first single six/vaquero

[45sixgun]

I've been wanting a single six .22 and a vaquero. After work yesterday I drove up to the gun shop to get some more primers and to look at their selection of used single sixes. They had five or six. Some had wooden grips, some were stainless, some had rust, some were quite dirty especially around the forcing cone area, some had bluing rubbed off. The actions on all of the ones I liked were so incredibly stiff. It wasn't looking good. Then this one caught my eye and I asked to look at it. I wasn't too excited about the long barrel (6.5"), but it was in like new condition, looking barely fired, was convertible with the win mag cylinder also, and the action felt real good. It was also vaquero style. So I got it. I paid 340 for it. I looked at Ruger's web site and they have this same gun priced at 550, so I feel I got a decent deal. I took it out today and did a little shooting with it. Very happy with the feel and accuracy of this gun. It'll be perfect for the kids too.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Very nice. I need one too. Passed on a PS RSSC short (5.5"?) because of some wear and nicks, etc. at $340 (I thought maybe $275).

Why do so many here dislike "long" barrels? 6.5" seems perfect to me.

 

[NorEaster]

Nice!
I'm wanting a pair of them with the 5.5" tubes

 

[gak]

Very nice. I need one too. Passed on a PS RSSC short (5.5"?) because of some wear and nicks, etc. at $340 (I thought maybe $275).

Why do so many here dislike "long" barrels? 6.5" seems perfect to me.

Maybe something to do with needing supportive wheels out front with barrels out beyond 5.5" in .22 caliber In .22 every additional nano-inch becomes a big deal--for lots of folks anyway. I've got a friend built a custom 10.5" who thinks it's great. I don't get it, but hey different strokes.... Like the old thing about someone jumping out of a perfectly good plane, I asked him "you purposefully did that?!"
My 4.62" balances well and there's still plenty of heft out front to stabilize for short range hunting...Though I admit it may not be too long 'til these eyes may need another inch of tube. But no more than. 5.5" for me!

 

[Borntolate]

Good choice. I have wanted one for a long time. A guy I work with that had a three screw single six that he sold me for $200. In great shape with only one small pit on frame. The only thing I want to change are the grips. Great little gun.

 

[NorEaster]

Very nice. I need one too. Passed on a PS RSSC short (5.5"?) because of some wear and nicks, etc. at $340 (I thought maybe $275).

Why do so many here dislike "long" barrels? 6.5" seems perfect to me.

Maybe something to do with needing supportive wheels out front with barrels out beyond 5.5" in .22 caliber In .22 every additional nano-inch becomes a big deal--for lots of folks anyway. I've got a friend built a custom 10.5" who thinks it's great. I don't get it, but hey different strokes.... Like the old thing about someone jumping out of a perfectly good plane, I asked him "you purposefully did that?!"
My 4.62" balances well and there's still plenty of heft out front to stabilize for short range hunting...Though I admit it may not be too long 'til these eyes may need another inch of tube. But no more than. 5.5" for me!

I wish they would offer the fixed sighted models in the 4.62 length. I don't want to have to pay extra for the anniversary models.

 

[gak]

I wish they would offer the fixed sighted models in the 4.62 length. I don't want to have to pay extra for the anniversary models.

Interestingly, 4.62 is the only length (til the recent John Wayne Talo) the .32 Vaquerito came in. I love my trio of them (two bh's and a plowhandle XR3-Red), but also miss my first .32 - an adjustable sight 5.5" the first year they were out in 1984. That's one of those "want it back's."

 

[45sixgun]

I have a 4 5/8" .357, a 5.5" .44 Special, and a 5.5" .45 Convertible, all NMBH's. The barrel length on this .22 is not a weight issue at all. It's still quite light. My main concern is "packability." And I don't think that will be a big problem. It wasn't on my first outing with it in my waist pack. Does the longer barrel on this gun appreciably increase velocity?

 

[flatgate]

I like my shooters to have "real sights" and none of this "hog wallow" stuff.........

.22 LR is my caliber of choice when shooting the "small bores" except for a couple of .32 Magnums! :

The first two are Single-Six in .32 Mag. calibre. The others are .22 Rim Fires.

These
are some of my Favorite Shooters!

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[BRL]

I like my shooters to have "real sights" and none of this "hog wallow" stuff.........
JMHO,

flatgate

Come On!

Out with It already!

Tell us what you really think!

HA! :lol:

 

[NorEaster]

:shock: Hog Wallow.... wow

 

[REP1954]

The 50th anniversary 22 rim fire Single Six came with a 4 5/8" barrel, I have one that was a rescue gun. I also have a fixed sight 6 1/2" and both guns have had the grip frames replaced with steel frames. Both barrel lengths are great shooters but the 6 1/2" has the edge. While it's true that my adjustable sight Single Sixes are more easy to shoot accurately the fixed sight guns are more fun to plink with for me.

