with the RIP System (Reverse Indexing Pawl System); the chambers align with the loading gate, like all New Vaqueros.

See it here:
http://www.realguns.com/articles/789.htm

Hondo44,

I don't know where we are getting our messages crossed up. I realize these were issued this year. I have two and bought them in MAR. I was stating as per the magazine article these are supposedly the first in a new set of 44 magnums as New Vaqueros. That is what I meant by early issue. These being the first in a new run with more variations coming in the future.

Greg

Sorry Greg!

When you said this, it lead me to believe you didn't know that it in fact did happen:

rockledr said:

It was in this article that stated Ruger was bringing back the 44 magnum Vaquero and the birds head was the first. MAYBE SOMEONE KNOWS IF THAT IS IN FACT HAPPENING...
Greg

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/1/26/ruger-resurrects-the-44-mag-vaquero-revolver/

Click to expand...

Also you originally said "Vaqueros" instead of "New Vaqueros" here:

rockledr said:

I didn't know they were issued that late. It would be nice to know how many were out there. I have a pair of the Talo special large frame VAQUERO bids head and they have a serial of 59-003xx.
They are also consecutive. I reason that what is good for one hand is good for both.

Greg

Click to expand...

So I initially said that 59 prefix 'Vaqueros' are late issue. But the 59 prefix 44 Mag 'New Vaqueros' (I agree) are in a state of early issue (recently issued early 2016) for them.

rockledr said:

Hondo44,

I don't know where we are getting our messages crossed up. I realize these were issued this year. I have two and bought them in MAR. I was stating as per the magazine article these are supposedly the first in a new set of 44 magnums as New Vaqueros. That is what I meant by early issue. These being the first in a new run with more variations coming in the future.

Greg

Click to expand...

Personally, I do think we'll see more with grip frame and barrel length changes, maybe blued even. It'll be up to the Talo's of the world, the distributors that order these small volume non-regular production issues. They'll know depending on sales for the current 44 mag NV before Ruger knows.

Hondo,

No apologies needed. It's hard to convey over the internet and not in person. I think I should have used better phrasing for what I meant. I need to try harder sometimes to make myself clear. No hard feelings it is all good.

If Ruger continues bringing more variations of the 44 magnum New Vaquero out I will be a happy man.

Greg

Hondo44 said:

Sorry Greg!

When you said this, it lead me to believe you didn't know that it in fact did happen:

rockledr said:

It was in this article that stated Ruger was bringing back the 44 magnum Vaquero and the birds head was the first. MAYBE SOMEONE KNOWS IF THAT IS IN FACT HAPPENING...
Greg

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/1/26/ruger-resurrects-the-44-mag-vaquero-revolver/

Click to expand...

Also you originally said "Vaqueros" instead of "New Vaqueros" here:

rockledr said:

I didn't know they were issued that late. It would be nice to know how many were out there. I have a pair of the Talo special large frame VAQUERO bids head and they have a serial of 59-003xx.
They are also consecutive. I reason that what is good for one hand is good for both.

Greg

Click to expand...

So I initially said that 59 prefix 'Vaqueros' are late issue. But the 59 prefix 44 Mag 'New Vaqueros' (I agree) are in a state of early issue (recently issued early 2016) for them.

Click to expand...

Wow!! I really screwed that up. So sorry for the confusion brain and hands were not talking I guess.

Again sorry for the confusion.

Greg