One interesting thing to note is that the reason the Vaquero's and by extension Super Blackhawk's cylinders do not index properly when reloading is that it's a side effect of allowing the cylinder to be rotated without moving the hammer. Putting the hammer on half cock indexes the cylinder slightly, just enough so it matches with the gate. There is a workaround to this which is a custom made hammer that allows Ruger revolvers to go to half cock, but that can cost upwards of 200 dollars for the parts if you don't want to do any machining yourself
I have an original Vaquero, a Taurus Gaucho and a 3rd gen Colt SAA. The Taurus was slicked up for SASS and has the smoothest lightest action of the three, The Colt's action is heavy and stiff, the Vaquero's action is 'comfortably worn in' but the Vaquero is the heaviest of the three. All that being said, the Vaquero just has a certain something to it and is my favorite SAA type of the three I own.
The 5 vs 6 round issue is one longer true. Any Uberti (with the exception of some of the Cimarrons) made after 2016 has a retractable firing pin safety and can be loaded with 6 rounds, just like the Ruger.
@@lewdempsey3232 I understand that in the old days the hammer was lowered between the rims of two loaded chambers. I don't think you can do that on the new Ubertis.
I would expand on the last statement a little bit to say any single action revolver can have that mastery equals cheat code for other modern pistols. I love my Ruger blackhawk. for that reason.
@@SapperGentleman I have a 56 blackhawk and I wish it had a dove tail sight but it's a cowboy gun toped off with dirty harry. It just don't look right and not very good for fast draw for that reason. All and all it's a great shooting gun. Great video and I got one of them old Ruger V to and it is great for fast draw. None of that dirty harry stuff you got to work around on Vaqueros.
Great comparison! When I went shopping for a cowboy gun I really wanted the 4 clicks....in addition to a Colt clone. I was disappointed with the Cattleman only having 3. So, I ended up with a Pietta Pistolero in 357. Has a light, smooth hammer with the 4 clicks and my Lyman weighs in at 2 pounds. Have been very happy with it!!! However, trying to do any tricks with it having that thin trigger seems crazy. Very much a newbie with it!!! Due to the ammo crunch, I picked up a Uberti1873 Stallion (6 shot). Also has the 4 clicks, but the hammer is much stiffer and the trigger is 2.5 pounds. So, the first one had frame damage that I did not notice. The store got me a replacement. The strange thing is is that the first one was a Stoeger. And the second one was stamped Taylor BUT, it was a Stoeger. I was working with a rep. from Stoeger due to the situation and he confirmed even though it was stamped Taylor, the warranty work (if any) would have to be thru Stoeger. He offered to replace it, but the case hardening looked so good on the replacement that I did not want to chance it!!
I'm wondering why you highlighted the Uberti was a six shot revolver? The gentleman above stated he didn't want a five shot Uberti meaning your not to carry the sixth round under the hammer that contains the firing pin as it may go off. The Uberti revolvers are all six shots that I am aware of. I believe why he was saying five shot is due to the firing pin being on the hammer it's not safe to carry it with the sixth round in under the hammer. There is a first notch safety on my Uberti, as well as the ability to insert cylinder pin deeper into the center of the cylinder and it locks in place. It blocks the hammer from dropping onto the round. The newer models do not have this option. Just FYI so you can be safe but you may have already know this fact.
@@lovethehuntOutdoors Hey!! I was not responding to anybody’s comment. I was responding directly to the video. Hope it did not come off otherwise. Was just voicing my thumbs up on the vid and my experiences with Colt clones. I do understand the risks of carrying 6 rounds in a clone without a transfer bar. Sorry for any confusion around my comment.
My fav. (That I have now) is a Ruger Bisley Vaquero old model stainless 357 mag. It is heavier than a 45 cal version. I have Uberti and Pietta in centerfire and BP. The Piettas tend to have better action out of the box but Uberti is better finished as far as sharp edges. Pietta/Cimmaron actions are like the originals... no safeties of any kind and have a four click hammer. All look really nice.
@@willbar1961 I agree. Close to 1800 just isn’t all that justifiable. It would be the most expensive gun in the collection I want to build. Well besides a christenson arms .338 lapua but I’m still hesitant about that.
