How heavy load for Vaquero?

I have loaded and shot many "Ruger only" loads in my old model Vaquero.

My first reaction when seeing this posted was to get on here and say: don't.

I am not debating the strength of the gun. I have shot up to 300 grain XTP at 1200 fps and let me tell you it's a handful!

If I had a Super Blackhawk or either model in the Bisley configuration, I'd be more apt to shoot it with the high powered loads, but the gun IMO is not really designed for such power. It's a SAA clone, albeit a bigger stronger one.

My logic here is that the SBH has much better sights that you would want for hunting. The SAA sights suck for any kind of precision IMO. And if your not gonna hunt with it, why do you need all that power?

I now just shoot regular old colt loads through it and I don't miss the blast. I have a 460 XVR Magnum for that.

200 or 250 grain lead round nose 900-1000 feet is tons of fun in the old Vaquero!
 
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but the gun IMO is not really designed for such power. It's a SAA clone, albeit a bigger stronger one.
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I think of the resemblance to a SAA as superficial. The gun is a tank.

Good point about purposing the gun, but as a range toy it would be great at 50-75 feet. I don't hunt except in survival theory, owning the equipment and some experience, but shoot and enjoy a number of big guns at the range. I enjoy fondling them too.:D
 
The Original Vaquaro is just a fixed sighted BH. End of Story. Load it however you want with normal loads up to Ruger Only Loads. Enjoy.
 
Yeah, you can load it how you want, but you better be real careful who you let shoot it. It might not be too much for you, but it will be for others. Something I like about mine is that I can confidently load it to the limits of a Colt SAA and go well beyond with no worries. I will hit my limit before the gun does. I use 250-255 grain bullets, mostly hand-cast, and my personal limit is right around 1,200 fps. Much beyond that, and it stings my hands after a couple of cylinders, eventually leading to flinching if I continue. My standard woods load runs at 1075 fps and is really all the power I need. I shoot my Vaquero a lot at 840 to 950 fps, never less than 840, and rarely above 1,100. If I felt the need for more power on a regular basis, I would be looking into a heavier revolver, as my Vaquero has the 4-5/8" barrel. A 7-1/2" Blackhawk, especially with the larger, heavier, steel, Super-Blackhawk gripframe and steel ejector-rod housing, would be a whole lot better for hot loads than my Vaquero, even if they are the same strength.
 
A 7-1/2" Blackhawk, especially with the larger, heavier, steel, Super-Blackhawk gripframe and steel ejector-rod housing, would be a whole lot better for hot loads than my Vaquero, even if they are the same strength.
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Yep. I totally agree. It's not can you, but should you.

We all agree you can, but having shot hot loads many times in my Vaquero, I'd go with Pathfinder45's suggestion.
 
It's a SAA clone, albeit a bigger stronger one.
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An SAA clone?? Only in the same sense a Dodge Ram 440 is a clone of a Chevy LUV...:rolleyes:

I've got a couple 4 5/8" Vaqueros (stainless) a 5.5", and a 5.5" Vaquero Bisley. Also a 5.5" New Vaquero, and 7.5" Blackhawks, all in .45 Colt. I had a 7.5" stainless Vaquero .44 Mag some years back, traded it for a Super Blackhawk, because in .44 Mag, I want adjustable sights. (looking back on things now, I should have kept the .44 Vaq, and just bought a Super B...oh well..:o)

I had my years of playing with the very stout loads (250s at 12-1300fps+), one of the reasons my Blackhawk wears Pachmayr grips. :D

Settled on a 250 SWC at 1100fps (7.5") as my general purpose load. Its a top end load for a Colt or the New Vaquero, not especially pleasant to shoot in those guns, but doable. Pleasant to shoot in the bigger heavier Blackhawk, and has all the "thwop!" needed for nearly everything.
 
<snip>Settled on a 250 SWC at 1100fps (7.5") as my general purpose load. Its a top end load for a Colt or the New Vaquero, not especially pleasant to shoot in those guns, but doable.
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What Colt (or New Vaquero) can safely shoot an 1100fps 45 Colt load? Loads I find in that range are "Ruger and T/C Contender only", and that's not just any "Ruger". A New Vaquero can be pushed into 45 ACP pressure range, because the gun is offered for that cartridge. Colt, not so much, as far I know.
 
What Colt (or New Vaquero) can safely shoot an 1100fps 45 Colt load?
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About any of them, IF the barrel is long enough (and, it usually isn't).

10.0gr Unique under a 250gr SWC is my 1100fps load, fired from my 7.5" Blackhawk. It barely hits 1100, but it gets close enough most of the time.

You WON'T get that much velocity from that same load in a 5.5 or 4.5" barrel, though. You'll probably get a 950-1050ish velocity from the shorter tubes.

(Lyman manual 1970 - 10.3gr Unique, 250gr cast, 1023fps Colt 5.5" barrel)

10.0gr Unique and a 250gr lead slug is the listed max in the old reloading manual for .45 Colt, and they were using Colt guns. I do believe a New Vaquero to be at least as strong as a Colt SAA, so no issue there, either.

OF COURSE, you should work up to it, but the guns should take it ok, Colts included (post 1900 modern SAA's not blackpowder frame guns)
 
My load is 9.0 gr Unique and 250 lead in my 7.5" NMBH. I have that rated as safe in my New Vaquero. I think 10 or more grains I would save for the ported Redhawk. Kablowy!!
 
My goal with Unique was to come up with the most powerful load that it could achieve and not be likely to cause a disaster if it found its way into a Colt SAA or copy of one. I know my Vaquero can take more, but I settled on 9.5 grains with 255 grain cast bullets. That's a full grain over what I would use if I were actually planning to use it in an SAA type revolver. If I want more power, then I will be using a different powder.
 
With Unique I stick with 8.5g or less under 255g SWC/250g RNFP. I move to HS-6 for my 1100fps load as it is a slower burning powder, less pressure which is perfectly safe in my New Vaqueros and BHs.
 
8.5 grains is a really good load for Unique; probably the best all-around. in experimenting with Unique, I found that it shoots well as low as 6.0 grains, but that's milder than I ever really want to go. I still shoot quite a lot at 8.5 grains. I have never tried HS-6. My go-to woods load uses HS-7, but I have a limited supply of it and it has been discontinued. Hence, I'm running Unique a little higher to achieve similar ballistics.
 
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