As long as it's fun to shoot. Fun matters.

CDFingers

tonguengroover wrote:

FrontSight wrote: Mon Jun 27, 2022 11:02 am

INVICTVS138 wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 12:52 pm Yeah but those 2 pistols aren’t In the same league.

Ruger vaquero is worth a few Hundo’s more than any Italian-colt clone in my book. The only revolver I’ve ever gotten rid of was a Pietta. Don’t miss it. (I have a Taurus M82 .38 that is much better.) Semi-autos come and go but I usually hang onto the wheel-guns. Plus, the Ruger single actions are just much more user friendly; being safe to carry 6, and not having to half cock to load. Better mousetrap.

I really want that vaquero, lol. I love the case coloring. I’m moving right now so not in the budget. I’d snap that pistol up I. A heartbeat if it was local - definitely for $750.


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Too funny...

I got rid of my Rugers and kept my Uberti's. I guess when I want a 19th century revolver, I want it a good bit more 19th century than Ruger makes. The Rugers are certainly more robust than any SAA or SAA clone, but for me that's not the point. For me its about shooting a historical gun, so if both the Vaquero and Cattlemen came out just yesterday and they were both price the same, I'd pick the Uberti every day of the week. If I wanted a modern revolver, I'd just buy a modern revolver.

But I do get the appeal of the Ruger. It's SAA-esque, and you can abuse it all day long and just get away with it. I know, I'm the gunsmith who keeps all the "prop" revolvers running at an old west gunfight re-enactment show in Virginia City. Uberti's are way tougher than you think, but the Rugers just can't be killed. I just serviced two single sixes that have been shooting black powder blanks almost daily for the past 6 months. But the two single sixes, although they looked like they had been dragged behind a truck on a gravel road, cleaned right up, and only had very minor rust pitting. What's more, once properly cleaned and oiled, the actions on both were just butter smooth, and the guns functioned perfectly.

Yeah, well I am a Ruger fanboy but also being Italian I think dad would approve of me buying an Italian made gun here and there.
One of my biggest pet peeves is buying used guns. I got a real junker of a Smiffy semi-auto back in the day and took a huge loss on it. Like fitty bucks in 80' dollars. hehe
I'll usually only do it with a friend or one who will give me money back if I don't like it.
I like new guns better cus no one knows whats been done to a used gun.

I’m the opposite (at least as far as revolvers go.) I’ve bought one new Smith, one new Ruger, and one New Pietta. The vast majority of my wheel guns have been used. The only one that was troublesome was the Pietta (fixed sight, off.)

I took a chance on my .357 Ruger Blackhawk … Got to the Walmart parking lot for a gun deal & the bore was sketchy looking, but the guy said he just hadn’t cleaned it. $280 later, Took it home, one pass with the bore snake - beautiful. I still can’t believe the deal I got on that accurate & robust pistol. Sometimes it’s worth a chance, but every once and awhile you might get scorched.

I think Ruger SAs are extremely, low risk when buying used. I prefer adjustable sights, but also I like fixed sights on a carry wheel gun. A groove In the top strap can’t really snag on a draw. I do carry both - but I prefer a modern square north and square front sight. I’m not a fan of the sights on the colt clones & if I ever got a New Vaquero I’d get the rear sight milled out wider & square.


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wooglin wrote: Mon Jun 27, 2022 8:34 am

wings wrote: Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:09 am The occasional cylinder hang-up on my Blackhawk turned into a complete failure to rotate. Rugged, they said. Nigh indestructible, they said. Well, we'll see if the stories about customer service are true. Was looking forward to spending some more range time with it now that we've gone endemic, but I'm not sure I'm going to get it back.

I bet a dollar you get it back within 2 weeks.

Yeah, sure. Revolvers are currently running an estimated 4 weeks. Not clear whether that includes Ruger's usual 4th of July week shutdown. i wonder about the backlog considering they haven't cranked out anything but Wranglers since 2020. I'm still bitter that I missed the Redhawk during lockdown.

INVICTVS138 wrote: “Stocking up” on .45 LC sheesh … that’s an expensive proposition either way & has been. They were at least $45/box 10 years ago.

It's convertible, so more ACP than Colt. I don't reload, so I try to stay close to bog standard 230 grain ACP loads for consistency. I was very happy with the S&B JHP load in .45 Colt back in 2020 - it was only .80/rd back then - and held on to some for the past couple years before the last range trip. I wonder if the powder got a little punchy with age, because it sure felt punchier than the Winchester ACP loads I was shooting - and they were bought at the same price point.