Hi great video and comparison. I have a Vaquero and not a Uberti because I like the Ruger loading, the ability to dry fire, and I can carry six rounds. The Uberti is great looking and I am sure a great gun, but those more modern features are keeping me with Ruger. I have a Uberti 1866 rifle that is a great shooter and incredibly well built and finished. Maybe I will get a pistol too if I can get over the five round capacity. That hammer mounted firing pin looks delicate though. Hey please keep making these great videos!
Well am using my old ROA with 45 colt conversion cylinder, am a Happy Gunslinger. These ROA are basically a 3 screw Blackhawk frame,incredible accurate and built solid
I didn't plan on it. Even as a Ruger buyer. But I'm looking into a $910 Ruger Vaquero .357 with a 4.62" barrel 6 shot. Already have a Single Six 5.50" in .22LR/ WMR. It would be cool to have a modern single action that can shoot .357 & .38 along with my sp101 & gp100s.
Thanks Much! I’ve been torn between these two guns for a long while. You’ve helped and I subscribed. Good Shootin and Thanks zagain! DaveyJO in Pennsylvania
Bill Ruger is one of the MOST UNDERRATED Gun Designers in HISTORY... he was no BROWNING or SAM COLT but No Bill Ruger, No Cowboy Action Sports, No Mini 14, no 10/22 or MK 1 22 pistols, He reinvented the SA revolver to be a SIX SHOOTER,,, not a 5 shooter Ruger # 1's are BEAUTIFUL as well!!! Ruger takes good designs and makes them RELIABLE and CHEAPER while making them HEIRLOOMS for centuries to come.... Most of my Guns are RUGERS!!! (Except my 22 Rifles... 4 Marlins") Can't WAIT for my MarL GER 336 in 30/30!!!!
Loading those are supposed to be like therapy. But not when the cylinder doesn't line up like you showed in the Vaquero and that's what's keeping me from getting a Vaquero.
I guess that's a Ruger thing. Even at the bottom of the SA revolver food chain, between the Wrangler and the Heritage Rough Rider, the HRR gives you four clicks, wood stocks, a cylinder that won't turn during loading/unloading unless the hammer is partially-cocked, and chambers that line up while doing so. Incidentally, I do own the "tuned" Smoke Wagon (in .357 Magnum), but it's an older one that does give the four clicks.
I dislike that also, my blackhawk when it clicks I just rotate the cylinder back slightly to lock it up so that its always indexed. I couldn't do that with a vaquero.
As far as safety and being capable of +P loads one would have to go with the Ruger. However if you plan on fanning any of the new Rugers it is a bit different from the non transfer bar revolvers. I’ve also seen where Rugers have been fixed to allow the cylinder to revolve either direction, taking care of missing a chamber and having to go all the way around. Quick draw artist Bob Munden used to do action jobs on Vaqueros. Enjoyed the comparison and the gun twirling.
I have broken 2 pawls fanning, I don't recommend it on a New Vaquero I don't see how transfer bar is relevant to fanning. Also free spin mod is super easy you can do it with a small Allen wrench without taking the gun down.
I own both and love both, but prefer the Uberti due to function and finish being more like the original SSA Colt. However, the old Vaquero is beefier and can handle far hotter loads. I also noticed that many websites now say that the Uberti Cattleman II has been discontinued, so if you are wanting one, you might want to buy one soon.
Have an old model vaquero and a cimmaron both in .45 at the moment the cimmaron is out getting fixed because the cylinder wouldn’t stay locked in the firing position very unsafe. Didn’t fire it in that condition noticed the problem working the hammer wiping it with a rag. Uncle has a gunsmith friend that’s going to look at it and fix it. The old model vaquero had no issues and still ready to go, loading the Ruger I like being able to load 6 and not worry about firing it off accidentally. The cimmaron can’t rest the hammer on a live round so I load 5 and rest on empty chamber
I bought 2 vaquero stainless 357’s and had the Blackhawk hammers installed at the factory. My hands are smaller. The workmanship on those revolvers and the vaquero 44 I now have are remarkable
I have a 1977 Ruger Blackhawk 45 colt/45 acp with over 80 k rounds thru it including over 15k Ruger only loads and the gun is still very accurate. i can still shoot 4 inches at 45 years with my Blackhawk and have taken over 125 deer with it and numerous boar and bear and etc including one very large moose.
