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Vaquero frame--Old vs. New


GUNBARREL, #20505

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Howdy. I had a pair of the old style Ruger Vaqueros with Sanbar stag grips that I shot comfortably for years. I got rid of them about 5 years ago, but recently I picked up a new style Vaquero. Both models in .45 Colt.

As expected, the grip feels different, with my little finger protruding past the bottom of the grip, which allows the revolver to roll back when I shoot it. This is not a problem, but the rear of the trigger guard hits my middle finger when I shoot it.

 

Would thicker, or thinner grips help this situation? Thanks in advance for your comments and opinions.

 

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Thinner grips often give a shooter better control.

 

Lighter loads would be what I'd try, though, as they will much more likely give you a solution to knuckle rapping. The Cowboy 45 Special case is ideal for making a light load that runs fine in .45 Colt chambered revolvers.

 

Good luck, GJ

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Try some Schofield loads to see if the rims fit your cylinder, they are a more efficient round in that there is less empty space in the cartridge. They fit in my Uberti break top (Schofield clone) and my Pietta made clones.

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24 minutes ago, Go West said:

Try some Schofield loads to see if the rims fit your cylinder, they are a more efficient round in that there is less empty space in the cartridge. They fit in my Uberti break top (Schofield clone) and my Pietta made clones.

 

Yup - I know the Scholfields had no prob in the 'Original Model' Vaqueros...not sure on the New Vaquero....

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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Howdy

 

I discovered a long time ago that if I leave about 1/4" of space between the rear of the trigger guard and the knuckle of my middle finger, I will not get my knuckle whacked in recoil. You are already part way there if you are curling your pinky under the grip. Doing so shifts your grip down enough that the gap opens up between the trigger guard and your knuckle. This is the way I shoot my Colts, and they are basically the same size and weight as a New Vaquero. Examine your grip technique and see if you can open up the gap. Do not leave your knuckle in contact with the trigger guard, that will hurt. Grasp the gun firmly, but not with a death grip. Allow the recoil to raise your forearm up to absorb the recoil.

 

Holding%20a%20Colt%2001_zpsyicgwc9e.jpg

 

 

 

 

I can shoot my Colts this way all day long with a case full of Black Powder under a 250 grain bullet.

 

Pistol%2001_zpscgwcn6qb.jpg

 

 

 

 

Recoil is stout, but I have not gotten my knuckle whacked in years.

 

Pistol%2002_zpsx1mghgzu.jpg

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10 hours ago, Gunner Gatlin, SASS # 10274 said:

Yup - I know the Scholfields had no prob in the 'Original Model' Vaqueros...not sure on the New Vaquero....

 

If you want to go that route, 45 Schofields will fit just fine in a New Vaquero cylinder.

 

New%20Vaquero%20Cylinder%20w%2045%20Scho

 

 

 

 

Ruger got smart when they made the New Vaquero cylinder. If you look closely at the photo above you will see the area of the ratchet teeth is scalloped slightly, making more clearance for the rims. With the 'original model' Vaquero cylinder, shown in the photo below at the left, the ratchet teeth were cut from a cylindrical drum, and there was less clearance for the rims than in a New Vaquero, even though the New Vaquero cylinder is smaller in diameter. I had one chamber on my 'original model' Vaqueros that would not accept the wider rims of the Schofield round. Nominally .520 vs .512 for the 45 Colt rim. I had to file a little bit of clearance on that cylinder for the one chamber that would not accept the Schofield rim. So when they came out with the New Vaquero Ruger took a page out of Colt's book and scalloped the area around the rims, somewhat like the Colt cylinder on the right in the photo below.

 

45%20Colt%20and%2045%20Schofield%20in%20

 

 

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6 hours ago, Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 said:

 

If you want to go that route, 45 Schofields will fit just fine in a New Vaquero cylinder.

 

New%20Vaquero%20Cylinder%20w%2045%20Scho

 

 

 

 

Ruger got smart when they made the New Vaquero cylinder. If you look closely at the photo above you will see the area of the ratchet teeth is scalloped slightly, making more clearance for the rims. With the 'original model' Vaquero cylinder, shown in the photo below at the left, the ratchet teeth were cut from a cylindrical drum, and there was less clearance for the rims than in a New Vaquero, even though the New Vaquero cylinder is smaller in diameter. I had one chamber on my 'original model' Vaqueros that would not accept the wider rims of the Schofield round. Nominally .520 vs .512 for the 45 Colt rim. I had to file a little bit of clearance on that cylinder for the one chamber that would not accept the Schofield rim. So when they came out with the New Vaquero Ruger took a page out of Colt's book and scalloped the area around the rims, somewhat like the Colt cylinder on the right in the photo below.

 

45%20Colt%20and%2045%20Schofield%20in%20

 

 

 Thanks for the info. On all three of my OMV's the Schofield cartridge is good to go. Not sure if brass manufacturer has anything to do with it,  but my samples are all Starline Brass type. 

 

 It seems in an OMV if there was an issue.a very (and I mean very) minor amount of metal would need to be removed to allow that case to fit properly .

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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13 hours ago, Gunner Gatlin, SASS # 10274 said:

 It seems in an OMV if there was an issue.a very (and I mean very) minor amount of metal would need to be removed to allow that case to fit properly .

 

I seem to recall it took about ten minutes with a safe edge file.

 

Regarding Schofield brass, I am not aware of anybody other than Starline making it today. As I said before, the rim on Schofield brass is nominally .520 in diameter. I just grabbed a handful and they are all running between .5185 and .5200 in diameter. None are over .520.

 

 

 

 

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19 minutes ago, Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 said:

 

I seem to recall it took about ten minutes with a safe edge file.

 

Regarding Schofield brass, I am not aware of anybody other than Starline making it today. As I said before, the rim on Schofield brass is nominally .520 in diameter. I just grabbed a handful and they are all running between .5185 and .5200 in diameter. None are over .520.

 

 

 

 

 Knew we discussed this before ;)

 

 

GG

 

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