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Blogging to you from the Northeastern Badlands of The County of Lake, in the state currently known as Fatmanistan, DEEP DEEP DEEP DEEP DEEP inside the heartland of the Banana Republic formerly known as the USA, WELCOME TO THE NEXT CHAPTER! WARNING! ALL FORMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ARE ADDICTIVE; EXCESSIVE USE MAY LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, REDUCED JOB PRODUCTIVITY, INSOMNIA, SOCIAL ALIENATION, GENITAL ULCERS, BLINDNESS, POLITICAL EROTICISM, AND / OR DEVIANT FUNAMBULISM. NOTICE: NO GUNS OR AMMUNITION ARE FOR SALE VIA THIS BLOG. (No, I will not trade my Colt Python for some lubricious adventures with your trophy wife and a future first-round draft pick.) CAVEAT: This blog is not suitable for viewing while at work, while inside a public library, while inside any public or private school, or while inside any public or private restroom. Do not view this blog while driving a motor vehicle or while piloting an aircraft. Viewing this blog may be illegal inside the EU, NYC, Chicago, Seattle, and other parts of the Third World. THIS BLOG CONTAINS (albeit often very childish) ADULT-CONTENT. DISCLAIMER: This blog is a hobby, it is not a livelihood. Even though much of what I blog about relates to firearms collecting and recreational shooting, I am not an expert (by any measure) on any facet of guns, shooting, hunting, or personal defense. Entries at this blog are akin to good old-fashioned campfire chats or post hunt bourbon-fueled barroom-bluster; I offer no opinion on what you should or should not purchase, or what you should be using or doing. What does or does not work for me could be rugged-country-miles away from your tastes and your needs. All products, places, and miscellany that I review for this blog are purchased / rented / leased at retail price by me. I do not accept payment, gifts, discounts, freebies, products on loan, distilled spirits, recreational pharmaceuticals, plea-bargains, probation, parole, Papal Blessings, Presidential Pardons, or sexual favors for doing any review or blog post. TRACKING COOKIES: Google et al stick tracking cookies on everybody. If you are online, you are being spied on via one method or another, for one reason or another; 'nuff said. You may be able to minimize your online DNA residue by using Tor and Duck Duck Go. Vive la liberté! Vive all y'all! Ante omnia armari. To each of you, thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Old Ruger Vaquero .45 Colt

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4 5/8’’ barrel
Chambered for the .45 Colt (known to some as the .45 Long Colt)

A Ruger Vaquero revolver made between the years of 1993 - 2005, often called an “old Vaquero,” is slightly larger than a Colt Single Action Army revolver. “Old Vaquero” revolvers were built to safely handle the higher pressure .45 Colt hunting ammunition (such as the loads from Buffalo Bore); the cylinder walls are thicker than are those of the Colts and clones.  A “new Vaquero” revolver produced from 2005 to the present has dimensions closer to that of the Colt Single Action Army revolver and is NOT for use with the hot hunting loads.

Unlike the Colt style single action revolvers which must be carried with the hammer down on an empty chamber, the “old” and “new” Vaquero revolvers are safe to carry with all six cylinder-chambers loaded; Ruger single action revolvers have a transfer bar firing pin system designed to make them “drop safe.” Some veteran six-gunners still only load Ruger Vaquero and Ruger Blackhawk revolvers with five cartridges; old safety habits run deep.

My great dreams and expectations sometimes never bear fruit; I have had no great outdoor adventures with this gun at my side, it never served as a kit gun of any sort, nor has it ever been a hunting companion. It is 1994 vintage, an “old Vaquero” purchased new, and has since seen a good deal of use, all of which has been at indoor ranges. It is what I shoot when I want to do something different. Over the years, quite a number of folks have asked me to take them out and let them shoot this “cowboy gun.” I also bring the Vaquero along when someone asks to shoot this derringer. Even with standard pressure cartridges, firing the .45 Colt is a moving experience.

Nowadays many folks are asking about using a single action revolver for self-defense. For personal defense, would I choose this revolver above all other available handguns? No. For personal defense, would I use this revolver if nothing else were available? Yes.  IMHO, there are obvious reasons why the U.S. military and law enforcement agencies moved from single action revolvers to double action revolvers and then on to high-capacity semi-autos. Still, if someone wants to carry a cowboy gun for personal defense that is his or her business, not mine. Heck, some folks participating in Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) via the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) events look to be very proficient shooters. More power to them.

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3 comments:

  1. She's a beaut.

    I hope to own a convertible .45 SA one of these days. The ability to share ammo between the revolver and the 1911 just tickles my inner hoarder.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Elmo.

    I agree... a convertible would be very cool to own. Hope you can score one.

    Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I picked up one of the Ruger bright stainless convertibles in 4 5/8 when they first came out. It was hard as hen's teeth to find back then but worth the effort. It is a great revolver.

    ReplyDelete

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