I bought a Vaquero in 94 and put Wolff springs in it. Stainless, 4-5/8". I still love it, but my hands are now very arthritic and I'm considering a Blackhawk hammer. Anyone have an opinion on that? Is there an appreciable reduction in thumb reach when the hammer is at rest? I don't want to go thru the process of fitting a Bisley hammer. I've looked at some Utbes on it, but they always seem to be on teh new style Vaq, which makes it hard to visualize the difference in distance.
I'm about to do a Super Blackhawk hammer swap on a New Model Blackhawk, which should be the same as an old Vaquero. The reach difference is appreciable, in my opinion.
The cylinder doesn't index because it doesn't need to you are supposed to cradle the firearm in your left hand and rotate the cylinder with the fingers of your left hand as you load it with your right. You do not load it with your left hand over the top of your right hand. I don't know where you learned that or where you learn that that was the procedure but it isn't. You specialize and it is not difficult to get that Ruger to be very Chris and quite light. My one Super Blackhawk has a 24 oz trigger pull that's very crisp but I did leave some creep in it so that you could tell that you were squeezing the trigger and you could feel it moving to drop.
I disagree when to have a cat of bear killing dogs you gobt need to be fumbling with a cylinder that's out of line when you hide is on the line the colt SA was a military weapon used off horseback the cylinder had to line up every time you went dry
The thing about the new Vaquero is if you're going buy two for Cowboy Action Shooting . You're going to do some work on them if you wnat to be competitive That action is stiff and you will end up changing out the mainhammer spring and trigger spring.
On colt saa and the Uberti and Pietta copy’s once you start cocking the hammer you should bring the hammer all the way back before letting the hammer down otherwise you will get a scared up cylinder I like the Rugers but they do scratch the cylinder in the way they are made except for the 3 screw Blackhawks which had the same action as colt saa
My stainless SASS SAA New Vaqueros in 357mag/38spl is 42.3 Oz of freedom unloaded. barrel is thick walled. maybe stainless is denser and barrel thicker?
You said that the Ruger had a larger (and stronger) cylinder than the Uberti, and that looked true, but it looks like the Ruger is a smaller caliber than the Uberti. 38 vs 45?
@@SapperGentleman Thanks for the response, but there is a big difference in appearance on the size of the openings in the end of barrel and those in the cylinder. Ref 4:24 and 5:03 in your vid. Optical illusion?
I have a Ruger Blackhawk & Uberti 1873Cattleman both in .45 colt: both great guns; but the Blackhawk will take custom hand loads & you can load all 6 chambers! So, I like both guns for different reasons, my cattlemen has color case hardened & a 51/2 barrel, I don't let anybody borrow my cattlemen or shoot it,mine is just too nice to loan out! The Blackhawk stays locked up as well,& I only let a few select people handle it!
I sorta look at the Ruger Vaquero as what Colt's model 1873 would be had it continued to evolve. I like the older, more traditional revolvers. I also like my Ruger Vaquero. BTW, that finish doesn't last at all. My Vaquero had the CCH finish and it's long gone.
I personally like the older large frame vaqueros as well as the newmodel Blackhawk. To me the Ruger xr3 red grip frame over the Colt style grip frame. i know heresy but to me the Colt saa grip frame is not comfortable and is a very poor pointer. I am a sort of an oddity in this aspect as to me the Luger and the Glock are poor handlers to me.
Another significant difference would be that the Uberti would have a "half-cock" position and the Vaquero doesn't. This could be a matter of vital importance if your thumb happens to slip....
The Vaquero has a transfer bar, so unless you are pulling the trigger, the gun will not fire if your thumb happens to slip. You should not have your finger on the trigger unless you are ready to fire.
@@davidharris9077 Understood. That doesn't mean that someone used to having that half-cock "safety" isn't going to feel pretty uncomfortable when it's not there...
I wood prefer a blackhawk, i dont like u cant run hot loads. Non of the stock rounds are not that impressive, but when u run the max hot load thats when 44 mag lives up to the hipe and much more imprexxive. U can reach out and touch some thing.
I look at the modern engineering as a potential issue in an end of the world scenario. I can't replace the firing pin in a vaquero. But the spur? I'm not the best machinist in the world but I think I could replace it if I had a spare. And I only bring it up as you stated in one of your previous videos how you managed to kill a vaquero. Just my position. Already got the smoke wagon anyway. Wish it were .357. said it all before. Alright I'm done. Good video.
