Ruger New Vaquero, SASS matched pair in .357

[Ol Salty Sailor]

I have the option to purchase a used pair of Ruger New Vaqueros in .357 at what seems to be a great price.  This are the SASS set.  What is everyone's opinion of these firearms for competition?  I would then also want to purchase a rifle in the same caliber.

 

I am new to SASS and CAS.  All of my firearms I found used,  I have one Ruger Vaquero, one Ruger New Vaquero, both in .45 colt.  I have a Henry Big Boy, also in .45 colt and I have a Stoeger SxS 12 gauge couch gun.

Edited December 5, 2024 by Ol Salty Sailor
spelling error

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

They will serve you well. 

[watab kid]

you wont wear them out - i shoot a pair in 45colt and have for years now 

[Boggus Deal #64218]

I know a pair of those that have won several national and world championships in Lady Frontier Cartridge.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

They are just NMV's with different hammers...essentially.

 

Same - same.

 

Phantom

[Frederick Jackson Turner]

Unless the price is stupid - which you indicate it is not - get 'em.

 

Cheers,

FJT

[Whitey James]

Unless you plan on shooting Classic Cowboy, you can't go wrong with NMV's in 357. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Get'em

[Arcadia Outlaw, SASS 71385]

13 hours ago, Ol Salty Sailor said:

I have the option to purchase a used pair of Ruger New Vaqueros in .357 at what seems to be a great price.  This are the SASS set.  What is everyone's opinion of these firearms for competition?  I would then also want to purchase a rifle in the same caliber.

 

I am new to SASS and CAS.  All of my firearms I found used,  I have one Ruger Vaquero, one Ruger New Vaquero, both in .45 colt.  I have a Henry Big Boy, also in .45 colt and I have a Stoeger SxS 12 gauge couch gun.

Ruger NewVaqueros or Vaqueros are the best , very robust., I don’t mind buying used ones at all. 357/38 is the cheapest caliber to shoot.

 

AO

[Snakebite Dust SASS 75484]

Built like a tank and I have had very few small and easy to fix problems with mine. Go get them!

[Stump Water]

As everyone else has said, "Buy."

 

Then the hunt begins for an 1873 rifle.  Recommend 20" bbl with pistol grip stock.  It's not so much the pistol grip as it is that the forend is already checkered for a more positive grip.

[Slow Gun McDuff SASS #31682]

As someone already mentioned, the only difference between the SASS Vaqueros and the plain Vaqueros is the hammers and the SASS emblem on the grips.  Plan on putting in a set of Wolff springs if it hasn't already been done.  Stock springs are thumb killers.

[Arcadia Outlaw, SASS 71385]

10 minutes ago, Slow Gun McDuff SASS #31682 said:

As someone already mentioned, the only difference between the SASS Vaqueros and the plain Vaqueros is the hammers and the SASS emblem on the grips.  Plan on putting in a set of Wolff springs if it hasn't already been done.  Stock springs are thumb killers.

A lot of us use tricked Vaquero’s with transfer bars removed & all slicked up but in reality it’s not going to make you go faster unless your duelist or gunfighter the short strike probably them helps quite a bit, but a spring kit will work wonders. Where you want to spend your money is on the rifle because that will make a huge difference on how it feels and functions. Shotguns also  It’s a fun game when everything is working the way it’s supposed too.

I started with Ruger.Vaqueros, a Cody matic 73 and a IAC 97, the only thing holding me back was me lol.

 

AO

[Ol Salty Sailor]

They are mine now!

[Badlands Bob #61228]

You won't go wrong with those pistols.  Good purchase.

[watab kid]

looks like you have a great set of revolvers , congrats , 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Great, now you need a real rifle to go with them. 

[Three Foot Johnson]

10 hours ago, Slow Gun McDuff SASS #31682 said:

As someone already mentioned, the only difference between the SASS Vaqueros and the plain Vaqueros is the hammers and the SASS emblem on the grips.  Plan on putting in a set of Wolff springs if it hasn't already been done.  Stock springs are thumb killers.

The rear sight channel is wider too.

[Ol Salty Sailor]

I shoot in the B Western category.  I will be looking for a rifle in .357/38 that meets this criteria,   Rifles: Any SASS legal rifle of 1880 or later design or a replica thereof (e.g., Burgess, Lightning Rifle, 1892, 1894 Winchester or Marlin).

 

The new Marlin Classics in .357 only hold 9+1 rounds due to an 18.63" barrel so that seems to be out of the running.

 

What are other shooters having success with?

[Boggus Deal #64218]

That Marlin will probably hold 10 .38s. The 9+1 is likely .357s. Larson E. Pettifogger is examining one right now. He can probably say for sure.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

5 hours ago, Ol Salty Sailor said:

I shoot in the B Western category.  I will be looking for a rifle in .357/38 that meets this criteria,   Rifles: Any SASS legal rifle of 1880 or later design or a replica thereof (e.g., Burgess, Lightning Rifle, 1892, 1894 Winchester or Marlin).

