Montado

[claybird]

What is special about the Montado model?. I can't seem to find any info on it . I think the hammer is different but there must be other differences.

 

[BearHawk 357]

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....If you feed a Montado after midnight then they turn into monsters.
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[WAYNO]

The Montado, bottom, of course, is a 3-3/4" barreled revolver, on the smaller, New Vaquero frame. It's being compared to the Birdshead Vaquero, above, to show the hammer differences, also. Montado's were offered with grooved front-straps, as well as smooth front straps, for use in the different Mounted games.

http://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/defa ... ?item=5120

 

[gak]

Available first in .45LC, then .357 as well, early variants had the grooves. Later, pressure to allow conformance with non-mounted CAS/SASS rules, resulted in a smooth frontstrap as well. I've seen both. I don't recall if the grooves were eliminated altogether or if both textures were made available simultaneously. If you look at Gunbroker as a sampling, some have the grooves, some don't. The hammer profile is very close to that of the SBH hammer. The hammer cross hatching is different.


The "Montado" IS a New Vaquero model. Nowhere on the gun does it actually say Montado. I believe it is a Davidsons exclusive--meaning qualified dealers thereof.
http://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/defa ... ?item=5126

Ruger may still list Montados under "distributor exclusives."
My grooved .357's a gem.


Later Ed. Didn't mean to duplicate some of Wayno's info

 

[maxpress]

wider lower hammer and a shorter barrel. ive got both and other than that not much difference.

 

[skip]

Also the cylinder has a blackpower bevel...mine has the groves on the front strap..like it alot for a trail gun

 

[gak]

QUOTE:
Also the cylinder has a blackpower bevel...
----
Well, sorta. Unless they changed mid-production, not the BP tell-tale beveled flute corners. It's part of their product description but it's pretty minor and not that noticeable. I'd like to see Ruger put a "real" BP bevel on all the fixed sight/New Vaquero models. The Montado nevertheless is a charming gun. I had a lanyard ring added so it's now just-so to me. Great size for the .357 round...better balanced now--the shorter length cuts a bit of the barrel-heaviness down and really makes it more packable/carry-able.

 

[coyote]

also: not having a standard NM Vaquero to compare, i believe the base pin was shortened a bit on the Montado so the ejector has more room to slide, allowing the cases to be raised even farther.

 

[Knuckles]

Boy! I miss those two guns WAYNO.

Bud (knuckles)

 

[WAYNO]

Boy! I miss those two guns WAYNO.

Bud (knuckles)

If ya feel better, I miss the top one. :roll:

WAYNO.

 

[Knuckles]

What is special about the Montado model?. I can't seem to find any info on it . I think the hammer is different but there must be other differences.

Claybird, The first thing you'll notice when you grab a Montado is the shorter grip-frame and (if you held the Birds head) the reduced weight.

The first dealer-exclusive runs had the vertical front strap finger-grooves... then Ruger ditched the front strap grooves and kept on making Montados.

The action (hammer and trigger) comes out of the box a bit more refined than the traditional Vaquero, perhaps lighter and smoother.

The Super Blackhawk-style wide hammer is checkered (somewhat sharp to the touch) compared to the same SBH hammer, but with lines cut across instead of a checkering for the thumb to grip... I like the hammer on the SBH a little better.

The old style rubber grips are liked (and disliked) by folks about 50/50 split. The Montado had better accuracy than both of my old Birds head's that I used to have.

The reverse-indexing of the cylinder is a nice feature on the Montado (New Vaqueros in general) for faster and easier loading and unloading of cartridges.

Last of all the bevel job on the Montado is a good upgrade.

However, you can shoot anything you like in the first cowboy-gun Ruger put out, the "Vaquero"... and the "Montado" (or "New Vaquero") needs to be fed a restricted diet of normal to warm loads.

I hope I added some further view-point to the thread.

Bud (knuckles)

 

[gak]

Bud wrote:
"...However, you can shoot anything you like in the first cowboy-gun Ruger put out, the "Vaquero"... and the "Montado" (or "New Vaquero") needs to be fed a restricted diet of normal to warm loads."
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Mostly pertains to the .45. The 357 can shoot virtually anything you would want.

 

[Knuckles]

Bud wrote:
"...However, you can shoot anything you like in the first cowboy-gun Ruger put out, the "Vaquero"... and the "Montado" (or "New Vaquero") needs to be fed a restricted diet of normal to warm loads."
-------
Mostly pertains to the .45. The 357 can shoot virtually anything you would want.

Exactly! :wink:

 

[maxpress]

so is this mantado strong enough for my 200gr at 1200fps?

 

[gak]

Maxpress wrote:
so is this mantado strong enough for my 200gr at 1200fps?
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I don't know. Someone else can weigh in on that one. I haven't shot 200gr @ 1200 fps out of mine. Neither do I baby it. If you'd shoot it out of a 50th Anniversary or original (OM) Flattop, I'd say yes, same basic frame. If not, no. Even if you can--like lots of things, very warm .357s out of rated snubbies comes to mind--you may not want to . That said, it's a very robust gun for anything I could "normally" think of even remotely wanting to shoot out of it, but YMMV and others could easily differ.

 

[Knuckles]

so is this mantado strong enough for my 200gr at 1200fps?

I used Buffalo Bore's example ; Standard Pressure Heavy .45Colt... I wouldn't push it.
255gr/Gas Checked Soft Cast @ 1000 fps... or 200gr/JHP @ 1100 fps.(WARNING!...NOT 1200 fps)

Bud (knuckles)

 

[maxpress]

shoulda clarified that i was talking about the .357 mantado with 200grainers

 

[Knuckles]

shoulda clarified that i was talking about the .357 mantado with 200grainers

Montado in .357 doesn't really have any limitations to it,... unless you use a foolish load.
Heck I have some Cor-Bon 200gr Iv'e used in my SP101DAO... it ain't got anything in metal that the Montado doesn't have.

 

[claydoctor]

Looks to me the price is coming down on the Montado. Saw two at last gunshow running $545-$569. Seems I used to see them at $599 and higher. Paid $500 for mine used in like new condition. It really balances well in the hand.

 

[gak]

Yes, I traded out for more than that. I'm happy and they're happy. Think they're $ happier though!
Later Ed.
I really wanted to get rid of what I had, and I really wanted what they had (Montado)--admittedly poor negotiating position!

 

[maxpress]

got mine for 479.00 6 months ago