How many of us, still use the orginal Ruger Vaqueros(OMV)in this sport?

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

What's the caliber, and the modifications you have, or had done? 

Mine, blued/CCH 5 1/2" bbl, .44 mag, Power Custom half cock conversions. Using 17lb  Wolff hammer springs and 30oz trigger return springs. 

Still run'n the t'bars.  

Wearing checkered walnut gunfighter grips.

Thanks for your time! 

 

[Horace Patootie, SASS #35798]

Mine are 3.75" stainless plowhandles with the white Ruger grips. Only springs replaced.

Horace

[Chantry]

I shoot a pair of 44 Magnum Bisley Vaqueros in FCGF sometimes, guns are stock except for Wolff hammer springs.

[Pat Riot]

I prefer the original Vaqueros, but I have owned a few New Vaqueros. When I stopped Cowboy Action Shooting I used my original Vaquero and my New Vaquero. 
 

The original Vaquero has  SBH hammer, a 19# hammer spring and a 40 oz trigger spring. 
 

 

EDIT: It’s a .45 Colt. I used Bear Creek Supply 205 grain RNFP bullets over 7.7 grains of Universal powder. That load runs about 900 FPS. 

[Three Foot Johnson]

"It depends" - my guns vary widely from weekend to weekend. 

 

My original large frame Vaqueros are three blue .44-40's, two stainless .44-40's, and three stainless .38-40/.40 S&W convertibles. For some reason, Ruger cut the throats on the .38-40 cylinders @ .396", so I rented a throat reamer and opened all three to either .400" or .401"... probably .401", but I'd have to find my notes. The blued .44-40's might have lighter hammer springs, I don't remember - it would be 25 years ago, or more, when I bought them.

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

.45 & 44-40...The normal mods, springs, low profile hammers, sights, dimpled grips, pawl,polished...have thought about short stroke kits but can't justify the price...definitely for me a better feel with OMV than the NMV.

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

pair of OMV (yes, I know they were never called Old Model till the NMV ones came out)

bought in 2003 when I started the hobby/sport/obsession

 

.45 Colt

lighter springs--have no idea it's been years

Montado hammers as my arthritis in my thumbs like the lower hammer spurs

Sheriff's model cylinder pin so I can take it completely out--could have cut the OEM ones but then I wouldn't need to spend $$

Altamont grips:  see below (shown on Wranger but will work for my OMV ones, too)

[Pat Riot]

8 minutes ago, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

pair of OMV (yes, I know they were never called Old Model till the NMV ones came out)

bought in 2003 when I started the hobby/sport/obsession

It doesn’t help that the brain trust at Ruger now calls the New Vaquero “Vaquero” on their website. 

[SHOOTIN FOX]

Two sets.

5.5 stainless with Boogie kits.

 

4 7/8 stainless, super Blackhawk hammers and Wolff springs.

[Trailrider #896]

One 7-1/2" and one 5-1/2", both have .44-40 and .44 Magnum cylinders fitted. The .44-40 cylinders have tight .425" throats, but with hardcast bullets, shoot very accurately. 1-5/8 inch 5 round groups at 25 yds on the bench!  Haven't shot much since the pandemic, and otherwise busy.  Now having some problems with my right thumb cocking dualist style. When the weather improves may try to get back into it, cocking left-thumb if necessary.

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

Haven't shot a cowboy match in a long time, but my OMV Bisley in .45 remains a favorite and I take it to the range often still.

[Barry Sloe]

I've got 2 pair, both .44 magnum.  One pr was 7 1/2", but I had Johnny Meadows cut them down to 5 1/2" to match the others. 

They were all slicked up at Classic Single Action, Joe Perkins.  They all have SBH hammers. Grips are by Joe Perkins, 1 pr walnut burl and the other is Iowa walnut that came from my FILs farm.

I started shooting .44 special and now use .44 Russian with a heaping 1 cc of APP 2F.

 

BS

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

I prefer the original Vaqueros, but I have owned a few New Vaqueros. When I stopped Cowboy Action Shooting I used my original Vaquero and my New Vaquero. 
 

The original Vaquero has  SBH hammer, a 19# hammer spring and a 40 oz trigger spring. 
 

 

EDIT: It’s a .45 Colt. I used Bear Creek Supply 205 grain RNFP bullets over 7.7 grains of Universal powder. That load runs about 900 FPS. 

My SASS .44 load is 6.5gn of Unique, w/240gn moly coated RNFP from Bear Creek Supply in a mag case.

Runs about 840 fps from the Rugers, and just under 1K fps, from my 20" Marlin.

[Alpo]

I never used any Vaqueros. I prefer Blackhawks. I like sights I can see. I sent this pair of Bisley Blackhawks off to West Fargo to have old model actions put in them.

