Loading info on new vaqueros ???

[craiginok]

Do any of you have REAL info on strength of the new vaquero ?
What i am trying to find is info on 260-300 grs.900- 1000 fps. Is that unreasonable .45 colt-5!/2 bbl.Surely its as tough as a 25 type smith,don't ya think.
Help me out here this was a b/day present from wife and it's mine now,know what i mean??  I would like to hog hunt with it and think some good flat nose 300 grainers would be the trick,now all i hear is (it's no stronger than a colt)surely not .    thanks for any help.craig.

[Lloyd Smale]

ruger recomends colt level loads. So i cant give you my answer to the question but maybe you can read between the lines.

[K.K]

I agree.  If you want to push the 45 LC, get an old model.  I have one and shoot a lot of heavy loads with no problem.  The New Model Vaqueros were brought to market primarily for the cowboy action shooter that wanted a lighter, slimmer gun to shoot light loads, and to better mimic the lines of the Colt Peacemaker.

[jpuke]

Now when you say "light" loads, what are we talking about?  If I remember correctly, original Colt loads were a 250 gr bullet around 800-850 fps - I'd imagine, and I'm hoping since I want to get one, that these would be fine.  I don't know anyone who shoots Cowboy Action, but don't those shooters go for the lightest load possible rather than a historically accurate one?  If that's all the New Vaquero is good for I'm not interested - I'd be fine with the original ballistics, they're nothing to sneeze at.  In short, am I right in guessing that these revolvers should be fine with 45 Colt loads as originally loaded?

[MarkH]

They are fine with Colt level loads as originally intended.  There are a good many 45 Colt loads out there that are compatible with the SAA, and these should be just fine with the New Vaquero.

[Glanceblamm]

Got some good feedback from Leverfan on this question last Aug.

 Leverfan wrote:
 

The smaller framed Vaqueros aren't weaker than Colts, they are in between the Colt and the large original Vaquero in strength. Brian Pearce wrote an article giving loads for the new Ruger frame. He pushed it a little harder than a Colt, but not as high pressured as you can load an original Vaquero.

Ruger did install some lighter springs, since that's something that many customers were doing anyway. Unless the internal surfaces are very rough, so that you need strong springs to overcome the drag, there's no reason to go with heavy springs. Strong enough to function, but not strong enough to cause premature wear, is a good level of spring force.

[leverfan]

I suppose that I can also add that I've been talking to a former Ruger employee about the new Vaquero.  They kept the cylinder walls as thick as possible, just to be sure that those "Ruger Only" loads in all the manuals won't hurt the new Vaquero.  Ruger is plenty aware of potential liability, and they kept the new Vaquero pretty darn tough.

The down side is, because of cylinder geometry, the new Vaquero can't be factory chambered in 44 WCF or 38 WCF, so don't bother asking Ruger.  If maximum SAAMI size case rims are loaded into a New Vaquero in one of those calibers, the rims would overlap.  YES, I know that virtually any production case will actually fit.  Custom new Vaqueros have already been rechambered, successfully, for the WCF rounds.  However, Ruger is not willing to make a gun that "almost always works with almost all factory rounds."  It's 100%, or nothing.  Can't really say I blame them.

Anyway, I'd limit those New Vaqueros loads to between Colt and the old "Ruger Only" loads, as a working maximum.  Or, play it safe, and stick with Colt level loads.  If you can't knock it down with a 255 grain bullet going 900 fps, you shouldn't have picked a fight with it, anyway!

[leverfan]

I don't know anyone who shoots Cowboy Action, but don't those shooters go for the lightest load possible rather than a historically accurate one?

There are shooters using "mouse fart" loads, and there are shooters using loads that are almost hotter than the rules allow (warthogs).  There are also lots of us using cases crammed full of real black powder (dark side warthogs), and trying it in all sorts of cases, not just the pre-1900 ones.

For instance, 32 grains of Goex fffg under a 200 grain LFP in a 44 magnum case gives me 832 fps, average, from my consecutive numbered 4 5/8" Rugers.  That's not bad, it's closing in on 45 ACP performance.  

For the old fashioned, 37 grains of Goex fffg in a 45 Colt case under a 250 grain bullet in a 7 1/2 barreled Uberti Colt replica gave me 967 fps, dangerously close to the SASS upper limit for competition.

In answer to your question, the New Vaquero can handle any mainstream factory load you'd care to try.  I'd steer clear of anything marked "+P+", but I don't like getting kicked that hard, even if the gun can take it. :grin:

[jpuke]

If you can't knock it down with a 255 grain bullet going 900 fps, you shouldn't have picked a fight with it, anyway!

There are shooters using "mouse fart" loads


Leverfan - Well said in both posts.

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

Antique firearms notwithstanding, if it says ".45 Colt" then it can handle SAAMI .45 Colt pressures at least.

Neither SAAMI nor Ruger will stand behind "Ruger Only" loads.

"Ruger Only" simply means many, many, many folks have loaded Rugers to these levels without harm to self or gun.

[44 Man]

For years I owned an engraved EMF Dakota built by Jaeger.  SAA clone.  My standard hunting load was a 265 gr SWC over 20 gr of 4227 listed as safe (top end, but safe) for SAA .45 colts.  That load would do 975 fps!  9.7 gr of Unique would do about the same thing with a 255 gr SWC.  9.0 gr of unique would do 925 with a rnfp in that gun.  I have evolved through Blackhawks, Colts, Vaqueros and now to my 'new Vaquero' and those loads are still my hunting standbys.  For pleasure I now shoot swaged 250 gr rnfp's over 8.0 gr of unique and that's still a full power load.  Like old Skeeter used to say about it; The .45 colt hammers game all out of proportion to it's paper ballistics!  I'm very happy with 925/950 fps in a hunting load in .45 colt.  Try it, I don't think you will find need of more power, unless you are after Griz, then you should have a .454 anyway!  Here's my 'New Vaquero' in her 'Sunday clothes'!   44 Man
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[Terry C.]

I have a 5½" New Vaquero in .45 Colt and I love it.

It's light and handy compared to an original Vaquero or NMBH, but still plenty stong for any load I want to shoot out of it.

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This is a fun gun for plinking, target shooting, and possibly some SASS competition at some point (I'm registered but haven't competed in any events, yet).

If I'd wanted to push the limits of the .45 Colt, I would have bought a New Model Blackhawk, not a fixed-sight Vaquero.

That's just my take on the issue. YMMV.