I could make an hour long video on all the parts and pieces I've broken on my Ubertis. They're without a doubt more delicate. That Ruger I finally killed has been through an unimaginable amount of abuse. I've broken Ubertis inside of 200 rounds.
@@SapperGentleman Looks like I picked the right gun. I just bought a Ruger New Vaquero. 4.62 inch barrel in blued. .357 Magnum. Haven't had the chance to shoot it yet but looking forward to it for sure.
I have taken friends who have never handled an SA Colt Clon revolver and it was like asking a young teenager to call his mom from an old-fashioned rotary phone, he was completely lost. I just love these SA revolvers. I own a Pietta Western II 1873 in 357 / 9mm. PS I carry mine with 6 all day long because I know how well the first-notch safety works and I have complete trust in it, just as I trust my striker-fired autos because they also have a small notch in which the striker is held back until you pull the trigger. hell, it's even smaller than my Piettas's notch. also, it has been proven that it will not go bang if dropped like from waist level or chest level. Mechanical engineers have even hit the Hammer with a good-sized stick while in a vice at a range and the Hammer would not release and go bang. the steel components of yesteryear were inferior compared to today's modern steel components. So! I keep the five-dollar bill in my pocket and a sixth-round in the chamber. I also hit it with a hard rubber mallet while in a vice at the range and didn't even make a mark in the first notch after inspection. if I remember correctly it would take about 800 ft pounds of energy and maybe it might go boom, also it would have to be dropped from a second or third-story window onto concrete for the Hammer to rupture the trigger and notch assembly again MAYBE? the main reason that the manufacturers don't recommend for you to carry six is because of the many gun owners who buy guns and don't know how to use them properly and those people would carry six with the Hammer resting on a live primer! then we have a BANG PROBLEM! So they avoid lawsuits because they told you not to carry six. ( it's for the slackers that live in La La Land) I am a US Army Veteran from 1966 / 1969 and past LEO NYC, NY I am 76 years old and I have never shot myself in the foot yet! LOL moral of the story, know your weapons, know how they function, know what they are and are not capable of doing, and trust them ONLY WHEN YOU CAN TRUST IN YOURSELF! be safe and shoot straight!
From a strictly aesthetic point of view, I vastly prefer the look of the Ruger to that of the Italians. Normally, that wouldn't be the case for me (e.g., I can't wear American cowboy boots, but give me a pair of Italian Beatle boots, and I'm in heaven), but somehow the Ruger just looks more "it." Maybe it's the girth, maybe it's the shorter barrel (more likely a combination of the two), but I like the look of the Ruger (and I have an F.lli Pietta in .38 special).
Didn't watch the entire video so maybe it was mentioned: if you want to change grips on vaquero it is easy. Changing on uberti / cimarron is ridiculous. They haven't seemed to find a way to make replacement grips that actually fit so you have to have them adjusted. With additional annoyance that if the new grip has any finish then that is ruined because you have to sand/file it away on parts of the grip to make it fit. In other words, save your money.
Great video. I've a cimmeron cattlemen 2, so it's had the internals slicked up, she shoots like a dream. I'm a Virgo and very picky about my stuff. But for life of me I cannot find one thing on that uberti to bitch about. Not a scratch, blemish, anything, and shoots great. I've also a pietta 1851 black powder, and again, the pistol is simply beautiful . I've yet to shoot it. Life gets in the way. I used to own a ruger black powder revolver in.45 cal. I found the metal to be soft. The loading mechanism would bend. I sold it cheap. I've never owned a ruger since. But I'm sold on uberti and pietta. Fantastic guns. Beautiful, fun to shoot.
Comparing Ruger with Colt clones is like apple's and oranges. Ruger's are great guns but they are very different than colts or clones. As far as Ruger's the old three screws are in a class of their own witch I love.
Man, you are all over the map with this comparison. If we're trying to stay true to the colt, the ruger is out, it's firing system has been modified. It's over built to accept magnum rounds at a cost extra wt. Due to the us of cast parts,(value cast, extruded parts) v.s. hardend forged steel,hence the parts are stronger yet less bulky. I feel the uberti is supior to the ruger.
Uberti, pietta, and Barretta are all under the Barretta umbrella corp.. where as "Taylor,cimmeron and Dixie gun works,and stoeger are merely importers."
