Advice/Opinions of New Vaquero in .357mag

[GUest]

New here. I am interested in getting a Ruger Vaquero in .357mag. What I would like to know, does the .357 magnum need to have any cylinder work to get it to shoot more accuratly or is it just fine OOB?

I was reading about the .45LC model and it said that the cylinders needed to be reamed out or something to that effect because it was undersized as compared to the bore or throat(something like that--excuse my lack of gunsmithing terminology)

 

I have had several opporunites to hold both a Ruger and a Colt, but to me at least, the Ruegr seems to be built better, and the dealer I work with, keeps telling me that if I plan to shoot alot, the Ruger will hold up alot better than the Colt will. I like the feel of the Vaquero and I am looking to get one with a 5-1/2" barrel in SS finish.

 

Are there any recommmendations as to what store bought ammo works the best in .38 special and .357. I know I eventually want to get into reloading, but for now, I am just going to use store bought stuff until I can obtain more knowledge in the reloading department.

[Grizzly Dave]

I have two RNVs in 357 and shoot 38s, love them, never done a think to them other than shoot and clean. I can't speak to pinpoint accuracy, but they are plenty accurate for shooting steel in cowboy matches.

[Uno Mas SASS #80082]

.

Had to have a lot of expensive gunsmithing done to my Ruger OMVs to get them as nice as my wife's New Model Vaqueros were out of the box.

 

Get 'em, shoot 'em, and enjoy 'em!

[Marauder SASS #13056]

The Vaqueros in 357 Mag are great. There is generally no need for any cylinder work and the New models come with a fairly light hammer spring, so they can be pretty good out of the box.

 

As to strength, real Colts hold up quite well. Some tests indicate they are about the same in reliability. But the Colts cost a lot more. So go with what fits your hand and budget the best.

 

As to ammo, you want moderate loads - you do not need full power 38 Special loads even, although they would be fine as well. Just have to be lead bullets. Most popular bullets is probably the 125 grain (122 grain to 130 grain, depending on the maker). And for the rifle, the best is a round nose flat point Or truncated cone. The semi-wad cutters are fine for pistol, but most rifles don't like the extra "ridge."

 

Check with local pards about buying reloads where shipping is the least and price is the best.

Many places now sell ammo marked "cowboy" that have good lead bullets and moderate loads.

 

http://www.atlantaarmsandammo.com/products.html

 

http://georgia-arms.com/38special-4.aspx

[JD Trampas, SASS # 55781]

If you don't reload now, expect to in the future, now as for store buying, make sure it is cowboy loads, like 38 special RNFP and it will be a 158 grain bullet, as for 45LC loads, usually 200 or 250 grain RNFP.

 

As for bullets, RNFP or truncated cone works best in rifles, the pistols can almost run any style of bullet so long as they are lead for cowboy shooting.

 

Now for revolvers, get what feels good to you and what you can afford, rugers are very popular and priced right, I have 6 sets of ruger's but the old style, not the newer ones after 2005, been thinking of it, just thinking, now as for 45LC cylinder throats, yes they are under sized, thought maybe when they came out with the new version they would handle this, guess not, have heard of people reaming them. Now all the old style rugers I have are 45LC with undersized throats, have no problem with cowboy shooting hitting steel, I still miss once in awhile if I go fast, LOL

 

Don't be afraid of buying rugers, they are good sixguns and if you go to a cowboy shoot, you will notice that half of them have rugers, the others will have colts or clones

 

All for now JD Trampas

[Tucson Jim]

In the NewVaqs of ALL calibers the throats tend to be sized right and are uniform between chambers. Ruger really cleaned up their act in this regard...the mid-frames have an improved cylinder manufacturing process. This upgrade later migrated to the large-frames, but too late for the "OldVaqs". You can ID a large-frame with the improvements by the under-barrel warning label. On the mid-frames like the NewVaq, ALL have the improved cylinders, even if they're old enough to have a side-barrel warning label.

 

In the 357 NewVaq, there's an interesting advantage: the thicker barrel doesn't tend to deform where it screws into the frame, so you're less likely to get that infamous constriction at the back of the barrel. The 44s and 45s are still subject to this issue. Fire-lapping can clean it up though, for cheap as long as you're already a reloader.

 

The 357's downside is that the resulting thick-walled barrel and beefy cylinder are heavy. A 4.68" 357 will have about the same "muzzle heavy" feeling as a 5.5" 45, or possibly even more. I recommend staying away from the 5.5" 357s unless you like a "heavy muzzle" gun.

[Tom Bullweed]

Georgia Arms loads cowboy velocities with lead bullets and Starline brass. This is the best brass available so you can start building a pile of it for when you get into reloading.

[Sgt. John Campbell, SASS #58165]

You can't go wrong with a new set of Ruger New Vaquros. Mine are in .357, blued/cch, with 5-1/2" barrels, and they've both been excellent shooters with zero problems.

 

As per ammunition, 'fraid I can't help on that, my rounds are all reloads.

[Bart Solo]

What a strange day on the Wire. I am going to pick up my new SASS Vaqueros tonight. First, one pard writes about a woman I knew, now questions on the guns I am buying in a little while.

[Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667]

The Ruger is just fine out of the box. Some people spend hundreds of dollars to make them into "race guns" and they are very nice but at my skill level I probably couldn't appreciate the difference.

 

I borrowed a friend's 5.5 inch .357s for a few months before buying my own. I got the SASS Edition guns which come in the shorter tubes in .357 but I think I like the balance better-the smaller bore means more metal in the cylinder and barrels. I don't think there is a ton of difference but you might try holding the two versions back-to-back and see what feels better.

 

Not running down the Colt but you can get a brace of Rugers for the cost of one new Colt and have change left over for ammo.

 

The Ruger seems to be the choice of the majority of shooters in my area.

[Frederick Jackson Turner]

To the OP;

As just about every previous poster has observed, Ruger New Model Vaqueros are the industry standard for Cowboy Action Shooting. They really are ready to use, right out of the box. Buy 'em, shoot the heck out of them. As skill and speed improves, you may find it useful to have one of the terrific top drawer gunsmiths; Wes Flowers, Lassiter, Shotgun Boogie, or others, tickle them to your specifications. I did, and I'm delighted with the results.

 

But really, you'll be taking an already good product, and making it even better.

 

Cheers,

FJT

[Kidd AtHeart SASS # 74179]

I have a pair of NMV, 4 5/8", SS. Love them. I did put in a pair of lighter springs. I really don't think it made much difference, but it seemed better and it was something I could do. So far, these guns have NEVER missed a target. I, on the other hand, am not too bashful to miss a target now and again !!!

 

Kid AtHeart

[Rio Brazos Kid]

I have a pair of the New Model SASS Vaqueros, SS and 4.68 barrels. I could not be happier with any other guns. They balance extremely well as the 357 barrels are pretty meaty, and tame the minute recoil of CAS loads with ease. Accuracy couldn't be better.

 

I did install Wolff 17 lb. spring kits in them, but probably wouldn't have had to, but just did it on general principal. The guns operate flawlessly, and I really like the Montado hammers that come on those models. There's simply nothing not to like about them.

 

RBK

[JD Trampas, SASS # 55781]

Rio Brazos Kid, the new rugers already have 17lb springs in them, that is why most don't change the springs, just letting everyone know about the springs in the rugers, they are already 17 lb hammer springs, if you want a action job is up to you, most shoot them stock and later decide if they want the action job to change a few things on them.

 

 

 

All for now JD Trampas