New Vaquero Durability

Weren't there some Old Model .45s, just as suitable for overloads as the New Model?

Trivia:
Great Western offered SAA copies and ammo in .357 Atomic, just magnum brass with a 158 gr bullet and 16 gr of no 2400.
 
Weren't there some Old Model .45s, just as suitable for overloads as the New Model?
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A quick internet search says Ruger introduced the .45 Colt Blackhawk in 1970, but after that it gets vague and links me to a page no longer there....

You might have better luck, my search skills are rather poor....

SO it is apparently possible there are .45 Colt Blackhawks that are NOT "New Model Blackhawks", as the new model guns came out about 1973. I don't have any information on them, regarding which frame size Ruger used for them.. I'd have to see one, and compare it to a New Model .45 to determine if it was suitable for the heavy "Ruger only" loads, or not.

There are "old model" .44 Mag Blackhawks, and there are "old model" Super Blackhawks, so it is possible there are old model .45 Blackhawks strong enough for the heavy handloads, but I don't know that, for sure, at this time.

As the New Vaquero shows, Ruger can put the .45 Colt in a frame size that is NOT suitable for the heavy handloads, I just don't have any information if that is what they did with the old model Blackhawk .45, or not. Sorry.
 
Factory Ruger Old Model .45 Colt revolvers are on the large frame so suitable for ROLs if so inclined. Only the .357 Old Model was ever on the medium frame (other than custom work like to .44 Special back then) . So to date, only the .45 Colt New Model New Vaquero (fixed sights) and New Model .45 Colt Flattops are on the medium frame, not suitable for ROLs.
 
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Thank you for that information.

I had several Vaqueros, a New Vaquero, and New Model Blackhawks in .45 Colt. Had my years of pushing the .45 Colt in the Blackhawk, decided not to bother with it after a while. I shoot the .45 Colt for fun (mostly) and a 250gr at 1100fps or just under (depending on barrel length) does everything I want and need from the round, and is safe in Colt class guns, as well. When I want more, I go to the .44 Mag or some other round in that class,

Ruger only level loads, while safe in the Vaquero (and NOT the NEW Vaquero) run into the problem of the fixed sights. With great power comes great responsibility, but without great accuracy, (meaning bullet hits where sights aim) its not a good thing.

I had a .44 Magnum Vaquero but traded it for a Super Blackhawk, to get "essentially" the same gun, with adjustable sights, which I felt was much better suited to shooting various .44 Magnum loads.
 
I hear ya. I think the same way. .454s and other cartridges are 'available' if you need more punch than the o' .45 Colt :) .
 
I was amused when Ruger left the adjustable sights off a Blackhawk, called it a Vaquero... and raised the price.
Current list prices are $849 for BH .45, $1049 for Vaquero .45.
 
They left off the adjustable sight, and the "ears" part of the topstrap the sight is mounted in and rounded some edges to a more Colt like profile and called it the Vaquero.

The Vaquero no longer has a "list price" since it has been out of production for several years.

The gun currently in production is the "New Vaquero" (and it says that on it) and while it still is an SA revolver and looks very similar, it is a DIFFERENT, SMALLER gun than the Vaquero.

I've owned both. A 5.5" barrel NEW VAQUERO is the same length (butt to muzzle) as a 4 & 5/8" barrel VAQUERO.
 
Vaquero, New Vaquero, I haven't looked at one to see what the current roll marking is, but the catalog says: "THE RUGER VAQUERO® COMBINES THE ORIGINAL OLD WEST SINGLE-ACTION LOOK AND FEEL WITH NEW FEATURES.

And it is still $200 (!) more expensive than a Blackhawk. Hard to see why, except for vigorous merchandising a "Cowboy Gun."

Before there ever was a Vaquero, much less a New Vaquero, I saw Blackhawks with the adjustable rear removed and the top strap machined into the hog wallow configuration. The front ramp was replaced with a plain blade. Apparently well done, but then messed up with a little journeyman engraving and gold fill.

At a different gun show table, I saw a pair of "pre Vaqueros" produced by similarly remodeling Super Blackhawks, nickel plated with ivory Micarta grips and nice leather. Said to have been made for the president of the Ruger collectors' association.
 
I know people who will pay that, but nope, there is a $200 charge for adjustable sight delete from New Model Blackhawk to New Vaquero.
 
Eliminating the adjustable rear sight doesn't really save anything on the manufacturing end. If anything it's more finish work to mill and polish the top strap. Ruger's aluminum rear sights are rather cheap. The Vaquero has always had a higher level of polish and all steel parts. Though the earliest examples had aluminum ejector housings. Really the fixed sight guns are made more like the Super Blackhawk, which is also $200 more than the standard blued Blackhawk. Note the stainless Blackhawks are also a good bit higher than their blued counterparts. I would presume we're paying for the material and the finish work.
 
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