Short Barreled Vaquero for Deer?

[Holiday]

I'm thinking on getting back into hunting deer with a pistol. I already have two 4 5/8 barrelled Vaqueros in .45 Colt. Anyone hunted with these? I probably won't do much hunting, so I hate to splurge on a new pistol this close to Christmas.

P.S.,
 If I do buy another pistol, I'm looking at either Ruger Blackhawk with a 7 1/2 inc barrel or another Vaquero with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, both in .45 Colt.  If I get the Blackhawk, it'll probably get a scope. If I get the Vaquero, it will double as a backup gun for Cowboy Action Shooting. What are your opinions?

[Bullseye]

45LC will work for sure.  If you can hit a paper plate at your max distance every time, you are ready to use that gun

[44 Man]

Absolutely use those RVs!  I have been handgun hunting deer for 35 years.  Usually with a scoped handgun (old eyes!) but I usually carry a fixed sight cowboy revolver for a companion belt gun.  This year was my EMF Hartford .45.  As long as the sights hit to point of aim with your choice of hunting loads.  (9 gr of unique w/250 gr SWC will do anything you need for deer but you can use 10 gr in the Ruger)  The Hartford sights were filed untill it shot to point of aim (front sight level with sides of rear) with 8.3 gr or unique, 250 gr rnfp.  Full power loads (9 grs) shoot a couple of inches lower so I merely round the sight picture up.  (The frout sight completes the arch that the frame around the rear sight forms)  My load of 270 gr SWC over 20 gr of 4227 kicks a little more so shoots higher.  For that one I depress the front sight about half of it's width.  Works much better this way than I ever imagined it would.  As long as you are not trying to cover 230 gr bullets at 650 fps all the way to 255 grs at 1100, this works well.  Of course if you are looking for an excuse to buy a new gun - have at it.  Enjoy!   44 Man

[Mikey]

Holiday:  there was an article in one of the recent gun mags about short barrelled Vaqueros - this one in particular was shortened to 4" and had the birds head grip.  Honestly, it was the prettiest Ruger I have ever seen and would drive me to get one even if it is a Ruger.  It is the closest looking thing to a SAA that I have seen come out of the Ruger shops, and it sure looks sweet.  If you're thinking about getting back into handgun hunting that one might be the ticket.  And, you need not worry about the capability of the 45 Colt and whitetail, as long as you don't try to outshoot the cartridge.  44 Man gives you some good advice on loads, too.  

I have often thought about a SAA for a belt gun while afield and I don't have any problems with the 45 Colt cartridge.  Most often I carry a 45 acp and there is little practical difference between the two rounds but that danged Ruger sure looked sweet.............but, so do the Cimarrons in 4 and 5/8 with the original finish..............hmmmmmm, this could be a problem.  So many guns, so few hands.  Mikey.

[Holiday]

Thanks for the good advice, folks! I use my Vaqueros in CAS and have gotten really familier with them so carrying them hunting would be a natural thing. As too the .45 Colt, i have been a fan of it since before CAS. Thanks for the loads!

[RCL]

Holiday, for just a sometimes hunting handgun, your Vaquero will do just fine. I have a 4 5/8  SS Bisley Vaquero .45 that is a sometimes gun for me, when I don't feel like taking one of my longer barreled revolvers, and that I carry as a belt gun when I take out the muzzleloader during our gun season. It shoots to POA @ 25 with a 300 grain BRP hardcast gascheck over a charge of 23 grains of H110.
I prefer the 7 1/2" barrel myself; I also have a Bisley SuperBlackhawk in .44 Mag that has seen a lot of hunting time, and a Freedom Arms .454 with a 10" tube that feels a little to long with the FA style of gripframe.