Christened the New Model Vaquero-and sometimes referred to as the. In 2005 Ruger introduced a smaller frame in its Blackhawk and Vaquero lines that very closely replicates the original Colt SAA profile.

Three grip variations are seen in the Vaquero: the standard, which emulated the Colt SAA grip profile, the Bisley, mimicking the target variation seen on the Colt and the Birdshead (in the catalog line for the year 2001 only), a profile seen on the 18 models offered by Colt. Ruger collectors swoon over these examples.

Some 25 to 30 of these revolvers had the infamous user warning on the underside of the barrel instead of the side. It is reputed that about 125 copies of this revolver, sans the sheriff association’s logo, were released to the public because of an overrun. 40 S&W and embossed on the barrel was the association’s logo to commemorate the association’s 150th anniversary. Called the Sheriff’s Model, collectors have long since grabbed these up, and if you find one for sale, be prepared to give up some significant cash.Ī year after the Sheriff’s Model, the San Diego Sheriff’s Association contracted for a limited run of approximately 1,000 chambered in. In 1999, Davidson’s, the Arizona-based gun distributor, ordered a special run of 500 each in stainless steel and blued, with a color casehardened frame and a 3 3/4-inch barrel chambered in. Simply open the loading gate, and the cylinder rotates freely. Another perceived advantage of this system was that the hammer no longer needed to be pulled to half-cock in order for the cylinder to be manually rotated for loading and unloading. This system allowed the revolver to be carried with all six chambers loaded since the hammer could not touch the rear of the firing pin unless the trigger was completely pulled. The Vaquero utilized the same transfer bar system developed for earlier Blackhawk revolvers. It wasn’t too long before Ruger offered the Vaquero in bright stainless steel and chamberings like. Vaqueros met with instant success, and soon Ruger began offering 5 1/2- and 4 5/8-inch barrels to stay in step with the original Colts of the latter 19th century. In 1998 some Vaqueros were being shipped with faux ivory grip panels. Grip panels were of plain, straight-grain walnut with the Ruger logo medallion embedded in each panel. The very first Vaqueros featured 7 1/2-inch barrels and frames with a faux color casehardening, and barrels and cylinders were blued.

with heavy dollops of H110 or Winchester 296 powders behind bullets as heavy as 325 grains, but cowboy action shooters want much milder loads for their game. These revolvers were capable of withstanding the “Ruger” loads intended to turn the. Big, beefy and almost indestructible, the first Vaqueros were chambered in. When it was first introduced the Vaquero was made on the same size frame as the Super Blackhawk. At least that was the case until 1993 when Ruger brought out its wildly famous Blackhawk single action in a fixed-sight version, christened the Vaquero. The Colt Single Action Army revolver-or replicas thereof-has been the hands-down favorite for these contests. Said by some to be a hundred years too late, the sport was born in the 1980s in southern California and features 19th century firearms or replicas in a timed three-gun shooting match. The sport of cowboy action shooting was on fire in the early 1990s.

44 mag vs 45 lc for cowboy actio