Back to my cowgirl roots, New Vaquero in 357

[North Country Gal]

What can I say? Even though I have a thing for 1911s, I'm still a revolver gal at heart and nothing balances and points as nice as a good single action. Traded off some semi-autos and came home with this one.


It's a New Vaquero in 357, 4 5/8" barrel and it is one sweet gun in the hand and probably holster, too, which I will find out come spring when I use this one as a woods carry gun.


We hit a balmy 40 degrees, this afternoon, so headed to our local range and walked though heavy snow to put up a target at 16 yards to check POI. As with most Vaqueros I've had, I needed to file down the front sight a bit to raise the POI, but once done just settled back and enjoyed. The excellent trigger and butter smooth action helped.


Sooner or later, will be needing a Henry to match up to this one, of course. My New Vaquero would like a buddy when we all ride off into the sunset.

[RanchRoper]

Beautiful revolver. Just my opinion but a Mares Leg with a full length stock (if legal for you) would be a cool match for it.

[DAVIDF]

Nice shooting! A .357 Big Boy would be a perfect match. And, you would not have to worry about twist rates. I think whatever is accurate in the Vaquero would be accurate in the Big Boy and vice versa.

[JEBar]

if I was in the market for a single action 357, I'd get a Vaquero .... back in the mid to late 60's I made a living giving fast draw / shooting demonstrations at an Old West tourist town in western NC .... I used an old 3-Screw 357 Ruger Blackhawk .... its one of the few firearms that I really regret letting go .... yours should serve you well

[BigAl52]

I just want some lessons so I could shoot that good. Al

[JEBar]

during that time I used to squirrel and rabbit hunt with that 357 however for me, those days are long gone, little more than a memory .... over time I have served professionally as a firearms instructor but that type of shooting isn't in very high demand

[ditto1958]

NCG, that is a real beauty. I'm curious- how does it compare to your Blackhawk?

[North Country Gal]

Thanks, guys.

The New Vaquero is built on the same size frame as the Old Model Blackhawk, which is to say it is a medium frame, closer in size to the original Colts. Makes for a very nice handling gun. Current Ruger Flat Top Blackhawks are also built on the medium frames.

When Ruger came out with the New Model Blackhawks in '73, they decided to build them on the larger Super Blackhawk 44 mag frame. That means my 45 Convertible or a standard New Model Blackhawk 357 are large frame guns, bigger and heavier than the New vaquero or Old Model Blackhawks or Flat Top versions of the Blackhawk.

With regards to guns chambered in the 45 Colt, the large frame Ruger 45 Colts are what the heavy Ruger only 45 Colt loads are all about. My 45 Blackhawk Convertible is one of these frames, so I can and do shoot some 45 Colt loads in it that take me well into 44 mag country. These Ruger only loads, though, are way too hot for medium frame Ruger 45 Colts or Col 45s or their clones.

So to answer your question, even though both my Blackhawk 45 and my New Vaquero have the same 4 5/8th" barrel length, the frame sizes are different, so they are quite different in their feel and handling.

Confused? It can be, but all these variations and differences help to feed my addiction and provide lots of excuses to keep adding guns to the collection.

[BigAl52]

Confused? It can be, but all these variations and differences help to feed my addiction and provide lots of excuses to keep adding guns to the collection.

Have you added that 41 mag to that collection yet

[North Country Gal]

Have always been interested in the 41 mag, but just don't have time to adopt another cartridge. Way too many, now.

[Sir Henry]

I just want some lessons so I could shoot that good. Al

I've had the lessons and still can't shoot that good.

[North Country Gal]

Beautiful revolver. Just my opinion but a Mares Leg with a full length stock (if legal for you) would be a cool match for it.

Not legal. Once we go with a full length stock, the gun becomes a rifle and minimum barrel length is 16". Also matter of getting a tax stamp from the Feds to change a pistol into a rifle and so on.

Now, a 357 mag, 44 mag or 45 Colt ML, as is, though, IS a great idea. I'm liking it.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

As some may already know, I have the same exact revolver, except I got the 5 1/2 Inch Barrel.

Totally satisfied with it.

I need to file down my sight too when time allows.

Nice shootin' there NCG.

[North Country Gal]

Why, thank-you. I'm also a fan of that 5 1/2" barrel length on single actions, but do prefer the shorter 4 5/8" for packing purposes.

[DWD445]

Nice shooting there young lady !!
Any choice of Henry center fire I'm sure would please you, I Really love my 44 BBS

[ditto1958]

As some may already know, I have the same exact revolver, except I got the 5 1/2 Inch Barrel.

Totally satisfied with it.

I need to file down my sight too when time allows.

Nice shootin' there NCG.

I have the 5.5 inch Blackhawk Flattop Convertible in 357/38/9mm. I think it may be my favorite gun. I think I'd also like a Vaquero some day.

[North Country Gal]

That 357/9mm Flat Top is certainly one of our favorite guns, too. In fact, it's one of the most accurate 357s I've ever owned. It's no coincidence that this New Vaquero uses the same size frame. It's basically a Flat Top with more traditional fixed sights and a bit nicer finish. More of a true cowgirl gun for me.

[DAVIDF]

North Country Gal,

Thank you for educating me on the different frame sizes. I knew there was some differences, but I am much more educated now. I love Ruger revolvers, especially the single actions. I really want a Vaquero. Maybe instead of another .44 rifle, maybe I need to get a .357 Big Boy All-Weather and a matching stainless Vaquero! That would be a great and fun combination. And, my wife would probably enjoy the Vaquero a bit more than our heavy Super Blackhawks.

[North Country Gal]

You're very welcome, David.

To be sure, my husband I will be adding some Henry lever guns to the single action collection and though we may get some other chamberings, the first one will most likely be a 357. I'm a recoil junkie, so shooting 357s in the VQ is nothing for me, but I do know how so many folks that have shot our 357s love shooting 38s in them, including my husband. Be warned, though, bring two 357s when you go to the range with your spouse and start shooting 38s or one of you will be doing a lot of watching and waiting. Been there, done that one. Bring plenty of ammo, too.

[DAVIDF]

I like watching my wife shoot. For that matter, I like watching her all the time. She's a beautiful woman She has some arthritis in both wrists/thumbs, so I load some lite 200 gr bullets at low velocity for her to shoot in the Super Blackhawks. But, the weight of those revolvers is still a lot and even the recoil of those lite loads is a bit much lately. I'll have to seriously consider one or two Vaquero's! It has been decades since I hand loaded .357/.38, but I loved it and it is easy to get really good accuracy in that caliber.