Aguila Blanca
Staff
That's basically what I said ... but the OP said he wants a "cowboy" revolver, so that eliminates the Blackhawk. I like the Blackhawk ... enough that I have owned three of them. Two were the anniversary models, matching serial numbers in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. The one I have now is a .45 Colt/.45 ACP convertible. They're great revolvers ... but the adjustable target sight takes them out of the "cowboy" classification.screwball said:The New Vaquero can handle SAAMI specification loads for .45 Colt. If you need hotter rounds, go Blackhawk or Old Vaquero. Most people buying New Vaqueros are likely shooting standard .45 Colt loads or lower (Cowboy loads). The amount of people pushing .45 Colt to the limit is far from norm.
Yes, for shooting standard .45 Colt loads the new Vaquero will get the job done. But at that point you have a gun that's the same size as a Colt SAA, looks a lot like a Colt SAA, but doesn't work the same as a Colt SAA. Personally (please note), once beyond wanting the capability of handling Ruger-only loads in the Old Vaquero, I'd prefer a Pietta or Uberti clone because they are much more authentic in terms of lockwork and finish.
Personal preference only. YMMV.