 

As others have said, it's been a while since I've shot a match. But these are still one of my favorite sets of pistols.

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

Never mind

 

 

 

 

[bgavin]

Two pair:  Bisley Stainless in both 357 and 44.

[Texas Lizard]

I do, they fit my hands better....45 Colt and 44-40s....New model just does not fit my hands as well....

 

Texas Lizard

[Doc Moses]

Stainless 44s. One 4.6 pliw handle.  One 3.6 with birds head. Bought used and didn't change anything but I bet they have lighter springs. I also have a blued 45. Best one of the 3. Fun guns

[Henry T Harrison]

Even though I can’t shoot anymore do to health problems I will never give up my old model. They were tuned and sighted for my loads by the late Bob Munden . I will never give them up

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

16 hours ago, Chantry said:

I shoot a pair of 44 Magnum Bisley Vaqueros in FCGF sometimes, guns are stock except for Wolff hammer springs.

 

FCGF is a distant cousin of mine. FKCGG. 

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

 Pair of 4.75" in 44WCF.

        C&I action job with their 

        short stroke, half cock, free

        spin and lowered hammers.

        Shortened base pins, .430 

        chamber mouths, Evil Roy

        gunfighter grips, brass front 

        sights not in pics and some 

        scratches.

        Recently acquired a blue one

        to be set up the same.

        30gr FFFG, .  1/16" fiber wad,

         1/8" grease cookie, card wad

         and 180gr coated bullet

[Dapper Dynamite Dick]

x2 pair, 4.62 inch barrel in .357 & .44 mag

[Sarge]

I have a pair of 5 1/2 inch SS Vaqueros.  My main match pistols. .45 Colt, but I shoot C .45 Spl.  Transfer bars removed.  Action job my Three Cut.

[Ranger Dan]

Pair of 4.58 inch 44-40s. Blackhawk hammers, wolf springs, Altamont grips.

[Pat Riot]

17 hours ago, Texas Lizard said:

I do, they fit my hands better....45 Colt and 44-40s....New model just does not fit my hands as well....

 

Texas Lizard

You can install a Vaquero/Blackhawk grip frame on a New Vaquero with some minor fitting and some reshaping.

You would need a 23# hammer spring for it to function reliably with all primers. The 23# spring feels like a 18 or 19 pound spring. The geometry and angle of the hammer strut is a bit different. 
 

[Dutch Coroner]

Two sets. One in 45 Colt with work done by Three Cut and one in 44-40 with work done by Boomstick Jay. The 45s are 4 3/4 nickel and the 44s are 5 1/2 and blued. 

[Sam Sackett]

A pair and a backup. 45 Colt, 5 1/2 barrels, polished intervals and jeweled hammers.

 

Sam Sackett 

[Stump Water]

A pair in 45C w/5.5 bbl.

A pair in 45C w/4 7/8 bbl w/BH grips.

A pair in 357 w/5.5 bbl

A pair in 357 w/5.5 bbl w/Ruger's version of Bisley grip frame.

 

All have free spin, springs, etc.

 

The Bisleys have everything Wes Flowers could do to them.

[Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme]

A pair of OMV in .357/.38 4.625" brls. Lightened 17lb 30oz Wolff springs. SBH hammers. Sure Hit brass sites

Birdshead grips, w/Joe Perkins Indonesian Rosewood panels, with silver trinity knot inlays

(and Ruger warning removed from barrels)

[Bubba Bear, SASS #26793L]

4  All stainless, all 44mag.  2 plowshare and 2 bisley

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

Probably shot my last match in 2012

but still have two pair OMV Bisley 44 magnums. Hogleg Smith bass Asia  action job.  I think 17# and 30# springs.

[Red Oak]

All of mine are oroginal Vaquero's.  Two pair in 357 with 4.625 barells, one pair in 44-40 with 5.5 inch barells.  All stock except for the grips and Super Blackhawk hammers

[Three Foot Johnson]

I've got another stainless 4 5/8" .44-40 on the way, cuz ya gotta have an identical backup, doncha know. 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I've got 3 pair of revolvers in 38-40 that I use for shooting as a Classic Cowboy.  One pair are 5-1/2" SS consecutive numbered revolvers that I purchased used from a pard in California many years ago.  They were originally sold as .40 caliber revolvers to someone in a Sheriff's department and the person I got them from had Cowboy & Indians Store rebore the cylinders to 38-40 caliber.  He also included a set of blackhawk hammers that had been thinned to be the same width as the regular hammers.  When I first got them the changing of hammers was not allowed so I shot them with the original hammers installed.  Once the rules changed I switched to the lower hammers which works well shooting duelist.  I did change out the hammer springs and had the wood grips laser engraved with checkering and my SASS number and alias.

 

[Red Oak]

Very nice Cowtown Scout, I really like the 38 WCF.