Why the fascination for the .45 ACP Vaquero?

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Bob Wright

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Jun 24, 2004
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I have noticed, on several forums, of folks gleefully extolling the merits of their newly acquired birdshead .45 ACP Vaquero, and I fail to see the excitement generated by it.

Why the .45 ACP? Why not .44 Special, .44 Russian, or .45 S&W? The .45 S&W would be the choice alternate, in my view ~ short cased, heavy bullet at moderate velocity.

And why the birdshead grip? I've always found the traditional Single Action grip far better for pointing and shooting.

Now don't misunderstand me, I'm not putting that choice down, just trying to get a handle on it's popularity.

Bob Wright
 

mohavesam

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? Might be that it gives 44 SPL ballistics at a fraction of the ammo & brass costs... ?

The BIrdshead grip is mainly for show (CAS) as far as I can tell.

as for popularity, I'm not seeing exactly how many were made, sold.
 

Jim Puke

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Bob Wright said:
I have noticed, on several forums, of folks gleefully extolling the merits of their newly acquired birdshead .45 ACP Vaquero, and I fail to see the excitement generated by it.

Why the .45 ACP? Why not .44 Special, .44 Russian, or .45 S&W? The .45 S&W would be the choice alternate, in my view ~ short cased, heavy bullet at moderate velocity.

And why the birdshead grip? I've always found the traditional Single Action grip far better for pointing and shooting.

Now don't misunderstand me, I'm not putting that choice down, just trying to get a handle on it's popularity.

Bob Wright

X 2

I love the 45acp...but it needs to be in a 1911...although, I do like it in a few others.

However, you can load some pretty effective rounds in the 45acp using the 255gr bullets at about 950fps.
 

Mus408

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I have many other guns and just liked this one too! Should be here by end of the week.
A .45-70 belongs in a Winchester rifle....but I shoot it out of a revolver! :D
 

Ugly Hombre

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Aug 2, 2014
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In the past- another country.
In my case, I don't reload so the cheaper 45ACP is a big drawing point for me. like the big bore 45 ACP RNV it balances well and packs a punch.

1911 is super great but you can blow through ammo in a 1911 most ricky tick. In a S/A revolver takes longer, fun to shoot it and relaxing- don't have to chase brass ( I have a stove in leg ) at the time, I got the S/S Talo sherrif with the birds head because it was the only 45 ACP RNV I could find.

I would have rather have had a 45 ACP- 4 5/8 plow handle grip blue regular N/V but could not find one. (That's not quite true, I did find one from a vender in Oklahoma but they would not deal with the Commiefornia reg, foolishness.)

Other points

1911 mag makes a nifty speed loader

Birds head sherrif seems to me to conceal better, used to it now- & grip feels good,

Mine is a very straight shooter.

Teamed up with a tanker shoulder holstered 1911- that's big fun! & they both use the same Ammo.

Rig like that was good enough for Pike Bishop, (S/A thumb buster & 1911)- so sure as hades good enough for ole' Ugly! :)
 

George

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For me it's not so much the gun it's the .45 ACP round that I like. Not much recoil and what it does have is slow " not snappy" push.. I do have a SS Lipsesy's super BlackHalk in .44 mag that I have not shot yet. I like the idea of .44 spc. to full house .44 +P+ 340gr. choice and I love the Ruger S/A gun. I don't reload and there are so many choices out there in .44 factory loads. I like that! So going to try out .44 but have been a .45ACP fan for about 30 years now. It's Just something about that round for me. Even .45 ACP +P 230 gr. bullet is fine to shoot! Yep you can really burn some ammo fast with a 1911. I like the idea of slower shooting with the S/A so I hope I like the .44 as much as I like the .45 ACP round. George
 

Wheelyfun44

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I love the Birdsheads revolver in 45 ACP!
I don't reload, so love the 45ACP for availability and relatively affordable cost (compared to 44 Spec or 45 Colt).

I like the Birdshead for the stylish looks and ease of concealment, should I choose to carry it.

I love the 3.75" barrel length, again, for ease of "packin".

If they made a "Sheriff" model, with plow handle grip frame, I'd also love that!
 

Rclark

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I can see the Birdshead for concealability... That makes sense. I have a plow handle .44 Special sheriff that I wish was a Birdshead.

As for the .45 ACP.... As a reloader I don't see the point... But to a non-reloader, the .45 ACP is cheaper to shoot I am sure than .45 Colt, or .44 Special. Ammo easier to find too.
 

s4s4u

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As for the .45 ACP.... As a reloader I don't see the point... But to a non-reloader, the .45 ACP is cheaper to shoot I am sure than .45 Colt, or .44 Special. Ammo easier to find too.

As a reloader I love the 45 acp, as well as the 45 Colt. The 45 ACP is much cheaper to load than the 45 Colt, cheap brass, less powder, FMJ's for about a dime per, and still packs a good size thump on target. I generally load ACP's for my Bisley for plinking, and save the Colts for serious business.
 

BearBio

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I had 2 of the older 45 Colt models. Changed both of them over: One to a Bisley grip and one to a plow handle. I have a 44 spl Colt Sheriff's model. I reload 44 spl, 44 mag, 45 Colt, 45 AR, 454, and 45 acp. I also have an OM Blackhawk convertible. (as well as a dozen or so Colt 1911's and 2 1917's). I reload all of them.

With that background, I don't see any purpose for a 45 acp birdshead. Anything it can do, I can do better with what I've got.

But, no harm, no foul! If it rings your bell, go for it.
 

Varminterror

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I'm not really the confrontational type that would normally say this but....

If you don't like it, don't buy it.