 

The new Marlin Classics in .357 only hold 9+1 rounds due to an 18.63" barrel so that seems to be out of the running.

 

What are other shooters having success with?

Bet that rifle will hold 10, 38's in the tube.

[Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667]

1 hour ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Bet that rifle will hold 10, 38's in the tube.

I know several people who shoot the Marlin 1894C in matches.  It will definitely hold ten .38 Specials in the magazine.

[Nostrum Damus SASS #110702]

I bought the same pair in 4 5/8" stainless for the missus.  Bullion Rose loves shooting them and so do I, to be honest.  I have large hands so both my own pairs of 357 NMVs and 45Colt OMVs have larger grips (and 5 1/2" barrels).  I was very surprised by how comfortable the thinner black logo'd grips are in my paws.  If the price is decent, get them.  And, yes, we have Wolff springs installed.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

19 hours ago, Ol Salty Sailor said:

The new Marlin Classics in .357 only hold 9+1 rounds due to an 18.63" barrel so that seems to be out of the running.

They hold 9+1 rounds of max OAL .357.  They hold ten rounds of .38 Special with no problem and I can get ten rounds of .357 in if the OAL is less than maximum.

[watab kid]

yup - mine holds 10 rounds of 38 with no issues at all , 

[Whitey James]

Echoing the same. The new model Ruger/Marlin I bought holds 10 in the tube. Bought a spring kit from Shotgun Boogie and she runs like a top.

[Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737]

I shoot B Western and shoot JM Marlins in 38/357. Holding 10 is definite. You will never go wrong if you can find a JM Marlin.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

Just one tiny word of caution: If the rifle is chambered for .357, make sure it will feed .38spl.

A pard has a .357 rifle* that has issues and becomes a Jam-O-Matic when he tries to feed it .38spl.

*Sorry, I don't recall the make.

On the subject of those SASS NMVs - Congratulations! I have them in .45 Colt and with the lower Montado hammer and the smaller grips, I find them more comfortable than my OMVs.

They don't make me any faster, just more comfortable.

Enjoy!

[Texas Maverick]

@Leathersmith has a new one for sale or trade in the classified section. 

 TM

[Nostrum Damus SASS #110702]

22 hours ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

Just one tiny word of caution: If the rifle is chambered for .357, make sure it will feed .38spl.

A pard has a .357 rifle* that has issues and becomes a Jam-O-Matic when he tries to feed it .38spl.

*Sorry, I don't recall the make.

On the subject of those SASS NMVs - Congratulations! I have them in .45 Colt and with the lower Montado hammer and the smaller grips, I find them more comfortable than my OMVs.

They don't make me any faster, just more comfortable.

Enjoy!

My .357 Mag B-92 absolutely will not feed .38 Spl.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

A Pard mentioned he was seating his 158 grain LRNFP bullets at the grease ring, rather than the crimp ring and they were feeding OK in his .357 rifle.

We'll have to try that, since .357 brass is not as plentiful here at the moment and my chum has a lot of .38Spl Federal brass, from his days of shooting American Eagle factory fodder.

Just too bad the .357 brass is so bulged at the rim that the sized reloads won't chamber.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

9 minutes ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

A Pard mentioned he was seating his 158 grain LRNFP bullets at the grease ring, rather than the crimp ring and they were feeding OK in his .357 rifle.

For this post to have any meaning you have to state what KIND of .357 rifle.  A .357 Uberti 73, a .357 Browning 92, a .357 Rossi 92 and a .357 Marlin, etc., are all different animals.  It is not so much the brass as it is the OAL of the round.  Just crimp the bullet where it needs to be for a particular round to fit a particular.357 rifle.  This bullet is the Bullets by Scarlett 125 grain and has no grease groove so you can crimp it where you want to.

 

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Hey Salty Saylor

 

Ruger 357s are notorious for undersize cylinder throats.  Try dropping a bullet, sized 358 thru the cylinders.  Should go thru with just the tap of a pencil.  If they stick tight, throats need reamed.  Just a little FYI

 

Most Forgot:  Nice Catch!!

Edited December 9, 2024 by Colorado Coffinmaker

[Three Foot Johnson]

3 hours ago, Nostrum Damus SASS #110702 said:

My .357 Mag B-92 absolutely will not feed .38 Spl.

I had a B92 twenty some years ago with the same experience. It would choke on .38's every time unless the bullet was seated way out to get the OAL similar to a .357. Of course that required using a heavy bullet, so it was kind of pointless. I sold it to someone on here and used the money to buy two Rossi's instead.