Slicking up New Vaqueros?

[Brimstone # 2175]

I'd like to have some work done to my pair of New Vaqueros in 357. I'm not looking for "race guns" but I would like them to work smoother than factory.

 

What should I have done and who should I talk to?

 

I am in the Wisconsin area. Is there anyone nearby?

 

Cheers!

Edited August 30, 2017 by Brimstone # 2175

[Irish Pat]

Get two sets of springs from Longhunter Shooter supply in Amarillo and that all you need.

[Dantankerous]

By slicking up do you mean polish parts and tune the mechanics, smoothing the action out like butter? Send it off to a competent and revered cowboy gun smith to have this turned into a beautifully honed shooting machine?

 

Some of these Cowboy gunsmiths are artists just as much as they are fantastic gunsmiths and can do wonders on a firearm. And there are several from which to choose. I'm sure you'll get a very complete list in no time.

 

If however you'd like to try something in the meantime before you send your guns off, and you are currently shooting bone stock Rugers you can always try to just replace the springs yourself. The spring kits are very affordable and the work is not difficult and no special tools are needed. Simply by installing lighter springs (trigger and hammer) makes a world of difference on these Rugers. Whether you shoot two handed or one handed the spring change is noticeable and very user-friendly. I shoot several pairs of Ruger Vaqueros and thats all I've ever done to any of my revolvers. Now the lever action rifle, that's a different story altogether. 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2017 by Dantankerous

[Null N. Void]

You can send them off to a Gunsmith like 3 Cut and get the absolute best job that you will never regret.  If you want to get started working on guns yourself, take 5 coils off the Ruger springs, cut one leg off the trigger spring, polish any rub marks you see on the hammer, trigger, other internal components, and you'll have a very good gun.  If you want things like 1/2 cocks, removal of the transfer bar, and ultralight hammer springs, then off to the gunsmith it should go.  I slip hammer just about everything, so I don't worry about the trigger spring much.  You may, or may not be in that boat, so major changes to the trigger spring may not work for you.  

 

Whatever you do, if you send the guns off, make sure you're clear on what you want.  Making the action easier to use with any type of primer and moderate loads is very different from making a race gun that will cycle in .25 seconds, or less, and go bang every time using the lightest loads possible.    Getting into that level of shooting requires very careful attention to detail on loads you develop on your particular reloading equipment.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Take them out and shoot shoot shoot shoot and shoot them !

Thats really all thats needed .

They will last forever !

Just sayin

Rooster 

[Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580]

I bought a set of stainless .357 NMV's this spring, bought two hammer and trigger spring kits and Super Blackhawk hammers from Brownells and in about two hours had as sweet a set of pistolas for my particular talents as I could use. Please don't take this wrong but if you're thinking that you may be the next Deuce Stevens (I thought that possibility might have existed once for me but found out that I was sadly mistaken  )then by all means send 'em out and have 'em custom tuned. There ain't a thing wrong with going that route. On the other hand, if you're halfway handy and if you want to have a nice set of guns to play with and be able to say that you did them yourself, then get the spring kits and the hammers and go for it. There are a couple of pretty good YouTube videos that will take you step by step through the process.

Edited August 30, 2017 by Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580

[Oklahoma Dee]

There is Lassiter over in New Lebanon, Ohio, that I use for short strokes and is one of the best.  There is Jimmy Spurs over in Derry, New Hampshire, that is the best for the smoothest full stroke action job, in my opinion.  There is Cowboy Carty somewhere over in Illinois, I have heard great things about him, I have never used him.  There is Goatneck Clem down here in Texas, I have used him for shotgun, not revolver, but he does work on them.  

Edited August 30, 2017 by Oklahoma Dee

[Marshal Chance Morgun]

Carty is actually in Illinois. He did my Vaqueros

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

If you are talking brand new guns, work on em yourself or ship to a smith.

If you are talking USED guns by all means ship em to a smith.

Why?

I bought used rugers. They worked ok but not quite what I wanted.

I shipped em to Coyote Cap and he checked em over and found a BAD part or two.

He found the parts and fixed em and tuned the rugers.  OUTSTANDING.

Gave me total confidence in my hardware.

Never regreted that choice.

All Ive done is shoot em and clean em.

BEst

CR

 

[dal sackett]

I just purchased two that Boomstick Jay worked on.  Action job and short stroke.  SMOOTH, VERY SMOOTH!  Cannot say enough positives.

[PaleAleRider]

I have two pair done by Boomstick. Great work. Shot for two years with just spring replacement and polishing the innards.

[Sedalia Dave]

1 hour ago, PaleAleRider said:

I have two pair done by Boomstick. Great work. Shot for two years with just spring replacement and polishing the innards.

+10

[Brimstone # 2175]

Thanks Fellas.

 

So how much does a job like that (springs and polishing?) cost?

 

Can you just send them in the mail?

 

Don't they have to go through an FFL?

 

[Sedalia Dave]

2 hours ago, Brimstone # 2175 said:

Thanks Fellas.

 

So how much does a job like that (springs and polishing?) cost?

 

Can you just send them in the mail?

 

Don't they have to go through an FFL?

 

 

www.boomstickarms.com

 

You could mail them yourself via FED-ex or UPS overnight. However it is almost always cheaper to ship them through an FFL. FFL's can ship handguns via USPS priority mail.  You can get 2 Ruger factory boxes into one USPS large flat rate box. (12X12X5.5) Including tax the postage is about $20.00. Add in the FFL fee and you will still be less than priority overnight via Fed-ex or UPS

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

Before you send them off someplace, ask around at your local club.

