Birdshead Vaquero 45 with 3.75 Inch Barrel

[finesse_r]

I just picked up a new Birdshead Vaquero 45 with 3.75 inch barrel and it is sweet. This has become my favorite handgun by far. Not only is it beauty with the rounded edges and polished SS finish, it is solid as a rock. It feels great and shoots even better than it looks. The only place I have seen these is on Gun Broker where there are a few of listed most of the time. Mine is in ACP, but I am thinking that the ones in Colt would be even better.

Anyone else shooting one of these?

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I just got one from Kentucky Guns. The last one they had on hand. It`s a Talo
exclusive and in .45 Colt. I will shoot it tomorrow for the first time. I hope it shoots as good as my other 3 3/4" Rugers do.

 

[Quiet 1]

Congrats on your new six shooter. And to answer your question, yes.

Mine's a .45 acp too. Like you I'm really pleased with how it looks and how it shoots. Bird's head grips, for me, have a better "feel" in the hand than the plow handle. (But, not better than the bisley.) Like you, I found it through GunBroker. I chose the .45 acp because I don't reload and inexpensive, target grade .45 acp is always available, well used to be, and a lot cheaper than .45 Colt. Here's mine with the Ruger faux ivory grips.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Quiet 1, That looks nice. Those grips fit real nice for factory grips. My factory black laminates are a rather poor fit. I spent half a day today making pattern grips to use in my duplicator so I can make a set of high grade grips for mine.

 

[Tradhunter]

That is nice!

 

[MOUNTAIN WILLIAM]

Mine started out as a Colt but I added an acp cylinder to make it more interesting.

 

[clayflingythingy]

I have become very fond of mine in 45 ACP. The ACP may make a better calibre in a SA than than an 1911 IMHO. The 3.75" barrel length has also quickly grown on me. Ruger should make this length a regular catalog offering for the NV.

 

[Quiet 1]

Mine started out as a Colt but I added an acp cylinder to make it more interesting.

Nice, MOUNTAIN WILLIAM. I also have the option of making mine a "convertible". I have a stainless .45 Flattop Convertible 4 ⅝" barrel, also built on the NV medium frame, and it's .45 Colt cylinder fits, aligns perfectly and functions in my bird's head.

 

[HeavyDuty]

I have a stainless .45ACP, too. I made a few minor changes to mine - Eagle rosewood Gunfighter grips, a Belt Mountain base pin, a new crescent headed ejector rod cylinder throat reaming. It's a great shooter!

 

[Unk]

My .45 Birdsheads from my Cowboy Action shootin' days.

.45 Colt.

Best.

 

[Erich]

I've had mine (a .45 ACP) since February '12: a great gun that anyone sensible would be proud to own.

 

[The Sturminator]

I have all four Talo models as well the 5151, 5152, 5153, 5154....and just spent $20 in gas last night to drive to Tucson to pick up a second 5152, LNIB, for dirt cheap (couldn't pass that deal up), so now I have five of them Talo New Vaquero's(just haven't gotten pictures of the fifth one yet)....ugggghhh! I may as well get doubles for em all, now! Great pistols IMO.

 

[hammie]

All good reasons above, for owning a birdshead .45 ACP. However, another unstated reason I chose that cartridge was the more positive ejection of the shorter case by the shorter ejector rod.

 

[Tradhunter]

Shame on you Sturminator! Because of your pics I put one on layaway today.
Identical to the one on top right in first pic. It is a 45 acp.
I have reloaded alot of 45 acp in an auto but no bigger than 230 grain.
How warm can you load a 255 grain in one of these?

 

[The Sturminator]

He-he, good choice Tradhunter! My first one was the high polished 5152 and I, too, put it on layaway when I saw it. Picked it up a week and a half later and within a month or two, had all four. Now with this double 5152 I just picked up, it's gonna be really hard not getting doubles of em all....but don't let my sickness sway you any further

I cannot comment on the 255grn question as I do not reload....yet, and only shoot factory, run of the mill stuff currently.

 

[HeavyDuty]

I'm still loving my 5152! I really like the Eagle rosewood Gunfighters but am considering getting another set of grips for everyday use in a more durable material - something like Micarta.

I'd also like to polish it up a bit, I have Mother's mag polish but it doesn't seem to be doing much. Maybe the cloth I'm using isn't nappy enough?

 

[HeavyDuty]

Aha - that was it! I worked it over with Mother's on a piece of terry cloth cut from a new sock, and that made the difference. The thin, soft T shirt material I was using wasn't doing it.

A few more times polishing and it'll shine like bright nickel.

 

[Timbo22]

I've been on the prowl for a stainless steel version in 45 ACP. I was not a fan of the birdshead grip but it sure has grown on me in the New Vaquero. My plan was to get ONE and convert it with a regular plow handle grip to match my Montados in 45 Colt and 357 and Sheriff's model 'Ruger Vaquero' in 44 Special. Looks like I will need TWO now, one to convert and one to leave be.

 

[HeavyDuty]

Timbo, you may want to check the classifieds - a gent is looking to move his stainless ACP.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

This post needs pictures.....