I did get a few more boxes of the S&B Colt this spring - not at .80/rd anymore, but still cheaper than any other JHPs I could find at the time.

tonguengroover wrote:

wings wrote: Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:09 am The occasional cylinder hang-up on my Blackhawk turned into a complete failure to rotate. Rugged, they said. Nigh indestructible, they said. Well, we'll see if the stories about customer service are true. Was looking forward to spending some more range time with it now that we've gone endemic, but I'm not sure I'm going to get it back.

Did we get a picture of it in this thread?

Did you check to see if the transfer bar was hitting the firing pin? Spring pin could be stuck. I've heard of that issue before.

Post #5. Holster and belt courtesy of Rocky River Leather, LGC member and highly recommended. Seriously, why are you wearing any other belt?

Pawl - hammer link broke. Probably related to the base pin spring / transfer bar issue, which has been a documented problem with Ruger SAAs for years - but I did have a primer back out shooting Winchester white box 230s last year and completely lock up the cylinder. Don't know for sure what caused it, just know that Ruger's reputation for indestructible SAAs is overstated. Hoping their reputation for CS is not. I wanted to buy a shooter - I don't collect.

It does have me thinking outside of Ruger for a stand-in while it's off to the shop though. Not many wheelgun options, but lots of bottom-feeders.

My SA revolvers are are old JP Sauer or Schmidt.

sig230 wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 8:22 am My SA revolvers are are old JP Sauer or Schmidt.

Pics?

Do you also have one of these rifles? The Schmidt Rubin G11
[youtu_be]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAHdnI2MIFs[/youtu_be]

tonguengroover wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 12:45 pm

sig230 wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 8:22 am My SA revolvers are are old JP Sauer or Schmidt.

Pics?

Do you also have one of these rifles? The Schmidt Rubin G11
[youtu_be]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAHdnI2MIFs[/youtu_be]

I thought I did but so far can't find them. But I'll try to take some today.

Carryhawk flew home today. More than two weeks but the only reason wooglin's two-week estimate was overly optimistic was Ruger's 4th of July holiday week. Well within the four weeks I was quoted. Came back with the Colt cylinder more scuffed than I remember - the tech dropped the cylinder, according to the note. Still, the action feels like it did just before the pawl broke. Can't say as I forgot how good it feels in hand, but a range trip is in order. I mean, when is it not?

Have gun, will travel.

I like. How old?

TALO put 'em out in 2019, but I got mine after missing the last release of .45 Redhawks during the lockdown of 2020. Not thrilled with the finish, but the kaboom is fun.

wings wrote:Carryhawk flew home today. More than two weeks but the only reason wooglin's two-week estimate was overly optimistic was Ruger's 4th of July holiday week. Well within the four weeks I was quoted. Came back with the Colt cylinder more scuffed than I remember - the tech dropped the cylinder, according to the note. Still, the action feels like it did just before the pawl broke. Can't say as I forgot how good it feels in hand, but a range trip is in order. I mean, when is it not?

Have gun, will travel.

Gawd darn it I love that pistol. That’s a fine big iron. Someday, I hope we can get out for a .45 Colt range day.

I took my team at work to Range USA, and they all loved the .45 Henry X-model. The RSO even helped me retrieve all my .45 colt brass, lol.


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Saw one of these elusive critters at the LGC today, a 5104 Stainless https://ruger.com/products/vaqueroStain ... /5104.html
Caliber: 45 Colt
Capacity: 6
Barrel Length: 5.50"
MSRP: $1019.00

It was $895 out the door, well before tax. I asked about a convertible, the guy chuckled and took my name. Its a Davidsons exclusive but only 50 bucks more. I say thats a gonga there. If he can find me one.
Meanwhile I'm chawing on getting this one.

That's a nice one. I have the 4 5/8 barrel.

CDFingers

I'm the gunsmith that keeps all the guns running at the Virginia City gunfight reenactment show. These guns are just horribly abuses, and you would be amazed at how well they all hold up. Rugers just can't be killed, but a Uberti or Pietta will eventually break something, but they will take an obscene amount of abuse before they stop running. Mostly broken trigger springs which is corrected by installing the wire spring. Once you install the wire spring, they pretty much just don't break anymore. I have a Pietta on my bench right now with a missing firing pin and OMG does that revolver look rough. It has been in service for a good 6 years and it really shows. But the rest of the gun is working just fine even though it looks like it was drug behind a truck on a gravel road.