But if one's preferred brand is something other than what I support so be it. Don't get me started over 5 vs 6 debate. The best safety is the one between your ears. The first click on the colt is the safety position. Everything else is political posturing. Foreign firearm mfg companies sometimes must jump thru hoops to get thier products imported. And I am certain the reasoning for uberti and pietta's safety issue stems from importation issues.
What difference does it make I've killed 15 bears with a pistol colt SA abd Ruger's there is no difference the pistols have differences but when I have a bear trees I'll out the sixth round in the colt it's not rocket science I have no problem with carrying 6 rounds in NY colt never had an accidental misfire but don't drop Mt pistols only pull then out to fire
You're not a real man until you've killed a bear with a bowie knife or took out 5 Mexican bandits in a row for bonus points. Red Dead Redemption is a hell of a game! :P
@@michaelkolano8686 mike I shoot a linbaugh45 do you know what a government hunter does there is a reason I don't shoot a 44 mag it penetrate and possibility of killing a dog I shoot LBT wfn 280
Ok the Uberti is as close to what a true Colt firearm was than any copy that is made today. If you want a modern gun that looks like a old gun don’t buy a Uberti. If you want a gun that is as close to a 19th century firearm than buy a Uberti. I own a original 1873 Winchester rifle and I own a modern Merlin lever rifle. They don’t handle or operate the same and I don’t expect them to.
I have a Uberti Cattleman and an EMF/Pietta. Both are Pre-war frames (push button base pin release). The Uberti has a floating firing pin, dual notch base pin and only a three click hammer. The Pietta has a fixed firing pin and a true four click hammer with no safeties. In fact I installed a Uberti dual notch base pin in the Pietta so I can block the hammer so the firing pin isn't in contact with the ammo. primer. The Pietta is the most accurate Colt copy i've seen.
If I'm getting a single action revolver, I want as close to an original design as possible. I don't care about 1 extra shot since I'm not going to trust my life to a single action revolver anyway.
There's a lot of reason to make this video. Ego has nothing to do with it. I'm new to this, and anything that I can watch and read about this is helpful to me. Including the comments. Except yours.
One interesting thing to note is that the reason the Vaquero's and by extension Super Blackhawk's cylinders do not index properly when reloading is that it's a side effect of allowing the cylinder to be rotated without moving the hammer. Putting the hammer on half cock indexes the cylinder slightly, just enough so it matches with the gate. There is a workaround to this which is a custom made hammer that allows Ruger revolvers to go to half cock, but that can cost upwards of 200 dollars for the parts if you don't want to do any machining yourself
I have an original Vaquero, a Taurus Gaucho and a 3rd gen Colt SAA. The Taurus was slicked up for SASS and has the smoothest lightest action of the three, The Colt's action is heavy and stiff, the Vaquero's action is 'comfortably worn in' but the Vaquero is the heaviest of the three. All that being said, the Vaquero just has a certain something to it and is my favorite SAA type of the three I own.
The 5 vs 6 round issue is one longer true. Any Uberti (with the exception of some of the Cimarrons) made after 2016 has a retractable firing pin safety and can be loaded with 6 rounds, just like the Ruger.
I think it's called a "free floating" firing pin. But yes. You are correct
But things get dirty don't rely on the free floating firing pin treat them as the ole colts
@@lewdempsey3232 I understand that in the old days the hammer was lowered between the rims of two loaded chambers. I don't think you can do that on the new Ubertis.
If you look close when you pull the trigger the pin moves forward. If you pull the trigger hard enough would that be able to set off the primer?
@@mkshffr4936 you leave one chamber empty let the hammer down on the empty chamber
Excellent and fun review on two awesome revolvers. Thanks for taking the time. Peace
I own and love both but th Uberti is my favorite due in part to the tuning it has had. Your video is well done and please keep them coming.
YEP i prefer the uberti also!
Thanks for taking the grips off a d showing us the difference. Excellent review. 👍
I would expand on the last statement a little bit to say any single action revolver can have that mastery equals cheat code for other modern pistols. I love my Ruger blackhawk. for that reason.
Yes, but Blackhawks have actual sights. 😜
@@SapperGentleman I have a 56 blackhawk and I wish it had a dove tail sight but it's a cowboy gun toped off with dirty harry. It just don't look right and not very good for fast draw for that reason. All and all it's a great shooting gun. Great video and I got one of them old Ruger V to and it is great for fast draw. None of that dirty harry stuff you got to work around on Vaqueros.
