Odd Ruger 44/40 at Gunshow

[Mudflat Mike, SASS #20904]

Bumped into a stainless, original model Vaquero in 44/40 today, with a 7.5" barrel.  Anybody seen this caliber/barrel length before, I haven't.

It's calling my nammmmmmme

[Major Art Tillery]

That stainless model is rare... Think less then 400 made.  I have only seen one pair before like you described.  If price is good... Go nab it!

[Springfield Slim SASS #24733]

I had one when they were still being made, sold it as I didn't like the extra weight compared to my Uberti SAAs. They were available back then, not sure how rare they are.

[Hashknife Cowboy]

They are not common but worth having.  I love mine!

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

That would be the exact I wanted but blued and in 45 cal  

[Trailrider #896]

3 hours ago, Major Art Tillery said:

That stainless model is rare... Think less then 400 made.  I have only seen one pair before like you described.  If price is good... Go nab it!

Don't know how many were made, but my first OM Vaquero is one. The original cylinder chambers and throats were bad news, and it took about a year before I was able to get Ruger to fix or replace the cylinder with uniform chambers.  They left the throats .425", which some folks thought to be bad news, but with hardcast bullets (17-22 BHN) I used to be able to put 1-5/8" 5-round groups into a paper target at 25 yds! (Might still be able to do it again now that my cataracts are gone.  Just have to find a range to shoot at!   Before Ruger fixed the chamber problems in the .44-40 cylinder, I had a .44 Extra-Long Russian (aka .44 Mangle-em) fitted to the gun. When SASS went to two-gun matches, I bought a 5-1/2" stainless in .44 Maggie, and found a blued .44-40 cylinder, with the same .425" throats, for a matched convertible set.

I would say to check the throat diameters, as Ruger changed them as production went along, until they quit making them.

Grab it, and stay well!

[largo casey #19191]

I still have mine in Blue.

                                                     Largo

[Major Art Tillery]

I got four of the Blued Vaqueros in 44-40 with 7 1/2 barrels.   Below are my main match set.

 

[Sixgun Seamus]

1 hour ago, Major Art Tillery said:

 with 7 1/2 barrels.  

 

The way God and Sam Colt meant for guns to be.

 

P.S. Thems is purty guns.

[Canton Chris]

May as well get it! You only go around once!

[Frontier Lone Rider]

I have two in stainless, but they are both 45LC.  Close, but no prize.

[Willy B.SASS#26902]

I have a pair of stainless Vaqueros in 44/40, I picked up a set of 44 Magnum cylinders for them so I can  shoot 44/40, 44 Russian, 44 Colt, 44 Specials and .44 magnums from the same pair of revolvers, It's really handy if I get lazy and haven't reloaded for awhile.

[Turkey Flats Jack]

Not stainless but I'm using a pair of 7.5" blued OMV in 44/40. They've became my favorite main match set. 

[Sgt. Hochbauer, SASS #64409]

Just curious but how little were they asking for it? I had a pair of OMV in 44-40 that were an NRA spcl edition with 6.5 in barrels for some reason did not care for them ...of course had sellers remorse after that. But now have a pair of USFA 44spcl and have 44-40 cylinders. Very sweet to shoot with 44 Russian if I shoot smokeless. 

 

Hochbauer

[The Verdigris Kid]

On 8/1/2020 at 1:00 PM, Major Art Tillery said:

I got four of the Blued Vaqueros in 44-40 with 7 1/2 barrels.   Below are my main match set.

 

Truth and Justice!  I like it. Although I would suggest swapping them around in the picture so the statement makes sense.

[Major Art Tillery]

7 minutes ago, The Verdigris Kid said:

Truth and Justice!  I like it. Although I would suggest swapping them around in the picture so the statement makes sense.

hmmm good suggestion!

[Major Art Tillery]

On 8/1/2020 at 2:57 PM, Sixgun Seamus said:

The way God and Sam Colt meant for guns to be.

 

P.S. Thems is purty guns.

Thank you!

[Noz]

One of the benefits of SASS is the intelligence and vocabulary of it's members.  Again I had to go to Google to translate "truth" and "justice".

[Trailrider #896]

On ‎8‎/‎1‎/‎2020 at 4:37 PM, Willy B.SASS#26902 said:

I have a pair of stainless Vaqueros in 44/40, I picked up a set of 44 Magnum cylinders for them so I can  shoot 44/40, 44 Russian, 44 Colt, 44 Specials and .44 magnums from the same pair of revolvers, It's really handy if I get lazy and haven't reloaded for awhile.

Yup! Stay well!

[Buckey Buckem , SASS #9064]

Howdy  Mudflat   I have a pair of old  model  vaqueros in 44-40  7 1/2 inch barrel in stainless that I have been using for years.  Also I believe I have another sitting in the safe. I had no idea that they were that rare.  A number of years ago I purchased a pair from you in 5 1/2 inch barrels. Maybe you ought to add it to your collection.

[Ranger Dan]

Took me about a year to find 2 of them. The one with the white grips came with a 7.5 inch barrel, I swapped it with a 44 magnum OMV and it turned out very nice.

[Mudflat Mike, SASS #20904]

On 8/5/2020 at 9:46 PM, Buckey Buckem , SASS #9064 said:

Howdy  Mudflat   I have a pair of old  model  vaqueros in 44-40  7 1/2 inch barrel in stainless that I have been using for years.  Also I believe I have another sitting in the safe. I had no idea that they were that rare.  A number of years ago I purchased a pair from you in 5 1/2 inch barrels. Maybe you ought to add it to your collection.

Sent ya a PM

 

[Flint N. Steele]

I have a stainless 7 1/2" OMV in .44 magnum.  Every time I went in the gun shop, there it was, just looking at me.  I'm a .45 Colt guy, but, dang!  It just wore me down.
I use it for my shotgun, in Josey Wales situations.