The only Ruger repair I have done is a replaced firing pin, and there's some pretty rough looking Rugers over there.

CDFingers wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 6:12 pm That's a nice one. I have the 4 5/8 barrel.

CDFingers

Yup. I would like a 4 inch but beggars ....
There just aint none on the shelves these days.
I missed out on the other used vaquero with the cross on the grips. Think i posted a pick of it. It was blued but i would take either shiny or blued at this point in time. Been hunting one down for yea r s now.
I dont do online buys and very skeptical of used.

FrontSight wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 6:41 pm I'm the gunsmith that keeps all the guns running at the Virginia City gunfight reenactment show. These guns are just horribly abuses, and you would be amazed at how well they all hold up. Rugers just can't be killed, but a Uberti or Pietta will eventually break something, but they will take an obscene amount of abuse before they stop running. Mostly broken trigger springs which is corrected by installing the wire spring. Once you install the wire spring, they pretty much just don't break anymore. I have a Pietta on my bench right now with a missing firing pin and OMG does that revolver look rough. It has been in service for a good 6 years and it really shows. But the rest of the gun is working just fine even though it looks like it was drug behind a truck on a gravel road.

The only Ruger repair I have done is a replaced firing pin, and there's some pretty rough looking Rugers over there.

I hear you brother.

You probably know, but not everyone visiting might - the new-model Vaqueros are nice but they're on a smaller frame than the old ones and can't run ammo hotter than SAAMI specs. Not that anyone would ever do that. If single action appeals to you, especially in .45, and you don't mind fixed sights or the plow-handle grip, do it.

I mean, it's not like prices are going down.

I don't remember shooting consistently left of bullseye the last year or two, but apparently I get to play with sighting it back in. Not as accurate in my hands as the MkIV - really? You don't say! - but some days one gun just shoots closer to its potential than the other. This time, it was a wheelgun day. Sometimes it's good just to play with clockwork that goes boom.

Well i have heard about the frame. Never handled an old one so couldnt tell the difference.
I do own a new blackhawk .357 so not new to the feel however the fixed sight on a vaquero seems doable.
Im a point n shoot kinda guy anyways.The blackhawk sight as nice as it is doesnt seem as origional old west if you know what i mean.
First revolver i had was a ruger 3 screw 22 wmr.
I remember years ago complaining about how expensive nice revolvers were when i could g e t one of these for near half as much.
I need a big bore.

I think he’s about a hundo too high but who knows? Ruger .45 colts have been really had to come by and they always fetch over 1K on gun joker …


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A bit late to the party, but here's a custom 3" S&W M&P.

Is that the sight on top of the trigger?

INVICTVS138 wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 11:39 pm I think he’s about a hundo too high but who knows? Ruger .45 colts have been really had to come by and they always fetch over 1K on gun joker …


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Yeah I dunno. That blued Vaquero I posted about here sold for $795 and was well used, I'd say fair condition. I tried lowballing them and it failed. lol
So a hundred bucks more seems ok. And it's 100 bucks lower than msrp.

Well I went and did it. I couldn't stand the thought of lettin her slip away like the last one. She's a high polished one too! Model 5104 Stainless .45 LC
Found some of my favorite flat point FMJ ammo too at Big 5 since the LGS had none, 250 gr. Man thems some fat boolets. Shoulda bought all six boxes but I ain't greedy.
Can't afford a holster now. lol

MicahaelTinkerPearce wrote: Fri Jul 29, 2022 12:10 am A bit late to the party, but here's a custom 3" S&W M&P.

That's a REALLY cool old revolver there. Haven't seen one of those rear sights in decades...can't remember who made them.

Tonguengroover - That rear sight attaches to the frame of a 5 screw S&W at the top screw that holds the sideplate. It was a quick way to get an adjustable sight on a fixed sight revolver. Can't remember who made them.

FrontSight wrote: Fri Jul 29, 2022 6:00 pm

MicahaelTinkerPearce wrote: Fri Jul 29, 2022 12:10 am A bit late to the party, but here's a custom 3" S&W M&P.

That's a REALLY cool old revolver there. Haven't seen one of those rear sights in decades...can't remember who made them.

Tonguengroover - That rear sight attaches to the frame of a 5 screw S&W at the top screw that holds the sideplate. It was a quick way to get an adjustable sight on a fixed sight revolver. Can't remember who made them.

Thought i saw i sight on there.

Considering what I’ve seen tinker build, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was his own manufacture.