Great comparison! When I went shopping for a cowboy gun I really wanted the 4 clicks....in addition to a Colt clone. I was disappointed with the Cattleman only having 3. So, I ended up with a Pietta Pistolero in 357. Has a light, smooth hammer with the 4 clicks and my Lyman weighs in at 2 pounds. Have been very happy with it!!! However, trying to do any tricks with it having that thin trigger seems crazy. Very much a newbie with it!!! Due to the ammo crunch, I picked up a Uberti1873 Stallion (6 shot). Also has the 4 clicks, but the hammer is much stiffer and the trigger is 2.5 pounds. So, the first one had frame damage that I did not notice. The store got me a replacement. The strange thing is is that the first one was a Stoeger. And the second one was stamped Taylor BUT, it was a Stoeger. I was working with a rep. from Stoeger due to the situation and he confirmed even though it was stamped Taylor, the warranty work (if any) would have to be thru Stoeger. He offered to replace it, but the case hardening looked so good on the replacement that I did not want to chance it!!
I'm wondering why you highlighted the Uberti was a six shot revolver? The gentleman above stated he didn't want a five shot Uberti meaning your not to carry the sixth round under the hammer that contains the firing pin as it may go off. The Uberti revolvers are all six shots that I am aware of. I believe why he was saying five shot is due to the firing pin being on the hammer it's not safe to carry it with the sixth round in under the hammer. There is a first notch safety on my Uberti, as well as the ability to insert cylinder pin deeper into the center of the cylinder and it locks in place. It blocks the hammer from dropping onto the round. The newer models do not have this option. Just FYI so you can be safe but you may have already know this fact.
@@lovethehuntOutdoors Hey!! I was not responding to anybody’s comment. I was responding directly to the video. Hope it did not come off otherwise. Was just voicing my thumbs up on the vid and my experiences with Colt clones. I do understand the risks of carrying 6 rounds in a clone without a transfer bar. Sorry for any confusion around my comment.
My fav. (That I have now) is a Ruger Bisley Vaquero old model stainless 357 mag. It is heavier than a 45 cal version. I have Uberti and Pietta in centerfire and BP. The Piettas tend to have better action out of the box but Uberti is better finished as far as sharp edges. Pietta/Cimmaron actions are like the originals... no safeties of any kind and have a four click hammer. All look really nice.
I just picked myself up a .357 cimarron it truly is a beautiful gun. I want a colt SAA in 45 long colt but them prices are a little scary.
@@Tricolor40004 Colt is too expensive for me!
@@willbar1961 I agree. Close to 1800 just isn’t all that justifiable. It would be the most expensive gun in the collection I want to build. Well besides a christenson arms .338 lapua but I’m still hesitant about that.
@@Tricolor40004 I hear ya. I want a Colt Python and Beretta 92x Performance but both are over $1,300 so probably won't get either.
@@willbar1961 those pythons are beautiful. Held one fell in love. Saw the price tag considered a divorce before I was locked in.
Very fair comparison. Good job I enjoyed it.
Swear to god, I thought out loud and you pretty much said it word for word. 😂
Very helpful video! I think I’ll be going for the Uberti based on your comparison.
I like my revolvers the way colt intended them. Four clicks and the firing pin on the hammer.
The old worn look of the Ruger is awesome and eventually the Smoke Wagon will look the same too.
Uberti El Patron Competition 5,5" , kal 357Mag/ 38 Spec is quite good one...
I got one in 45 lc and it’s my favorite saa that I own
Hi great video and comparison. I have a Vaquero and not a Uberti because I like the Ruger loading, the ability to dry fire, and I can carry six rounds. The Uberti is great looking and I am sure a great gun, but those more modern features are keeping me with Ruger. I have a Uberti 1866 rifle that is a great shooter and incredibly well built and finished. Maybe I will get a pistol too if I can get over the five round capacity. That hammer mounted firing pin looks delicate though. Hey please keep making these great videos!
Thanks for watchin'! 😊
BUT the vaquero cylinder doesnt lock in position to load! the uberti does!