 

Smoothing out a Vaquero is not as fussy and complicated as smoothing a Colt or clone.

 

Ask around at your local club and chances are there is somebody local who can do the job and you will not have to deal with shipping guns.

[Pat Riot]

Just curious...Why do they need "slicked up"? Have you compared them to other folk's revolvers that have been slicked up? Does one feel different from the other, that would definitely make me want them worked on.

 

If they do need work I think I would take Driftwood Johnson's advice or do the work yourself They aren't hard to work on and there are many good videos on lie that can show you the disassembly and reassembly step by step. 

 

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

22 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Just curious...Why do they need "slicked up"? Have you compared them to other folk's revolvers that have been slicked up? Does one feel different from the other, that would definitely make me want them worked on.

 

If they do need work I think I would take Driftwood Johnson's advice or do the work yourself They aren't hard to work on and there are many good videos on lie that can show you the disassembly and reassembly step by step. 

 

Do the spring kits yourself then evaluate whether you want to spend anymore money. My guess is you will be thrilled with the results of lighter springs.

[Oklahoma Dee]

6 hours ago, Brimstone # 2175 said:

Thanks Fellas.

 

So how much does a job like that (springs and polishing?) cost?

 

Can you just send them in the mail?

 

Don't they have to go through an FFL?

 

Cost will be wide ranging.  Installing basic springs in the least expensive, what ever the cost of purchase and maybe doing a google search on installations.

Lassiter (Tom's Single Action Shop) does a complete action job and short stroke for around 250 per revolver, Rugers are his specialty.  Shotgun Boogie Shotgun Boogie is somewhere around 500 per revolver, as he installs all new parts.   Jimmy Spurs at Cowboy Gun Works, you can call ask, and he is somewhere inbetween Lassiter and Shotgun Boogie in price.  I highly recommend using an FFL to ship any handguns, that can be far ranging in cost as well maybe from 45 to 145...

[Grizzly Dave]

All I have done to mine is shoot them a lot, and clean them only when really dirty.  Shooting smokeless powder of course.  They are plenty smooth for me.  The upgrades I did do is put on super black hawk hammers, and change out the black grips for rosewood checkered grips.

 

 

[Dead Foot Dave]

I could have the best guns in the world and still be the same Ol crappy shooter.  lol

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

On 8/29/2017 at 2:09 AM, Brimstone # 2175 said:

I'd like to slick up my pair of New Vaqueros in 357.

 

What should I have done and who should I talk to?

 

I am in the Wisconsin area. Is there anyone nearby?

 

Cheers!

 Shoot them for a season, and see what happens.

OLG

[Straight Arrow Hombre]

Cowboy Carty and Lassiter get my business. I've done spring kits on a few also, but if you want to run lighter springs and have more durable guns, then have one of these two gentlemen weld up the hammers and remove the transfer bars. In my opinion, the springs available from long hunter and Wolfe aren't light enough. 

[Brimstone # 2175]

Don't get me wrong fellas, I'm not looking for race guns.  So "slicked up" is probably not the best term.  I actually bought the two New Vaqueros way back before I took a SASS hiatus.  To be honest, they seemed kind of rough and I wanted them smoothed out back then.  Now that I hope to start shooting again I hope to make that finally happen.

[Noz]

I'm venturing into the realm of the cartridge guns with my purchase of a pair of NMV.  Before I got the guns in my hands I ordered a set of 15lb springs.  Supposedly the guns come with 17lb springs. Installed the new ones after shooting a few hundred rounds.   Made them slightly easier to operate but at the cost of unreliable ignition and that's with Federal small primers.

Just finished putting the heavier springs back in.

 

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

Several people have given you good advise.

 

If you are not shooting gunfighter or duelist right now,  spring kits from Midwayusa.com or Brownells and Ruger Super Blackhawk hammers will pretty much make your guns "race ready".  The Ruger Super Blackhawk hammers are $30-36 apiece and the spring kits are around $15 each.  If you ask around you will find someone at your local club who can help you install these parts with no gunsmithing.   

 

If you are shooting with a revolver in each hand, you might want to consider having them "short stroked" (this shortens the length of pull you have to cock the hammer).  Several of the top gunsmiths have been listed above can do this procedure and a few other touches which will make your Rugers as good as they can be.  Good luck and welcome to the fun. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Do it yourownself.

Not brain surgery, and there's plenty of youtube videos to guide you.

Call Wolff Gunsprings, and order replacement hammer and trigger springs.

Tell the Wolff folks to pull your spring order for the same lot/run of springs for consistency since you want the guns to 'match'.

OLG

 

[Phiren Smoke GUNFIGHTER]

If you are handy at all, I am in the do it yourself camp.  While you are replacing the springs go a little deeper and polish any bearing surfaces.  I have only had to do it once or twice, but the transfer bar can be rough where the cylinder pin rides.  And, check for burrs in the hammer channel.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Smoke

[Nasty Nels]

3 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Do it yourownself.

Not brain surgery, and there's plenty of youtube videos to guide you.

Call Wolff Gunsprings, and order replacement hammer and trigger springs.

Tell the Wolff folks to pull your spring order for the same lot/run of springs for consistency since you want the guns to 'match'.

OLG

 

Lumpy has a good point.  Buy the springs, install them and shoot plenty of ammo though the guns.

 

Then, if you still want them smother, go with one of the mentioned smiths.

 

I have zero mechanical ability, but have taken my guns apart and replaced the springs.   There is a noticeable improvement.

 

NN