Three Foot Johnson Posted October 24, 2019 Posted October 24, 2019 Davidson's/Talo/Ruger New Vaquero 3 3/4" .45 acp. I came across them a couple weeks ago on Gunbroker with an opening bid of $800 or $1000 BIN for the pair. Somebody had already bid, so I figured how much I'd be willing to go and entered my bid. It only jumped one increment to $805, and nobody else bid for the duration of the auction. Unfired/NIB, dating to 2012 and consecutive s/n's. I'll step outside this afternoon or tomorrow and give 'em a try.
Rolan Kraps, SASS # 24084 Life Posted October 24, 2019 Posted October 24, 2019 The look like a lot of fun. I actually run an 1873 for Wild Bunch that has been converted to .45 ACP. It is a lot of fun to shoot!
Warden Callaway Posted October 24, 2019 Posted October 24, 2019 They will shoot C45S if you load them with 451 diameter bullets and use Lee Factory Crimp die. I had this pair for a while.
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 24, 2019 Author Posted October 24, 2019 I figured they would, but unless I wanted to shoot Classic Cowboy, there's really no point to it.
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted October 24, 2019 Posted October 24, 2019 TFJ-Hope you are buy'n Lotto tickets with the good luck you had find'n those Rugers. OLG
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted October 24, 2019 Posted October 24, 2019 Three Foot .... Soon as you get them, check the diameter of the Cylinder Throats. RUGER is famous (or infamous) for undersize throats that will effect felt recoil and accuracy. You'll want throats at 4515 or 452. Ruger likes .448 for some reason.
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 25, 2019 Author Posted October 25, 2019 I have a set of snap gauges... somewhere... A .451" jacketed bullet won't fall through, but easily pushes through with light finger pressure.
Rattlesnake Slim Posted October 25, 2019 Posted October 25, 2019 There's probably a lot of people like me. Just had to have them, got them, didn't like the way they felt after all, and then sold them at a loss. But I still think they're the coolest looking things on the planet!
Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 Posted October 25, 2019 Posted October 25, 2019 I have the stainless sheriffs in 45 Colt but I put plowhandle gripframes on them. Horace
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 25, 2019 Author Posted October 25, 2019 The hammer springs are HORRENDOUS. According to Wolff, factory springs are 17#, and they have 16, 15, and 14 pound replacements. I ordered some for my 3 screw Blackhawks a few weeks ago, and they list the factory as 23#, with reduced power replacements of 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, and 15 pound. I went with the 18#, and they are PLENTY strong still.
Tyrel Cody Posted October 25, 2019 Posted October 25, 2019 Nice find! Seven and a Half Inch Johnson doesn't sound right though...
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted October 25, 2019 Posted October 25, 2019 Sweet find . I always wanted a set in 45acp also .
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 27, 2019 Author Posted October 27, 2019 I thought I'd make a gamer bullet for 'em. I had a Lyman 452460 mold (~200 grain target SWC) that just doesn't work all that well in my 1911's, so I removed the sprue plate, pulled the stop pin, chucked it up in the ol' Jet lathe, and made a 147 grainer out of it. Not much bearing surface left... will it work? Like glass coffins, remains to be seen.
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 27, 2019 Author Posted October 27, 2019 I loaded some of these up today and stepped out to try 'em. A 70% density load of Trail Boss printed about 3" low at 15 yards, but with a decent group. Next was 4.5 grains of Titegroup, which also printed to the same spot, then a 100% density load of Black MZ, which also printed to the same spot. The Black MZ and Titegroup loads gave slightly better groups than the Trail Boss load. No chrono data, but the two smokeless loads are definitely toward the lower end of the scale. The only other load I've tried in these was a H&G #68 weighing in at 205 grains over 3.5 - 4.5 grains of Bullseye. Both loads printed about 2" high at 15 yards, so using the lighter bullet lowered point of impact by 5" at 15 yards.
Warden Callaway Posted October 27, 2019 Posted October 27, 2019 How were they on windage? Shooting that low at 25 yards won't be a problem when shooting SASS targets at 7 steps.
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 27, 2019 Author Posted October 27, 2019 The 205's printed about an inch or so left in one and centered in the other. The 147 grainers were centered in both guns with all three loads.
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 28, 2019 Author Posted October 28, 2019 I've noticed the vast majority of misses tend to be over the target anyway, so...
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