 

[Rclark]

Looks great! I have a Single Six with 6 1/2" barrel and it works just fine. Also my fixed sight Rough Rider is 6 1/2" and works really well..... No, you'll enjoy that 'extra' barrel length . I really prefer 5 1/2" ... but can't complain about these two revolvers. Congrats. Enjoy!

 

[longgunnm]

Flatgate,
There's that stainless stag grip Single Six again. My oh my. Those stags are the best lookin' I've seen. JMHO.
Longgunnm

 

[45sixgun]

I like my shooters to have "real sights" and none of this "hog wallow" stuff.........

Ha, ha! I don't know, flatgate, you might be missing out....There's something magical about those old Colt lines.....kind of like your username "flatgate."

After putting a box through it yesterday, I'm LOVIN this gun. I want to see what I can do on paper with it. Time to start working on a holster too....

 

[45sixgun]

Got home from work early enough this afternoon to try my first paper group with the Single Six. Exactly three inches at 30 yards, with factory trigger, and resting on a sweatshirt. Not sure if I should be happy or not. I do hope that group shrinks as I work with this gun.

 

[NorEaster]

It will. 22 fodder will vary a bit. Try another brand.
It aint that hog waller stuff... LOL

 

[GasGuzzler]

Try some CCI in the 1200 range.

 

[M'BOGO]

My 6.5" SS likes Winchester and Federal high velocity best.

 

[gak]

I made some negative statements regarding longer barrels when someone queried why they weren't more popular, and my remarks went especially to the smaller bores. I still like my 4-5/8" "mini BH" .22 for its packability, but the more I look at the 45sixgun's, the more I like it--especially being a fixed sight version 'cause it's so unique. It may or may not have passed folks' notice but, AFAIK, this gun is unique in Ruger's entire fleet in combining the normally adjustable sight Blackhawk 6.5" barrel length with fixed sights. Especially in the bigger bore Vaquero line oV and NV, it's a combo that makes imminent sense, more packabale/trail-able than the 7.5", better sight radius than the shorter lengths, with still great balance (with the bigger bores especially)--as BH/SBH shooters have known all along.

I know why they didn't do it with the Vaq's--marketing especially with CAS, not a traditional "cowboy"/Colt SAA length,...but it'd still be cool on these. Wiley Clapp thought so too and spec'd 6.5" for his recent TALO Colt .44 Special/Russian. The only factory 6.5 SAA I know of too. A friend picked one of these up and at first I recall thinking a bit odd seeing an SAA with that very untraditional length, but it's really grown on me as a great compromise between my historic favorite 5.5" and the truly long-ish 7.5". Still looks cool like the latter (only a closer look betrays..), with some of the charcteristics of the former. Ruger, are you listening? - Another barrel length option on the New Vaqueros.

Back to the OP, 45sixgun's does look just right--and I bet it shoots that way too! Way to go!

 

[45sixgun]

Appreciate the comments, gak. I think you have a point...."a great compromise between my historic favorite 5.5" and the truly long-ish 7.5."

You guys who recommended higher velocity rounds....I'll definitely be giving that a try soon. I have the ammo. I'm only using the current stuff because it is a little quieter. I live on the edge of a semi rural community, and while I haven't had any complaints about shooting, I want to keep it that way.

Put up some paper again this afternoon for another try. Did considerably better. I'm confident this gun will be everything I hoped for. All it needs is time behind the trigger....

 

[M'BOGO]

Now that group is more like it, well done.

 

[barney dennison]

Very nice. I need one too. Passed on a PS RSSC short (5.5"?) because of some wear and nicks, etc. at $340 (I thought maybe $275).

Why do so many here dislike "long" barrels? 6.5" seems perfect to me.

I have the 9.5 inch and I love it. It's a dang tack driver with the cheapest ammo (golden bullets). It's not front heavy to me at all.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I have always felt that the 6-1/2" Single-Sixes, particularly those with the drift-adjustable rear sight, or the Vaquero "hog wallow" shown here, represemt the perfect proportion of the full-sized Colt SAA with 7-1/2" barrel. The "scaled down Colt" effect is perfect IMHO. Displayed and/or photographed in a setting that provides no close sense of scale, they look extremely "Coltish".

Great find. I believe you will love that gun.

 

[Olsherm]

I have both,the adjustable sight version single six with 6 1/2 barrel and the Vaquero(hog wallow)sight version in 5 1/2 inch barrel and I don't seem to find too much difference in shooting them.You see daylight on both sides of the front sight on both models.I actually like the "pinch sight versions" of the colts and uberties and USFA.I seem to shoot them as well as any even with my old eyes.Course I don't shoot any of them like a "pro".But I have fun with them all.I like the "hog wallow" LOL

 

[joelo]

My single six groups under one inch at 25 yards using Winchester 333... those measure 0.224" OD, matching the bore size of single sixes.

Nice looking "vaquerito"