@@williamdaniels6943 you don't need to pull the hammer back at all in the Vaqueros to load them
You can carry 6 with the modern ubertis
Well am using my old ROA with 45 colt conversion cylinder, am a Happy Gunslinger. These ROA are basically a 3 screw Blackhawk frame,incredible accurate and built solid
I didn't plan on it. Even as a Ruger buyer. But I'm looking into a $910 Ruger Vaquero .357 with a 4.62" barrel 6 shot. Already have a Single Six 5.50" in .22LR/ WMR. It would be cool to have a modern single action that can shoot .357 & .38 along with my sp101 & gp100s.
Some Ruger vaquero models in 357/38 come with a swappable cylinder in 9mm Lex19Luger💪
Thanks Much! I’ve been torn between these two guns for a long while. You’ve helped and I subscribed. Good Shootin and Thanks zagain! DaveyJO in Pennsylvania
Glad I could help!
Bill Ruger is one of the MOST UNDERRATED Gun Designers in HISTORY...
he was no BROWNING or SAM COLT but No Bill Ruger, No Cowboy Action Sports, No Mini 14, no 10/22 or MK 1 22 pistols,
He reinvented the SA revolver to be a SIX SHOOTER,,, not a 5 shooter
Ruger # 1's are BEAUTIFUL as well!!!
Ruger takes good designs and makes them RELIABLE and CHEAPER while making them HEIRLOOMS for centuries to come....
Most of my Guns are RUGERS!!! (Except my 22 Rifles... 4 Marlins")
Can't WAIT for my MarL GER 336 in 30/30!!!!
Loading those are supposed to be like therapy. But not when the cylinder doesn't line up like you showed in the Vaquero and that's what's keeping me from getting a Vaquero.
I guess that's a Ruger thing. Even at the bottom of the SA revolver food chain, between the Wrangler and the Heritage Rough Rider, the HRR gives you four clicks, wood stocks, a cylinder that won't turn during loading/unloading unless the hammer is partially-cocked, and chambers that line up while doing so.
Incidentally, I do own the "tuned" Smoke Wagon (in .357 Magnum), but it's an older one that does give the four clicks.
I dislike that also, my blackhawk when it clicks I just rotate the cylinder back slightly to lock it up so that its always indexed. I couldn't do that with a vaquero.
Old comment, but the newest Vaqueros allow you to slightly reverse index. Pretty much eliminates the issue.
As far as safety and being capable of +P loads one would have to go with the Ruger. However if you plan on fanning any of the new Rugers it is a bit different from the non transfer bar revolvers.
I’ve also seen where Rugers have been fixed to allow the cylinder to revolve either direction, taking care of missing a chamber and having to go all the way around.
Quick draw artist Bob Munden used to do action jobs on Vaqueros.
Enjoyed the comparison and the gun twirling.
wrong on that one. i have a uberti copy that accepts 357, 38, 38 plus P 9MM and 9MM plus P!
I thought he did action jobs on Colts SAA.....from what I seen.
I have broken 2 pawls fanning, I don't recommend it on a New Vaquero I don't see how transfer bar is relevant to fanning. Also free spin mod is super easy you can do it with a small Allen wrench without taking the gun down.
I own both and love both, but prefer the Uberti due to function and finish being more like the original SSA Colt. However, the old Vaquero is beefier and can handle far hotter loads.
I also noticed that many websites now say that the Uberti Cattleman II has been discontinued, so if you are wanting one, you might want to buy one soon.
Have an old model vaquero and a cimmaron both in .45 at the moment the cimmaron is out getting fixed because the cylinder wouldn’t stay locked in the firing position very unsafe. Didn’t fire it in that condition noticed the problem working the hammer wiping it with a rag. Uncle has a gunsmith friend that’s going to look at it and fix it. The old model vaquero had no issues and still ready to go, loading the Ruger I like being able to load 6 and not worry about firing it off accidentally. The cimmaron can’t rest the hammer on a live round so I load 5 and rest on empty chamber
Love the birds heads. Wasn’t expecting to…but I do.
What cal uberti or sub are u using? Got my 9mm uberti. Love it the best. Cost and easy clean
Love my New Vaquero in 357. I put in the lower Blkhwk hammer. Nice.
I've contemplated doing the Blackhawk hammers on my Vaqueros. Gotta get the sister to this one fixed first, though.
