Twin Ruger Vaqueros, in .45 Colt

Today’s National Shooting Sports Month episode features a couple of guns with a fun backstory and literally no other reason to be in my collection: A Matched Pair of Ruger Bird’s Head Vaqueros in .45 Colt. The Vaquero model was offered by Ruger starting in 1993 to take advantage of the growing popularity of Cowboy Action Shooting. Originally chambered in .45 Colt (aka .45 Long Colt), the line grew to include several caliber options, including .357 and .44 Magnums. The guns are available in several Barrel lengths and were originally built on the Ruger Blackhawk Frame. Unlike older single action designs, these guns don’t have a “half cock” position and use a design that makes it safe to carry with all six chambers of the cylinder loaded. Grips come in a variety of shapes, sizes and finishes to accommodate different shooters’ needs and tastes. They can also be had in Blued or Stainless with some limited and special versions having been offered over the last 30 years. In 2005 the design was changed a bit and the “New Vaqueros” have a different frame, which more closely mimics the Colt Single Action Army revolvers (considered by many to be the “Gold Standard” of the era) and can accept their grips. The revolvers shown in this video were specifically acquired to compete for fun on Cowboy Action Shooting Matches. Single action revolvers need to be manually cocked with the thumb of either the shooting or the support hand between each shot. This antiquated design makes them in appropriate for just about any professional or defensive role, but many people enjoy the challenge of using them in various competition events that focus on nostalgia for the “old west”, when these types of revolvers were state-of-the-art tools. Others collect them for aesthetic reasons, which is certainly a good enough justification to own any of the well engineered and finely made Vaqueros. Do YOU have any antiquated firearms in your collection? Do you shoot them often or at all? If not, maybe use National Shooting Sports Month as the motivation to bring them out to the range! Often, bringing firearms such as these will gather a crowd of interested gun owners who are curious about there operation… so bring a few rounds to let them try them out. If YOU are curious about older firearms, look into attending a SASS event at a range near you. I’m certain the participants would be welcoming and probably even let you try out their firearms if you expressed interest and were willing to wait for an appropriate break in the action. #nationalshootingsportsmonth