NightSailor
Bearcat
I took a few photos of my various Vaquero's as I wanted to study the differences between Ruger's Vaquero and New Vaquero.
I had a chance to buy a second 7.5" cavalry length model thinking this new one was a Vaquero based on the side engraved warning label. Perhaps I should have looked closer, but I have no regrets. It was, in fact, a New Vaquero and also incorrectly listed in Ruger Serial number database as an original Vaquero in the year after production ceased for the Vaquero. My guess is in assembly they used the side engraving to quickly identify the different models.
In the photos the white grips on the long barrel is the New Vaquero and the Coco-bolo grips are on the Vaquero. There is a slight difference in length.
My collection at present. Note the dots before and after 45 CAL
1995 7.5" RUGER VAQUERO .45 CAL.
2006 7.5" RUGER NEW VAQUERO 45 CAL.
2008 5.5" RUGER NEW VAQUERO 45 CAL.
2013 5.5" RUGER NEW VAQUERO 45 CAL.
2022 4.6" RUGER NEW VAQUERO (Smaller Font) 45 CAL
The 7.5" New Vaquero with the white grips is a low serial number on the series. I presume this was the reason for the old style side of barrel engraving—a left over barrel. It was a very low serial number, one of the first of the New Vaqueros produced in 2006. The Vaqueros production ran between 1993 and 2005. Who knows how many long barrels with the side warnings were used on the New Vaquero before they ran out of the old barrels. I would have preferred one with the warning label underneath. I would have also preferred a pair of Vaqueros with matching grips. But then again it is nice to have an example of each. I'll need to shoot both to check to see if there point of aim is the same.
I used this opportunity to study the model name engraving on the opposite side of the frame. The hollow font seemed to be the same with Ruger Vaquero (no trademark) about the length of. 45 Colt brass case, followed by this particular "Ruger New Vaquero (R) about the length of a loaded 45 cartridge. I also noticed the engraving of the last "r" seems a bit less crisp looking on the very early New New Vaquero.
The extractor was slightly different as well as the cylinder pin on the two models. I was unable to remove the cylinder pin on the Vaquero.
My photo did not show the cylinder length difference well so I installed the New Vaquero cylinder in the Vaquero and you can see by the gap, the length difference is small. I did not measure it. I'll guess a 1/8"difference. These are not interchangeable parts. I placed it in there only to visually show the gap— to convey the size difference. The other cylinder photos show the different wall thicknesses
Between the Vaquero and New Vaquero.
Finally, the newest 2022 4.6" example has the same font for RUGER VAQUERO but smaller—a tiny bit less than the length of a 45 case. I prefer the look. The "45 CAL" underneath is also darker, more bold, and crisper— more attractive than the fainter earlier caliber size engraving. I found it significant that ".45 CAL." Was used on the Vaquero and later models dropped the dot in front of the 45 and the most recent 2022 model dropped the dot after CAL. It's cleaner looking without the dots.
Of all, I liked the original RUGER VAQUERO name engraving and the latest version on the New Vaquero. The smaller but bolder 45 CAL looks best, in my opinion and ties it all together. Details matter. I have a good friend who is a yacht designer. His designs are stunning because it tweaks the details until everything looks perfect. I like the most recent changes and appreciate the fact that Ruger makes slight improvements over time, like moving the warning label under the barrel.
I hope people find this interesting. And perhaps help for buyers looking for something specific or to help more quickly identify a model year era.
Next up for me are two more BH hammer swaps on the two 7.5" single actions. That transforms these into a perfect single action.
I had a chance to buy a second 7.5" cavalry length model thinking this new one was a Vaquero based on the side engraved warning label. Perhaps I should have looked closer, but I have no regrets. It was, in fact, a New Vaquero and also incorrectly listed in Ruger Serial number database as an original Vaquero in the year after production ceased for the Vaquero. My guess is in assembly they used the side engraving to quickly identify the different models.
In the photos the white grips on the long barrel is the New Vaquero and the Coco-bolo grips are on the Vaquero. There is a slight difference in length.
My collection at present. Note the dots before and after 45 CAL
1995 7.5" RUGER VAQUERO .45 CAL.
2006 7.5" RUGER NEW VAQUERO 45 CAL.
2008 5.5" RUGER NEW VAQUERO 45 CAL.
2013 5.5" RUGER NEW VAQUERO 45 CAL.
2022 4.6" RUGER NEW VAQUERO (Smaller Font) 45 CAL
The 7.5" New Vaquero with the white grips is a low serial number on the series. I presume this was the reason for the old style side of barrel engraving—a left over barrel. It was a very low serial number, one of the first of the New Vaqueros produced in 2006. The Vaqueros production ran between 1993 and 2005. Who knows how many long barrels with the side warnings were used on the New Vaquero before they ran out of the old barrels. I would have preferred one with the warning label underneath. I would have also preferred a pair of Vaqueros with matching grips. But then again it is nice to have an example of each. I'll need to shoot both to check to see if there point of aim is the same.
I used this opportunity to study the model name engraving on the opposite side of the frame. The hollow font seemed to be the same with Ruger Vaquero (no trademark) about the length of. 45 Colt brass case, followed by this particular "Ruger New Vaquero (R) about the length of a loaded 45 cartridge. I also noticed the engraving of the last "r" seems a bit less crisp looking on the very early New New Vaquero.
The extractor was slightly different as well as the cylinder pin on the two models. I was unable to remove the cylinder pin on the Vaquero.
My photo did not show the cylinder length difference well so I installed the New Vaquero cylinder in the Vaquero and you can see by the gap, the length difference is small. I did not measure it. I'll guess a 1/8"difference. These are not interchangeable parts. I placed it in there only to visually show the gap— to convey the size difference. The other cylinder photos show the different wall thicknesses
Between the Vaquero and New Vaquero.
Finally, the newest 2022 4.6" example has the same font for RUGER VAQUERO but smaller—a tiny bit less than the length of a 45 case. I prefer the look. The "45 CAL" underneath is also darker, more bold, and crisper— more attractive than the fainter earlier caliber size engraving. I found it significant that ".45 CAL." Was used on the Vaquero and later models dropped the dot in front of the 45 and the most recent 2022 model dropped the dot after CAL. It's cleaner looking without the dots.
Of all, I liked the original RUGER VAQUERO name engraving and the latest version on the New Vaquero. The smaller but bolder 45 CAL looks best, in my opinion and ties it all together. Details matter. I have a good friend who is a yacht designer. His designs are stunning because it tweaks the details until everything looks perfect. I like the most recent changes and appreciate the fact that Ruger makes slight improvements over time, like moving the warning label under the barrel.
I hope people find this interesting. And perhaps help for buyers looking for something specific or to help more quickly identify a model year era.
Next up for me are two more BH hammer swaps on the two 7.5" single actions. That transforms these into a perfect single action.
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