Ruger Vaquero: .357 Mag or .45 Colt?

This time of year always means western movie time for me.

Western movie time always means I get in the mood for a single action revolver. I have only one single action revolver, an off brand .22lr / .22 mag.

I've been looking around and have PROBABLY settled on a Ruger Vaquero should I decide to indeed purchase one.

I just need some help on the caliber decision.

I have a .357 already (681) so I have plenty of ammo. Part of my reasoning for .357 is, like I said, I already have the ammo. Also, I'm trying to reduce the number of calibers I own and actually just got rid of .40 S&W, so sticking with .357 makes sense.

I don't own any .45 colt. No ammo, no guns. This is part of the reason both FOR and AGAINST the .45. While I like the idea of keeping down the calibers I own, and like the fact that I'd have another .357 chambered gun should I pick the .357, having it chambered in .45 feels more authentic.

If I want it to be more practical, it's the .357.

If I want it to be more fun, it's the .45.

Thoughts?

I vote for the .45 Colt. The .357s don't balance the same with all that metal still in the barrel and cylinder.

I also try to restrict the number of calibers I own.
Except for my NAA MiniMag, all my revolvers are .38/,357 and all my pistols are 9mm.

I considered the Vaquero, but I saw that the Blackhawk was available in .357/9mm, so my decision was obvious.

USAF385 said:

I have a .357 already (681) so I have plenty of ammo. Part of my reasoning for .357 is, like I said, I already have the ammo.

...so sticking with .357 makes sense.



If I want it to be more practical, it's the .357.

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Exactly the reason I chose .357 when I needed to scratch the single action itch a while back. YMMV

Damn that is one nice looking gun sigp220!

I vote45 Colt as well. Life is too short to not spice it up with a few calibers...

Try a real caliber, that big hole in the end of the barrel is just intimidating. Started out with .357 and graduated to .44 and now 500. Still love my 25 in .45 Colt though, can't beat that big heavy slug coming at ya.
Man up!

The additional versatility of the 38/357 likely isn't as great as you may think. Where the added versatility of the 45 is at the power end of the spectrum.

1. Reloading: My wife shoots 38/357 Vaqueros in SASS and I shoot 45 Colt (My favorite cartridge). I use Tite-group for most of our loads. Cast bullets are about $10 more per 500, unless I really shop around, then it is closer. Little or no difference between large and small primers, large primers are sometimes easier to find. Brass is variable but, again, maybe$10 difference per 500. Powder is minimal at about 3.5 gr vs about 5gr per shell.
2. I haven't checked but my impression is that 357 brass doesn't have as long a life.
3. Field use: The 357 is plenty for most of the US. I see you are in NE Penn. Many bears? The 357 should be enough for most black bears. But Penn gets some big ones, where the 357 would be more marginal versus a hot 45.
4. Going out west? Animals are bigger and badder out here!
5. There is a feeling about shooting a 45 Colt.
6. Recoil: 357 is more than a 45 in most loads. Obviously, a 38 is less, a lot less in some cases.

LASTLY: A 45 (at .452 or .454 inches) is what a 357 (at 356 inches) hopes to be when it grows up.

Never had a SA that was not 45 Colt or 44 except a couple of .22 LR, both long gone after getting a S&W M17.

I have a Bisley Vaquero in .357. It is one of my favorite handguns. It's very accurate and the .357 magnum gives it just the punch you need. I take it out when I want to show my friends that a revolver is just as accurate as their high dollar Range Warrior semi-autos. "But it doesn't have adjustable sights!" they say. I just laugh! Ha haaaa.

I choose the .357 because I have a Henry Big Boy in .357 and they make a fine duo. The 45LC is a great cartridge but I have had little experience with them.

I love my Ruger Blackhawk .357mag in SS. Vintage 1973, the first year that Ruger came out with the transfer bar. I love the looks of this gun in or out of the holster and it is a lot of fun to shoot as well. The weight and balance of this gun sure tames those .357 magnum loads!

Edit to correct a typo: I had typed that it was made in 1873. WRONG!! It was made in 1973. Made the correction above. Hope y'all don't thing I'm full of prunes!

I've never owned a .45 Colt. I would like to. Very much.

Are you thinking about a Vaquero (does Ruger even still make Vaqueros?), or a New Vaquero? They are different size guns, and I have some thoughts on a couple of prior statements.

