Is this short Vaquero a factory job?

[sigp220.45]

If so, what is the product code?

I got it a few years ago in a trade. The stainless finish was already matte finished, probably bead blasted. The grips were thinned down and a .45 ACP cylinder was installed. Ruger said it left the factory as a .45 Colt, not a convertible. The nice lady wouldn't say any more about it.

Its a Vaquero (obviously) with a 3 3/4" barrel. It doesn't look shortened, and the warning is nicely centered.

Its a great shooter. I mostly use the ACP cylinder, but it shoots either one well.

Any thoughts?

 

[hittman]

If she'd a given you the Model number we'd of known the barrel length and factory finish too.

 

[WAYNO]

They turned out a number of batches of Sheriff's-length Vaquero's.

KBNV-453 is the model. Yours, made in 1999, in addition to the bead blast treatment, looks to me to also have been de-horned in the gripframe. A very worthwhile modification.

To muddy the water, yours could have originally been a KBNV-453I or a KBNV-453SI. "I" meaning simulated ivory grips, and "SI" meaning scrimshawed simulated ivory. Those that I've owned or handled were SI.

 

[sigp220.45]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Armybrat]

Quite a handsome short cannon you got there!

 

[olskool]

I like it!

 

[G2]

Mine is the sister gun, end of the era, warning in the bottom of the barrel "cleanup" Birdshead, added a Bisley Hammer & the 45ACP Cylinder.
Find myself shooting the ACP's more,,, because they eject easier. :wink:

 

[WAYNO]

I also have gravitated to these "shorty" revolvers in .44 and .45, and shoot them often. I've also gravitated to the .45 ACP in these revolvers with that capability. They shoot extremely well, and if you're not rolling your own, .45 ACP is far cheaper to shoot than .45 Colt. 8)

 

[91B40]

We have two of the stainless 357 "Sheriff Models" with the ivory grips and one blued 45 Colt to which I fitted a 45 ACP cylinder. Great guns. I like the older large frame Vaqueros much more than the new ones.