Ruger Serial Number series

[Jess Money 22]

At the Convention this year, in one of his seminars Frederick Jackson Turner discussed the iterations of the Ruger Vaquero serial numbers. The iterations were prefixes 510, 511 and 512. In his opinion, there was one series that he considered to be best of the three, but I can't recall which one and why? Could any of you refresh my memory on that discussion?

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982 856]

The 512's don't have that stupid internal lock under the grips. Around the same time Ruger also got rid of the cheap black plastic grips and went with a reddish wood laminate. Other than that I don't recall any difference.

[El Hombre Sin Nombre 1,828]

I have one Ruger with the internal lock and one without. I changed out the hammer springs of both. The one without was a cake walk. The one with was a serious pain in the ... Other than that, I can't tell the difference in the the way they shoot. I expect that both will outlast me.

[Jess Money 22]

Let me revise my OP.

 

I wrote that FJT said there was one series he considered to be best of the three. What I believe he actually said was.. "There is one of the three series that I prefer".

[BoomStick Jay 48]

I've had lots of 512 guns come through with under size cylinder notches. Most were caught before being boogered up to bad. Guess they weren't checking their cutters those days

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 6,622]

Jess sez Vaquero.

Every else is talking NM Vaquero

Is that 'rite'?

OLG

[Jess Money 22]

LOL! I was told by several that New Model, or NM, was a misnomer for the Vaquero, Lumpy. Now the proper terminology (according to those in the know ) is to refer to the difference between the two as the Vaquero and as the Old Model Vaquero.

 

Don't shoot! I'm just the messenger!

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 6,622]

No worries-I'm at the unload'n table now-

My .44 OMV's have a 2 digit prefix--

FWIW: My wife's 2-NM's( )had the internal locks. Key word-HAD.

OLG

[Jess Money 22]

No worries-I'm at the unload'n table now-

My .44 OMV's have a 2 digit prefix--

FWIW: My wife's 2-NM's( )had the internal locks. Key word-HAD.

OLG

 

Good move!

[El Hombre Sin Nombre 1,828]

How did you get rid of the lock?

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 6,622]

#12 fender washer-

OLG

[Oklahoma Dee 169]

511- series

[Houston CAS 35]

The 512's don't have that stupid internal lock under the grips. Around the same time Ruger also got rid of the cheap black plastic grips and went with a reddish wood laminate. Other than that I don't recall any difference.

 

 

Mine's a 512 and it has the better wood grips but came with the internal lock paperwork. Haven't opened it up to be sure.

 

I was very happy with the wood grip, as the place I ordered it from had a picture of that plastic one instead.

[Anvil Al #59168 237]

SO. What was the answer.

 

Was it the 512 or the 511????

 

I bought some unfired 511's that had Longhunter action work.

Really like the.

 

And personally. I like the black rubber grips better than the wood from Ruger.

[Major E A Sterner #12916 233]

Jess Money,The only "Old Model" Rugers are the 3 screw Blackhawk,Super Blackhawk and Single Sixes, Both Vaqueros and New Vaqueros are "New Models" The old and new prefix refers to the action type(4 click Vs. Transfer bar)

[Oklahoma Dee 169]

This was the opinion of FJT, who is an excellent shooter, teacher, musician, and all round cool dude!

 

I was there and seem to recall the 511 prefix number as what he considered the best of the New Model Vaqueros.

 

It is his opinion, that the 512 prefix, seems to require a bit more gunsmithing than the other two prefix numbers ( 510 - 511 )

[Jess Money 22]

Jess Money,The only "Old Model" Rugers are the 3 screw Blackhawk,Super Blackhawk and Single Sixes, Both Vaqueros and New Vaqueros are "New Models" The old and new prefix refers to the action type(4 click Vs. Transfer bar)

 

I have three of those models you refer to, Major; 1967, 1967 and 1970 all bought brand new by yours truly. I, and so many others, refer to those models as "3 Screws" to differentiate between those models and the recent Ruger Vaquero's. The 1973 Blackhawk's saw the introduction of the transfer bar. I'm just referring here to the Ruger designated term for the "Vaquero" nameplate, i.e., the original large, heavier original Vaquero vs the Vaquero introduced in 2005 as the 'New' Model Vaquero. Whew! Get's confusing, doesn't it?

 

At any rate, conversations like this make folks look to the Ruger website to find out more about the guns we love.

 

Thanks for your post!

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 2,428]

Ruger really needs to hire a knowledgeable person to name their revolvers! Just about the worst naming scheme ever invented.

 

Jess has the official Ruger Vaquero line naming down pat. Vaquero and New Model Vaquero are official. Many folks use Old Model for the first of those two names.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Frederick Jackson Turner 150]

Jess;

Good seeing you at the SASS Convention!

 

Oklahoma Dee steered you right; MY preferred starting point for the Ruger NMV is the 511 series. The changes to the 512 did eliminate the lock, but biffed the strut angle and spring base. In my experience, the 511s are better out of the box, and require less work, should you choose to go that route.

 

The Old Models are a whole different ball of wax.

 

Cheers,

FJT

[BLACKFOOT SASS #11947 394]

Well rats! I have a pair of 510's and a pair of 56's. Guess I need to throw them away and start over/

 

Blackfoot

[Oklahoma Dee 169]

Well rats! I have a pair of 510's and a pair of 56's. Guess I need to throw them away and start over/

 

Blackfoot

Toss em my way!!

[Badlands Bob #61228 1,239]

I've got a pair of 510's that I've been running rounds through for the past 10 years. Broke one transfer bar but that was early in their life.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 6,622]

My wife and I own both 'flavors' of the Rugers we speak of.

Both of my larger frame'd .44 mags sez Ruger Vaquero on the left side of the frame.

My wife's sez Ruger New Model Vaquero on her 510 prefix guns in .357 mag caliber.

OLG

[Phiren Smoke GUNFIGHTER 36]

My small framed 510 series and SASS series pistols all are stamped Ruger New Vaquero. The word "Model" does not appear in that inscription. Maybe I have two sets of factory mis-stamped pistols that are worth way more than I thought if so YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAA!

 

I sold my large framed Vaqueros and a Bisley Super Black Hawk several years ago so cannot recall what they were stamped.

 

I agree Ruger could have saved some confusion if they had used another name for the RNV and the .32 cal Vaqueros. It seems anytime Vaquero is mentioned the next question is always New or old or mini. I think Smith&Wesson may be headed down the same road with their M&P designation of just about every gun they introduce. At least they add a number which helps but only if you have a good memory.

 

This thread reminds me of a conversation I had with one of the gunsmiths at Hamilton Bowen's many years ago before I even knew about CAS. He very proudly told me about the time they were thrown out of a Ruger collectors show because they had no stock guns on display. His reasoning was to them a stock Ruger is just a bag of parts with out the bag.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Smoke

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974 105]

Jess Money,The only "Old Model" Rugers are the 3 screw Blackhawk,Super Blackhawk and Single Sixes, Both Vaqueros and New Vaqueros are "New Models" The old and new prefix refers to the action type(4 click Vs. Transfer bar)

My back up Rugers are first year of production Flat Tops. When I got them they had tens of thousands of rounds thru them and had tons of holster wear. They still run like clockwork.