[Poindexter]

I just took possession of a NIB New Vaquero, blued steel in .45LC with the TALO birdshead grip and 3.75" barrel. Absolutely love it. The gun and I are just the right size to each other for appendiceal carry.

Not suggesting people living south of me "need" .45Colt for CCW, I live in northern Alaska where good guys and bad guys both wear thick heavy winter coats. Also, I already own a Ruger Redhawk also chambered .45Colt, not looking to do anything crazy with the Vaquero.

1. Which Belt Mountain base pin and latch system should I get? I have run a few rounds of 270SAA in front of 7.5gr Titegroup. Brian Pearce calls it a 14,000 psi load. With 255 cast SWC I'll probably stick at or near 13,000 cup with about 7.8gr Universal Clays, according to Hodgdon. I'll chrono both of these once it is warm enough for my chronograph to work outdoors, I am expecting about 800ish fps muzzle and I think that will be fine.

What I don't want to do is drill a hole in the underside of my barrel for a set screw if I don't need it, doubt I do. Will just the BM pin and latch do the trick, or do I need to look at the middle range options with the Allen head set screw?

2Can I use just any old car wax? I haven't had a revolver that isn't stainless in a number of years. The manual from Ruger suggests I could put a thin coat of wax on it to protect the bluing from skin oils. Sounds like a good idea.

3.How long for the factory oil to cease and desist with the staining? I am halfway inclined to take the pins out and take the thing completely apart to clean all the old oil out of it. Seems like I get it clean, shoot it and find a bunch more of the old orange goo sprayed put of the action onto the cylinder, the ejector, the trigger guard, getting old. So far I am only through about 100 rounds.

4.If I shoot this thing enough to cut a significant groove in the top strap, what all parts would I need to move my birdshead grip onto some "other" new Vaquero? I imagine everything I would need is in my gun already, just want to be sure. I figure if I find a really good deal on a stainless new vaquero in .45 Colt I could someday move the black birdshead grip onto the stainless frame, have the barrel shortened and recrowned, bring over my ejector rod and housing an be good to go right? I don't really care about the blue and stainless aesthetics, but I do want the blued grip to be the only thing sticking out of pants when I open my jacket.

5. I have decided to pickup an inexpensive SA revolver in .22. Local to me I can get a Heritage Rough Rider with the plow handle grip for $219. I see there is another version from the same company with a birdshead grip. Can anyone think of a .22 SA revolver with a grip size and shape close to what I already own? I am thinking I'll just grab the local plow handle since it is pretty close, I am guessing the HRR birdshead will be smaller and thinner than what I have already.