Eagle grips for birdshead Vaquero...

[Joe S.]

I had enough of wheelyfun teasing me with these pics of his ruger with those FINE birdshead checkered gun fighter grips from Eagle so i called em today.

Said they should be in in the next month so we can now have our fix. I went ahead and got my name on the list. Cant wait!!

 

[HeavyDuty]

Thanks for posting this - I saw it after I emailed Eagle yesterday asking if these were coming back. I just bought my first Ruger SA in almost 30 years yesterday (a 5152) and think these would be a great set of grips for it.

 

[Joe S.]

Hopefully soon!

 

[JmE]

Those grips are going to look great. Don't forget pic when you get them!

Thanks for posting this - I saw it after I emailed Eagle yesterday asking if these were coming back. I just bought my first Ruger SA in almost 30 years yesterday (a 5152) and think these would be a great set of grips for it.

Welcome to the forum!

Is your's the "Ruger 5152 KNVBH-453A TALO Special Edition New Vaquero Birds Head"? If so, that's a great revolver. I love mine.

If some of the rounds don't chamber all of the way and/or sometimes bind the cylinder, make sure you get with Ruger to fix it. It took two trips back (I asked for a new cylinder the second time) but Ruger took care of it and I'm pleased. I haven't heard of others having that issue but am giving you a heads up just in case.

 

[HeavyDuty]

Is your's the "Ruger 5152 KNVBH-453A TALO Special Edition New Vaquero Birds Head"? If so, that's a great revolver. I love mine.

If some of the rounds don't chamber all of the way and/or sometimes bind the cylinder, make sure you get with Ruger to fix it. It took two trips back (I asked for a new cylinder the second time) but Ruger took care of it and I'm pleased. I haven't heard of others having that issue but am giving you a heads up just in case.

That's the one! I saw your posts, and that's one of the first things I'm going to check once the waiting period clock runs. I was planning on trying three or four different factory loads to see if they all chamber completely.

How far proud were they sticking out - was it obvious to the naked eye?

Thanks for the welcome!

 

[JmE]

How far proud were they sticking out - was it obvious to the naked eye?

One was occasionally noticeable but three chambers felt tight and three felt loose. This was in a clockwise order with 12 o'clock being tightest and 11 o'clock being loosest. I was just using the Winchester white box Walmart ammo that I use for all .45 ACP guns. Due to variation in individual Winchester rounds, not all individual rounds fit as tight or sat as high. It didn't raise my eyebrows until it actually stopped the cylinder a couple of times. My guess is that three were tight in diameter and two of those were perhaps cut a little shallow on the head-spacing shoulder. My current chambers aren't particularly consistent but none stick, the cylinder never binds, and it shoots well enough for my uses.

To check, I'd take the cylinder out and try the same round in each chamber; wiggling the round to get a rough sense of how tight or loose each chamber is compared to the others. Also notice how far the round sticks up compared to the other chambers. I'd try this with at least a couple of different rounds. Then, I would put the cylinder back in and do something similar with an individual round by hand rotating the cylinder with the gate open... noticing how much clearance there is for the case at the back as it goes around; repeating for all chambers. Of course, it still could bind at the loading gate but you will see that when on the range if it does. If all looks good then some range time is in order. If it binds up the cylinder even once then I'd send it to Ruger.

I hope this helps.

 

[HeavyDuty]

I hope this helps.

It does - thank you!

 

[olyinaz]

They really do look nice with some sort of custom grips. Mine:

Cheers,
Oly

 

[Joe S.]

That is FINE!

 

[HeavyDuty]

They really do look nice with some sort of custom grips. Cheers,
Oly

That's magnificent! What did you use to polish her up, and who made the stocks?

I picked mine up tonight and am happy to say all charge holes are fine - three different types of factory .45ACP dropped in and fell out with no issues. The barrel-cylinder gap is a tad large at 0.008, but I'll wait and see how she shoots before I start tinkering.

 

[bigshep85]

They really do look nice with some sort of custom grips. Mine:

Cheers,
Oly

:evil: Thanks alot Oly
Thats just what I needed
motivation for a new set of grips for my birdshead
The problem I find is that there are very few grip makers who make birdshead grips.

 

[HeavyDuty]

A question for Eagle Gunfighter grip owners that also have or are familiar with a Montado 5120... is the thickness of the Gunfighters similar to the simulated rubber grips on the Montado? I had a chance to handle a Montado tonight and really liked the slim feel compared to the factory grips on my birdshead. I have the Eagles on order.

 

[bigshep85]

Where did those grips come from oly?

 

[Joe S.]

hit my credit card yesterday. hopefully that means i will have them soon!

 

[HeavyDuty]

Good new, Joe - I'm waiting for the call myself! (I'm close enough that I can pick them up at Eagle and save the shipping.)

 

[Joe S.]

Def not the fit of customs but they:

A) didn't have my frame and
B) were a LOT cheaper than customs would have been.

I can live with them. I think they look much better than the black n gray laminates.

Now for a standard hammer, grip frame fit and action tune, and i'll be set.

 

[HeavyDuty]

I stopped by at Eagle last week and had a set fitted to my gripframe. Very nice, I agree!

 

[JmE]

Those look so natural on the birdshead Vaquero. Excellent choice, Joe S.! 8)

 

[Joe S.]

Thanks Jim
I am well pleased.

 

[Wheelyfun44]

Looks great!

Miss my Birdshead......but my Sheriff 44 sports Eagle Gunfighters..

 

[Joe S.]

Wheelyfun, you were my inspiration

 

[HeavyDuty]

Mine too!