SA Revolvers

A

AndABeer

New member
Been a sh** week so far and ain't even half over. I don't really have a "comfort food" to make me feel better so I think I'll buy a gun today. Been kicking around some Class III and Class II stuff but I want immediate gratification. I have examples of most types of handguns in my collection but no cowboy stuff. My fave shoppe has a great selection of Ruger Vaqueros and some Cimmarron (sp?) stuff. Rugers are tanks but the Cim stuff is more traditionally styled. They have a Cim in .45LC/.45ACP that looks kinda nice but truly I don't know that I would ever shoot ACP in the thing. I already have LC dies. I am just not sure about the Cim quality. They also have about six Colt SAA but 1500 is a touch much and I am very dubious of Colt qualtiy. What do you cowboy shooters out there think?
 
I guess it depends on how much abuse you plan on putting it through. I own a vaquaro, and you are right it is a tank. Almost twice as heavy as the comparable colt or the cim clone you spoke of. I don't do cowboy action shooting, I do the quick draw shooting, which seems to be much more abusive, even though we don't use real ammo. Because of the rapid cocking we do to the guns, I have seen many guns brake. Even mine fails to lock up on a few cylinders, but that was after almost 6 months of practice every day for a couple of hours. I saw a few uberties, and a couple of cimmerions(sp) that died my first contest. And they had just bought their guns as well. As for regular shooting, I would still pick the vaquaro just due to the extra meat on the gun, and that it can take almost any load you want to put in it. I like the way it feels, and I don't have to worry about cutting my hand up with the firing pin on the hammer(like with the colt and colt clones.) Just my 2 cents.
 
The finish on the Vaq's is about the only thing that isn't durable. I have heard of several, and seen one that was left in a holster overnight, and there was rust on the frame the next morning. Appearently it has to do with the type of steel they use, it doesn't take a CC finish very well. I would get the stainless over the CC finish.

------------------
NRA, GOA
"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice"-Neil Peart
Vote in November.
 
AndAbeer,
You can't go wrong with the ruger. I have the stainless vaquero in .357 and love it. The gloss stainless almost looks like a nickel finish.
Good luck
 
The Ruger frames are cast, which cannot be case hardened (the process which originally resulted in the color effect from hardening the parts). The case color on the Rugers is "color case", not the case hardening found on other (older) revolvers. The case color on the Vaqueros has a well deserved reputation for coming off very easily. Barring that they are wonderful revolvers. They are without question one of the strongest guns on the market. But they do lack the "feel" of a genuine Colt SAA.

------------------
Gunslinger

I was promised a Shortycicle and I want a Shortycicle!
 
Hey, I can relate! I once purchased (and still have) a Ruger Super Blackhawk 4 5/8" . . . just 'cuz. It's a very handy, reliable, powerful package, especially for the dollars spent. As they used to say on TV, "try it, you'll like it."
 
I am now the proud owner of a stainless 4 5/8" Vaq in .45 LC. I feel much better now. :D

The Bisley almost got me but they only had those with case coloring. Maybe my next bad week....




[This message has been edited by AndABeer (edited August 23, 2000).]
 
If Ruger frames can't be case hardened because they are cast, how does Doug Turnbull case harden them the old fashioned way and make them look beautiful?
 
Excellent choice Mr. Beer. I'm sure you will never regret it.

AC, I'm not familiar with the process that Turnbull uses. However I can assure you it is not the old style true case hardening. Perhaps more durable than the method used by Ruger but it would still have to be some form of case coloring. For a complete discussion on the case harding process go to Harleys Smithy Forum and do a search. There has been a great deal of discussion there regarding the process.

------------------
Gunslinger

I was promised a Shortycicle and I want a Shortycicle!
 
Take a look over at Reeder custom. He does a lotta cowboy stuff. You can find him at www.reedercustomguns.com Might find something interesting there. Ya never know.

------------------
***Torpedo***
It's a good life if you can survive it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top