Ruger Vaquero .44 Magnum

Just purchased one of these. Case colored frame w/black barrel. Anybody had any experience with them? I've had good luck with Ruger rifles in the past but haven't had any pistols from them. I've been looking for a .44 magnum for a while now.

I have what they call an old model Ruger Vaquero……..I like it and it’s a good shooter!

That should be an older model with the heavier frame. I had one like it years ago and it was a good gun. They did at least one run of New Vaquero guns in 44 magnum that also had the larger frame but it was in stainless steel. Stout guns and good shooters.

I have two Vaquero 44 Mags. One stainless and one blue/case color Bisley. Both are 5 1/2” and have been very reliable and accurate revolvers. Congratulations on a great gun.

Dan

I have two pair of OLD model Vaqueros, all 45 Colt! one pair are Bisley 5.5" Blue and The others are 4" Stainless Steel. They are built like tanks!. They are more accurate than I could ever put to the test. That being said, I have hit targets with them I could have sworn were too small to aim at. In cowboy action shooting we shoot about 250 shots a year per revolver per club. I shot 2 clubs for 14 years, so about 3500 rounds per revolver in competition. I practiced 100 to 200 rounds a week per revolver! That's 5000+ a year per gun (I didn't shoot much when snow was on the ground!!) just for practice.

My Bisley's were bought used but you can see from the math That is well over 120,000 rounds per gun over that time frame. I never had a single mechanical failure! No broken springs, no screws fell out No timing issues. Those guns did get some parts replacements to lighten the trigger pull and allow the cylinder to be rotated backwards (for fast 6th shot loading and other on the clock reloading!) But if you pick one of them up and shake it, it does not rattle! I own several SAA Italian clones and they never got shot anything close to 10% that much and they all rattle!

All that being said, that was with "Target ammo" 200-240 grain bullets at 750 fps. With full power 44 mags, your gun and your wrists will show far more ware!

Totally off the track side note: I had a stroke October 5, 2011, that left my left side paralyzed. By great mercy from God and skillful medical personnel, I walked out of the hospital 3 weeks later. The docs forbade any shooting while I went through therapy. I took the 4" SS Vaquers and put the plastic disks back in. My personal therapy was to lift, aim, and dry fire 10 shots each hand at every commercial. (I called it "Elvis Therapy") That was probably the strongest my left hand has ever been. When I returned to Cowboy shooting the next season, I was never as fast as before the stroke, but I was never last in my class either! (At the end of occupational therapy, you are given a standard test that you must pass to return to work! There were 10 things, I set 5 records! 4 of which were upper body agility tests. The other was how fast can you get your butt across the street, I "speed walked" 2 miles every day, my speed got all the way up to 3 mph!

So in closing I will say, Having Vaqueros are good for your health!

Ivan

Vaquero

I've been looking for one of those. My brother has one, I really like it. I did buy one in .45 Colt as I was missing that caliber in my safe. It shoots great though I haven't shot any "Ruger" loads in it. Congratulations on a good find,
I think you will enjoy it.

I have 4 Vaqueros and one New vaquero, all are s/s in .45colt. I’ve never shot anything but cas loads in them. Fine revolvers. I replaced the skinny hammers for Blackhawk hammers on the older guns, just for the esthetics. You will enjoy your .44 Ruger.

Thanks for all the replies! Hope to get out to shoot it later next week!

I bought a used Vaquero this past spring like you described. It is a 4 3/4" barrel, 44 mag. I have owned several Ruger single action revolvers in the past and never had a complaint with any: Super Black Hawk 44 mag, Black Hawk in 41 mag, and a SS Single Six 22/22Mag. Only have the Vaquero and a new Wrangler 22, which is a dandy of a revolver for the money.


I thought mine was a New Model but it did not fit in the holster I have for my Uberti SA clone. A little serial number research showed that it is an Old Model Vaquero as the newer ones were only made in 357 mag and Colt 45. Mine dates from 1998.

This taken from the Ruger Forum post:

From Ruger site:

 

Vaquero Revolver

(Includes Bisley-Vaquero Models)

Calibers: .357 Mag., .38-40 Win., .40 S&W, .44-40 Win., .44 Mag., .45 Colt

(Manufactured from 1993-2005)

Beginning Serial Number: Year of Production:

55-00001 1993

55-10037 1994

55-51006 1995

56-01218 1996

56-30005 1997

56-72004 1998

56-98838 1999

57-52004 2000

57-82791 2001

58-01006 2002

58-31543 2003

58-50474 2004

58-91296 2005

 

 

And new model Vaqs:

 

New Vaquero Revolver

Calibers: .357 Mag., .45 Colt

Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production:

510-00001 2005

510-09854 2006

510-39169 2007

510-58667 2008

510-71681 2009

510-86236 2010

511-03919 2011

I'm sure you will enjoy your 44.

John

Had a highly polished stainless 44 mag vaquero
Was very accurate , I traded it off for a Colt new service
I would trade back if I could …

My new model 44 magnum Vaquero has a sn that starts with 59-

It was made in 2016 and has the larger frame. Large frame Vaquero serial numbers have 2 digits before the dash and smaller frame Vaqueros have 3 digits.

I bought a New Model Vaquero 45LC when they first came out in 2005. The firing pin stuck HARD in place on it's first dry fire. Back to the factory..... when I got it back and shot it, the sights were "regulated" about a foot from point aim (low left) .... I then used it for grip fitting only until shooting it again a few years ago. The cylinder rotation for loading/unloading became non-functional ....arghhhhhh ! ... I took it to a local gunsmith for a fix. After getting it in proper working order, I traded it straight up for S&W 19-5 in 99% condition with factory targets ....Goodbye and good riddance !! You say you want a pair of elk antler grips for a "New Vaquero" .... Sorry .... I don't make THEM anymore

Shark Bait said:

That should be an older model with the heavier frame. I had one like it years ago and it was a good gun. They did at least one run of New Vaquero guns in 44 magnum that also had the larger frame but it was in stainless steel. Stout guns and good shooters.

Click to expand...

I had the Birds head grip model for awhile. Boy was it a handful with anything hotter than .44 specials

Like my 69, I consider it a 44 Special that is capable of shooting magnums

While not as pretty, I like shooting with the hogue monogrip stocks.

Here's mine, (though a Bisley) with a few alterations and a home action job. Shoots straight with Lyman 250 gr. LSWC (Keith) and 8.5 grs. of A-Unique at 950 fps. My go to woods loafing revolver. Always "on". Bull strong. Never has let me down. Carry it in an El Paso Saddlery Threepersons crossdraw holster

I have a New Model Blackhawk 45 Colt/ 45ACP. Previous had a Colt Bisley. Being a dummy, I sold it. For me, these oversize stocks are a must. I do load, but shooting ACP is more cost efficient. Bob

I have a 7 1/2" stainless .44 vaquero and it has been a great shooter. these days mostly shot with a 240 gr bullet and 8 grs of Unique

I have a 7 1/2-inch Ruger super Redhawk that I absolutely love shooting. I bought it about 10 years ago by accident. My buddy was looking at it and said, "Here take this". I took it thinking he had hurt his hand or something. Why he wanted me to take was so he wouldn't buy it. And of course, as soon as I got hold of it, it HAD to come home with me. I have some other 44s, but that one is my favorite shooter.