When Ruger brought out the Blackhawk, a centerfire single action, it was in 357, and was the same size as a Colt. When they decided to make it in 44 Magnum, they decided that frame was too small for that powerful around, and made the Super Blackhawk, with a larger frame. And all their centerfire cartridges - the 45, the 41 magnum and the 30 Carbine, would now be loaded on this, larger, "44 frame". Except for the 357 - it stayed on the smaller "Colt frame".

Comes 1973 and they brought out the New Model, and they did away with the "Colt frame". Now ALL their centerfires, including the 357, were made on the "44 frame".

When they came out with the Vaquero, it was also on the 44 frame, and therefore the 45 Colt could be loaded EXTREMELY HOT, and the large 44 frame would handle it. These came to be known as "Ruger-only loads".

And yes, I agree that with the larger "44 frame", a 357 feels unbalanced. Too small a hole in all that metal.

But a few years ago they came out with the New Vaquero and the New Blackhawk. Made on the old "Colt frame". It is not made in 44 Magnum, because the smaller frame is still not strong enough.

So "hot-loaded 45s" - "Ruger-only loads", are also not safe in the New Vaquero.

I have this pair of Old Model Blackhawks - built on the old "Colt frame", the same size as the New Vaquero.




They balance very well. They have 6 1/2 inch barrels, however, and the longest the new ones come is 5 1/2. That extra inch hanging off the end might be the reason they balance.

If I was making a choice, I'd go with the 45. But, before I ordered one, I would definitely go handle them. Try to find examples in all barrel lengths, with both calibers.

My first Ruger 45 was a 4 5/8" convertible Blackhawk. I kept it for about a year, before I finally accepted the fact that I just didn't like it. The short barrel made it feel bad in my hand.

This pair of 5 1/2" Bisley 45s, however, feel great. It is just amazing the difference in feel that that extra three-quarters of an inch made.



I'd also suggest handling a Bisley before you make up your mind. I have plowhandle Rugers in 22, 30, 32, 357, 41 and 44. I like 'em all. But those Bisleys are the best-feeling single actions I've ever had.

I was recently faced with the same decision. All my other revolvers are .38/.357 (except my beloved S&W Model 58), so I went with the New Vaquero Montado in .357 Magnum.

I own neither. If I were to get one though, I would get the Bisley type.

Here's why: I've shot both and the hammer on the Vaquero (New type I think it was) is so big that its hard to reach 'up' that high AND you will really feel that big heavy Vaquero hammer swiiiinnnnggg forward. It's like shooting black powder guns where you have to hold it still for an extra fraction-of-a-second until it goes bang. Most who own them probably consider this a 'feature' so to each their own. I didn't care for it though.

Either way, the Bisley felt a LOT better in the hand.

Also, I also am only in .38/.357 and 9mm. So I don't buy guns in .45 Colt. Though if I was going to add another caliber, I'd probably go with the Bisley (for handling) or a New Blackhawk convertible in .45ACP/.45 Colt and get new grips for it.

The choice is easy for me: 45 Colt.

The 45 Colt is THE single action revolver cartridge.

It will do anything a 357 will do, and much, much more.

The 45 produces less muzzle blast and unpleasant noise (at least to me) and is much more pleasant to shoot, even loaded up, than the 357.

Get the 45!

.357 Vaqueros

I have shot my old style .357 magnum Vaqueros for years in SASS competitions and they are great? At least 20,000 rounds through each and never a minute of trouble. I do shoot .38 specials but they handle the magnum with ease. Both have had considerable work to make them easier for competition. Noise is absolutely no worse than the 45 colt.
Remember when you shoot a single action revolver thumb the hammer with your left thumb if you are right handed and you will shoot faster and be on point much quicker.

sigp220.45 said:

I vote for the .45 Colt. The .357s don't balance the same with all that metal still in the barrel and cylinder.

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What he said. And, honestly, I think the .45 Colt is a better cartridge than the .357 Mag. for almost any purpose a handgun can be used for, especially if you handload. My vote goes to the Colt .45 hands down!

I vote for one of each Here is a picture of my 357 Vaquero.

Go for the .45 colt if you don't scratch the itch it will never go away.
And you won't be out there trying to pedal a used .357. IMHO.

A .357 new model Blackhawk was my very first and only handgun for a long time.

I just got a lipsey's flat top, .45lc/acp convertible, it is awesome. The flattops are the smaller frame that is very close to the old Colts.