Arizona Ranger Vaquero - Update 2 w/ pics

Question. My dealer has a 5.5 inch all bright stainless vaquero with a bisley hammer that has the the state of Arizona engraved on the side and and "Arizona Rangers" on the top of the barrel. Older large frame vaquero in 45 Colt. The gun doesn't seem to match the description of the original 304 Arizona Ranger guns. He got it from a distributor just last year. Any info on this piece? Thanks.

Catalog number KBNV-455
Serial number 55-24XXX
Model number 00553

It was factory test fired in Sept. 2006, and he receive it in 2009 from a distributor.





Any help appreciated.

Welcome to the Forum!
Do you have more info on the gun? Such as the model info? (Example; KBNV-455) to help us answer this? According to the RENE guide,, I couldn't find any listings for a factory job on these Vaqueros as a Arizona Ranger model.

I will check the box today for a model number. I will be ther picking up a 4-5/8 bisley flattop 44 special!

Yes, catalog number and model number. If anything different than Ruger's "standard" model, would defininitely be something "authorized" by Ruger.
I'd heard of a Arizona Vaquero a while back, but could never get any more information on them...so don't know if they're a real Ruger item or "after-market-customization". Full serial number may help also...send me a PM on this if you wish.
Contrary to thoughts by some, Ruger's done lots of things that nobody knows about.
Chad

Gary Reeder converted some Vaqueros to the revolver you speak of

www.reedercustomguns.com

Chad,

"Contrary to thoughts by some, Ruger's done lots of things that nobody knows about.
Chad"

Oh No! :shock:
And just when I thought I was getting a handle on this "Ruger" thing.


Terry T

That's not a Bisley hammer. It looks like a hybrid Super Blackhawk hammer.

I thought the B in the catalog number meant Bisley grip frame and that isn't one, is it?

KBNV means Stainless Blackhawk New Model Vaquero with a high polish finish.
455 means 45 Long Colt with a 5-1/2" bbl.
The serial # 55-24xxx means it was most likely made in 1994. It's interesting that it wasn't test fired until 1996.
I would say that most likely it left the factory for some after mfg work to dress it up for a special order by the Arizona Rangers.
Just my humble 0.02 worth.

Man, I gotta get a grip on these single actions. Didn't realize one could be both a Blackhawk AND a Vaquero.

Suggest a contact with the AZ Rangers. Back when, they were HQ'd in Sierra Vista........."Someone" had to authorize/request the "current" embellishment on the subject revolver, just as they did on the 304 done in the '80's(Bob Gerensr and Phil Van Strander), both of whom were my friends, then Arizona Rangers,now past on.

It's all in the RENE Guide,,,!

Maybe calling the Ruger factory would net you a factory letter saying the wide-spur hammer was specially put in this gun and maybe they'll say they did other work on them as well?
Because it says KBNV-455 and has a model number of 0553 though tells me the work is more than likely after-factory.
Chad

That's a standard SBH stainless hammer, same as I have on my New Vaquero, except very highly polished which I've not seen before. Looks a lot like it was done by hand on a buffing wheel based on the "rounded" flats each side (look at the reflections).

That's by no means a criticism, it looks GREAT and probably avoids the usual scuffing that often happens.

I strongly suspect the hammer polish wasn't done by Ruger. It looks like something Gary Reeder might have done...in fact, if Reeder was asked to do a "no embellishments" piece like this, esp. when he was going through his "engravings from hell" phase, he might very well have done an extra little touch like that hammer to put SOME kind of extra decoration on it. (He's gotten a lot more tasteful of late.)

Thanks for all the replies. The gun came straight from a distributor to my dealer - no middle men. The gun was mixed in with a specific lot of Vaqueros that were all identical and of a different type, and we definitely got the impression it was grabbed with the others in a batch by mistake. The salesperson at the distributor noted the markings but knew nothing about it, and offered it to my dealer at the same price as the others.

Ok,, if it came from a distributor,, to a dealer,, and looking at the dates of mfg, shipping etc,, and the model designation,, all leads me to believe it's POSSIBLE that it left the factory in a batch of guns to get the Az custom work,, then for whatever reason, made it's way back to the factory,, to lay around & then get added to a shipment of "normal" guns w/o any special consideration. Especially if it came back,, had that model info on the box,, and was warehoused with "others" like it, KBNV-455's. There have been a few times an order was placed for X amount of firearms,, then afterwards,, the company/distributor had a problem selling them, or paying for them or whatever,, & Ruger got guns back. Then sometimes these guns get sold in a lot bunch to another distributor,,,!
Without factory verification,, it'll be hard to determine exactly what this gun is or where it came from.

Hey...just found an old note in reference to the Arizona Ranger Vaquero. The previous one was reported as a stainless 5-1/2" .44 Mag., with "Arizona Rangers" on the top of the barrel and the Arizona Ranger "state" logo on the left side of the cylinder frame. SN 55-25015. No further info on that one though whether it was a Ruger factory authorized model or not.
.44 Mag. for an Arizona Ranger SA seems a little strange, so maybe the caliber on this one was mis-reported.
Chet15

I found one other for sale on Auction Arms recently - only reference I found anywhere. It was mislabeled as a 44 magnum in the ad, and had an incorrect older cardboard Ruger box. You could see the 45 Colt marking on the gun in the picture!

.

Here is one for sale locally, 44 Magnum, think their asking $550. Picture not the best, but from their ad. Not mine!