New Vaquero - .45 Colt or .45acp?

[Buckeye!]

Yep this is cool






Ruger Vaquero Talo Exclusive Birds Head Stainless 3.75 45 ACP

just ordered mine

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I just picked up a slug of 45 Auto Rim cases... can run those through the 45 Colt chambers if you want... been planning on having my machinist buddy make me an ACP cylinder for my snubbie, just to have the option... but I do shoot CASS, & have a pair of regualr Montados in 45 Colt, as well as a lever gun in that chambering... along with 1000 cases I reload... as mentioned earlier, the 45 Colt is an easy reload... as good a cartridge as any to start with, & plenty cheap to reload... as far as reduced loads on that bigger case... ( or the acp for that matter ) Trailboss can be your friend... CASS "gamer" shooters have been loading mouse phart loads in that cartridge for a long time... I personally use it to load mid range loads when I shoot CASS

BTW... if you do choose the 45 Colt, you can shoot those Auto Rims, as well as 45 Schofield cases... & you are head spacing on the rims... if you getting the shorter 45 acp chambers, you are headspacing on the case mouth ( makes brass length more critical for proper function ) than the longer chambers headspacing on the rims... I have several revolvers that head space on the case mouth, & it's not really an issue, just something else that can go wrong

[rep1954]

Even with my .45ACP cylinders reamed, it still 'sometimes' takes a little finger pressure to seat a .452 sized round... but at least it seats!

An awful lot of people have trouble with thier 45ACP handloads when using them in revolvers but not a problem using factory loaded ammo. I used to be one of those people until a fellow asked me if I was using a factory crimp die and I said no and he said you should, and then I bought a 'Lee Factory Crimp Die' which solved all my problems. Now all my reloads get the treatment so I dont have to sort my ammo by auto or revolver.

[wheelyfun]

I am learning alot by reading this thread!

To speak to the OP's original question....
I too have recently been obsessed with this new birdshead vaquero from Ruger, and have been following a thread on a Ruger forum (.net) , where someone is showing off their recently purchased birdshead in .45 ACP.

The dude who has the 45ACP vaquero states that, for him, ACP has several advantages over LC...even for those who reload.

I won't attempt to recount his exact thinking, but for him, the ACP is a great round for this new vaquero.

I do not hand load, so would opt for the 45ACP model.....

I am obsessed with the new birdshead model, and will likely get one in 45ACP.

You all will be the first to know, when it happens!

[Hammerhead]

So many revolvers, so little money.

[Lee McNelly]

ole model 7.5 ss 45acp and 45lc

[wheelyfun]

I was looking back at this thread, and saw where I posted last March that I was obsessed with this revolver in 45ACP....

Mine is in the mail as we speak, and I will be the proud owner of a Vaquero Birdshead 45ACP (blued model).

I will post pics asap, along with the DM Bullard Bodyguard holster that I just got!

45ACP rules for those of us who do not handload....

[buckhorn]

good choice. I love those short barrelled , birds-head . what kind of grips did you get? I changed mine from the stock Ruger grips to some nice walnut handles. I didn't mind the grips that came on the gun, but the big Ruger medalion started to bother me so I just changed 'em out.

[sheepman]

I have both an old three screw in 45 colt and a new model Blackhawk convertible. Both guns have .4515 thoughts they shoot OK with lead bullets and I don't plan on having them reamed. The convertible Blackhawk has the 45acp cylinder installed. My 45acp hand loads originally were a problem until I started seating the bullets deeper and using a Lee Factory crimp die, now all is good. Reloading will allow you to shoot either the 45 colt or acp cheep but for factory loads there are more options available with the acp.

[CarbineCaleb]

Mispost.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Wheelyfun, the ACP lovers suffer from an inferiority complex. They know the COLT rounds are BIGGER and produce more energy than wimpy ACP rounds. (I got a box of 300gr XTP's waiting to be loaded in my kitchen)

If you don't reload, this is a good reason to start. Join the manly man club and get yourself a fine American made revolver that shoots the original .45 Colt cartridge!

Then we can beat our chests and sing praise to our fine guns with our fancy mustaches (also a sign of manly manness).

[Edward429451]

An awful lot of people have trouble with thier 45ACP handloads when using them in revolvers but not a problem using factory loaded ammo. I used to be one of those people until a fellow asked me if I was using a factory crimp die and I said no and he said you should, and then I bought a 'Lee Factory Crimp Die' which solved all my problems.

WADR, that doesn't make sense. If you want to load ammo that will chamber easily in all guns, then why not use .451 bullets? If you load .452 and then run it through a crimp die, it post sizes it down to .451, problem solved like you say. But to use .452 and size it to .451 in the case adds another step that is not good for your boolits.

I use the FCD in 44, but I took a punch and knocked that sizing ring out of it. I cast carefully, seat carefully, and size to fit the bore to reduce/stop leading. I can't wrap my mind around around destroying my efforts with a post size. So easy to have the cylinder reamed.

[rep1954]

WADR, that doesn't make sense. If you want to load ammo that will chamber easily in all guns, then why not use .451 bullets? If you load .452 and then run it through a crimp die, it post sizes it down to .451, problem solved like you say. But to use .452 and size it to .451 in the case adds another step that is not good for your boolits.