I don't like my sister-in-law's Scion XB, it's the ugliest car I've ever seen, tiny, and when you put your foot on the gas, it feels like it would accelerate faster if I got out and pushed. But she loves it, and I don't have to own it. Different strokes for different folks.

For what it's worth, it's a marketing thing. If you consider that the current majority demographic of handgun buyers are buying their first gun - or at least their first handgun - then it all starts to come together.

"Cool" sells, and "different is cool". Everybody and their dog has a 45colt revolver, but old cowboy guns just aren't "cool" to most younger folks these days. It's easy to sell something different. 45acp is different. Birdshead is different.

Different also sells to those of us that have a couple sets of 45colt revolvers in different flavors. I don't really have a use for ANY new revolver, but if they came out with a .480Ruger Vaquero, I'd own a pair. Just because they're different than anything else I have in the safe.

Why the .45 ACP? Why not .44 Special, .44 Russian, or .45 S&W? The .45 S&W would be the choice alternate, in my view ~ short cased, heavy bullet at moderate velocity.

Cartridges that are associated with black powder and lead bullets aren't as cool as they should be to new shooters. The only one on that list that you can find regularly would be the special, and even that is a crap shoot. If a shop sells ammo, they sell ACP, and they sell it cheap. Heck, it's often more expensive to get most of those on this list than WWB 44mag!

Also, I think it has to do with the fact that the good reputation of the 45colt has also been sullied over the years, as it's become viewed largely as 'left behind' by more powerful rounds, or viewed as "under powered unless you reload." Alternatively, the 45acp reputation is as strong as ever, bolstered by the current "prepping fad" and the whole "zombie apocalypse thing". So even though they're really about equivalent, the reputation to NON-gun folks is favorable for the 45acp, and disinterested in the 45colt.

And of course, ammo cost is a major driver for the new handgunner. 45acp ball ammo is about the 4th cheapest centerfire ammo on the market, and new handgun buyers do their research. New handgunners don't usually buy ammo online either, they buy a few boxes locally, so the selection and price plays into that.

So right, wrong, or indifferent, I can understand why there's such a draw for the 45acp Sheriff's model. I dig sheriff's models in all flavors. If all goes as planned, by the end of spring I'll have birdshead short barreled Ruger Vaqueros in 44magx2, 32H&R mag, and 45colt/45acp. ;)
 

rocymtnhi

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For me it is because I have several 1911's and lots of .45acp ammo. And as said before .45acp ammo is a lot less expensive than .45 colt and is nearly identical in knock down power and velocity. also I don't reload. Also I like snubby revolvers!
 

Chuck 100 yd

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All the reasons above + for me.
The local police departments train at our club and shoot .45 ACP as well as .40 and 9mm.
On several occasions a year,if I get there on the right day, I can pick up 500+ once fired empty's for just the effort to bend over and grab them. The plated bullet company's often have sales on bullets (Extreme does). I can use several different powders so powder is more easily obtained and primers are the same cost no matter what caliber you load.
I shoot the same loads in my convertibles as I do in my 1911`s and they are accurate in both types of gun. What is not to like about the .45 ACP in revolvers?
 

DGW1949

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The only advantage that I see over any other large bore/medium power caliber is that if ya gots a short barrel 'n ejector housing, the shorter case might eject better.
Other than that, I dunno.

DGW
 

Mus408

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I also have the Taylor's/Uberti "Running Iron which is a 3.5 barrel .45 Colt with slicked up action,but with the plow handle. When the Birdshead NV gets here that will make a nice combo.
Just something about that little Ruger,in .45 ACP, I like!
 

Rclark

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The 45 ACP is much cheaper to load than the 45 Colt
I don't see the cheaper bit. When I load .45 ACP, the same 250g RNFP bullet goes in the mouth. Don't use jacketed either. A bit less powder, but same primer. So same bullet, same primer (the most expensive consumeables) . Cases can be reused... I don't see the savings... Even if you use 230s there isn't that much saving. I can load 200g bullets in my .45 Colt as well, if I choose to go light which I'd never do.... but the option is there. So don't see the 'saving' as an argument for 'reloading'. Yes for non-reloader of course :) . Comes down to personal preference is all.
 

cadillo

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I wouldn't care for the bird's head grip frame as it's just not my style, but I love the .45 acp in a single action. I have several .44 Specials, and I love them, but I shoot my .45 acp Bisley's a whole lot more. Brass is plentiful, cheap, and often found in copious quantities on the ground at the range. My latest Bisley is a laser with a Lyman 452460 and 4.9 grains of 231 in a Winchester case.
 

paul105

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Don't have a vaquero, but do have a 3 1/2" Round Butt Freedom Arms M97 with a .45 ACP aux cylinder. It is an absolute joy to shoot with my standard 200gr target/plinking loads. As mentioned above, the ACP case allows the short ejector rod on the little belly gun to completely eject the spent cases. Ammo is always available for a spur of the moment trip to the range as I have a Dillon Square Deal B dedicated to .45 ACP.

Here's a picture I took at the range with my flip phone (dumb phone) -- great day at the range -- doesn't get much better than this.

4ecc303e-253a-481b-b454-08c764a85bef_zpsa0fc07fc.jpg


FWIW,

Paul
 

Bob Wright

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In reading all the responses y'all have given, I am overwhelmed by the number of folks who say they don't reload!

Thank you all for your responses, and giving valid reasons for your choice. I have two ruger Super Blackhawks (actually Blackhawks that have been worked over) in .45 Colt with auxilliary .45 ACP cylinders. The ACP cylinders have spent most of their time in the box.

And thank you all for being civil!

Bob Wright
 
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