Make sense or not it's worked well in a S&W 325PD, S&W Model 21, Ruger convertibles as well as Colt SAA convertibles. Instead of telling myself it dont work I just enjoy the fact that it does. Who ever said anything about sizing down .452 bullets?

[Edward429451]

Even with my .45ACP cylinders reamed, it still 'sometimes' takes a little finger pressure to seat a .452 sized round... but at least it seats!

This. I have the BH convertable too and the ACP cylinder takes any .451 bullet fine, the .452s that I load were about 50% of them would chamber, my same load for my Colt 45 in its unreamed condition works flawless in. For me to be able to use my existing load in both guns, it makes more sense to ream the cylinder once, and the load is golden in both guns, and IMO, certainly preferable to sizing the entire round down for one gun in a FCD. Not only does it (destroy) your boolit by sizing it down in the case, but now you have to separate the ammo also for the different guns. That does not compute.

I'm not bashin' the FCD either. It makes a nice crimp. I think it is a big mistake to post size ammo for personal guns though. Why would anyone want to size their boolits down in the case, when a 40 dollar adjustment to the gun cures the problem and the boolit isn't crushed so the ammo is good, and of one lot which is compatible with both my personal weapons. There is a 5 fps difference in velocity with my .452 load out of my 5.5" BH and my 5" GM and they shoot same! Ammo compatibility nowadays is everything. Post sizing is a crutch and a hack. YMMV

[skeeter]

I thought you could by one that had cylinders for both rounds? 45
LC are very expensive so I would go with the 45ACP if I had to do it again

[COLT_45]

.....45 Colt for me.....save the acp cartridges for the 1911's & Glocks.

[wheelyfun]

Skeeter wrote "I thought you could by one that had cylinders for both rounds? 45
LC are very expensive so I would go with the 45ACP if I had to do it again "

In the case of the new run of Birdshead Vaquero, it is a limited production run, and only offered in 45LC OR 45 ACP.

I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult for a gunsmith to fit a cylinder of whichever caliber you wanted......but for me, the ACP will be a good choice.

[Bart Noir]

BTW... if you do choose the 45 Colt, you can shoot those Auto Rims,

Magnum Wheel Man, you have had since March to try that. I bet it didn't work.

The .45 Auto Rim has a very thick rim, since it is the thickness of the normal ACP rim plus the thickness of the famous half-moon clip. The revolvers that shoot .45 ACP with clips have extra room from the back of the cylinder to the recoil plate on the frame.

The normal .45 Colt revolver doesn't have this extra room, and the .45 Auto Rim will not fit.

Bart Noir
Who gets great joy out of firing his blued birds-head New Vaq with .45 Colt rounds.

[Master Blaster 2]

45Colt

[Bart Noir]

Nice collection, Master Blaster!

But let's talk about those grips. The ones on the left (very attractive) replace the laminate ones from Ruger, I believe. I find the laminate ones to be shaped just right for me although I can see how other people may not.

The laminate birdshead grips allow the gun to recoil up and give me a very fast re-cock with the thumb on my firing hand.

But with my 5&1/4 inch New Vaq, which has Ruger checkered grips similar the one on the right (except plastic), the gun does not recoil up. It just sits snuggly in my hand and smacks the trigger guard into my middle finger. It doesn't take many shots until that hurts

Yes, I'm talking about more or less standard power loads.

Do you get your finger smacked by the gun on the right?

Bart Noir

[Master Blaster 2]

MyVaquero Birds head came with smooth white plastic grips with a ruger logo. I like the elk better. Now the Taurus in the middle has a fax plastic stag grips-plastic, and the Montado came with checkered black plastic. I came across these wood ones I liked better.
On their handling I have only put 12 rounds thru each and this has been a long while ago. I never really shot enough to get sore. (I have a lot of guns.)

[wheelyfun]

Just put the initial 120 rounds downrange last night!
I love the 45 ACP round in this Birdshead revolver...

The shape of the Birdshead grip allows for the gun to roll up in my hand, under recoil, and makes it so easy to thumb the hammer back for subsequent shots.

Been awhile since I have owned a 45 ACP, so it was fun to see the big ol' holes in the paper!

Daylight was fading, so couldn't take pics last night.....soon as possible, I will post pics of this accurate, handsome revolver!

[QuarterHorse]

Just to bring this current. I have a New Vaquero Convertible in a 5 1/2 SS model. Last weekend at the range I was shooting my Ruger with factory Remington 45 colt and ran out. I happened to have some hand loads for my 1911 in the range bag. I swapped cylinders and ran it through. Flawless.

I plan on running the same jacketed bullets in colt brass and going through my Lee dies so I don't have any worries of leading or differences in anything. If I plan on going more than 230 grain bullets or want to hand load some hunting rounds, I'll come up with a different load spec, or buy Buffalo Bore factory ammo for hunts I may go on.

[Bob Wright]

If I may inject one little tidbit overlooked so far: the .45 ACP cases eject more easily than the longer .45 Colt empties. Sort of like punching out .22 Shorts from your Single Six. And this gun in question has a shorter ejector throw.

If ya'll can stand another picture, here's a couple of my short barrel Ruger .45s, both .45 Colt:



Bob Wright

[QuarterHorse]

Good call Bob, didn't even THINK about the ejector rod length.