I bought 2 vaquero stainless 357’s and had the Blackhawk hammers installed at the factory. My hands are smaller. The workmanship on those revolvers and the vaquero 44 I now have are remarkable
I have a 1977 Ruger Blackhawk 45 colt/45 acp with over 80 k rounds thru it including over 15k Ruger only loads and the gun is still very accurate. i can still shoot 4 inches at 45 years with my Blackhawk and have taken over 125 deer with it and numerous boar and bear and etc including one very large moose.
😂😂😂
I bought a Vaquero in 94 and put Wolff springs in it. Stainless, 4-5/8". I still love it, but my hands are now very arthritic and I'm considering a Blackhawk hammer. Anyone have an opinion on that? Is there an appreciable reduction in thumb reach when the hammer is at rest? I don't want to go thru the process of fitting a Bisley hammer.
I've looked at some Utbes on it, but they always seem to be on teh new style Vaq, which makes it hard to visualize the difference in distance.
I'm about to do a Super Blackhawk hammer swap on a New Model Blackhawk, which should be the same as an old Vaquero. The reach difference is appreciable, in my opinion.
The cylinder doesn't index because it doesn't need to you are supposed to cradle the firearm in your left hand and rotate the cylinder with the fingers of your left hand as you load it with your right. You do not load it with your left hand over the top of your right hand. I don't know where you learned that or where you learn that that was the procedure but it isn't.
You specialize and it is not difficult to get that Ruger to be very Chris and quite light. My one Super Blackhawk has a 24 oz trigger pull that's very crisp but I did leave some creep in it so that you could tell that you were squeezing the trigger and you could feel it moving to drop.
I disagree when to have a cat of bear killing dogs you gobt need to be fumbling with a cylinder that's out of line when you hide is on the line the colt SA was a military weapon used off horseback the cylinder had to line up every time you went dry
My Vaquero handles all loads including big dangerous game loads.I want full six safely carried rounds in a six shooter not 5.
Quit making me need to buy more guns, dangit!
😅
So can you fire full power 357s from the uberti....commercial stuff, not buffalo
Yep.
The thing about the new Vaquero is if you're going buy two for Cowboy Action Shooting . You're going to do some work on them if you wnat to be competitive That action is stiff and you will end up changing out the mainhammer spring and trigger spring.
MS magnet gun I installed one in my truck the first turn it went sailing to the passenger side floor. PS it had a metal slide. now back to the show
old Vaquero if you can find them.... but I have big hands and they just fit so well.
Excellent review.
On colt saa and the Uberti and Pietta copy’s once you start cocking the hammer you should bring the hammer all the way back before letting the hammer down otherwise you will get a scared up cylinder I like the Rugers but they do scratch the cylinder in the way they are made except for the 3 screw Blackhawks which had the same action as colt saa
Agreed.
I would love to have that Uberti Cattleman or a Ruger Vaquero chambered in 357 what I've been looking for 3 months and cannot find one if anywhere
I had to resort to Gunbroker to get that Smokewagon
@@SapperGentleman thanks
Agreed him looking for a Ruger convertible in 9mm . 357/38 is harder to get lately plus I have two other 9mm
My stainless SASS SAA New Vaqueros in 357mag/38spl is 42.3 Oz of freedom unloaded. barrel is thick walled. maybe stainless is denser and barrel thicker?
Yep, bore is smaller, but outer dimensions are the same, so thicker barrel=more weight 👍🏽
feels more like other triggers or more like 1873 triggers?
You said that the Ruger had a larger (and stronger) cylinder than the Uberti, and that looked true, but it looks like the Ruger is a smaller caliber than the Uberti. 38 vs 45?
Both 45Colt.
@@SapperGentleman Thanks for the response, but there is a big difference in appearance on the size of the openings in the end of barrel and those in the cylinder.
Ref 4:24 and 5:03 in your vid.
Optical illusion?
@paulr4353 Yep, just an optical illusion
I'm on the verge of deciding to daily open carry a single action
I’d join you. Just for aesthetic reasons
Might as well. Let freedom ring!!
I've thought about that.
I have a Ruger Blackhawk & Uberti 1873Cattleman both in .45 colt: both great guns; but the Blackhawk will take custom hand loads & you can load all 6 chambers! So, I like both guns for different reasons, my cattlemen has color case hardened & a 51/2 barrel, I don't let anybody borrow my cattlemen or shoot it,mine is just too nice to loan out! The Blackhawk stays locked up as well,& I only let a few select people handle it!
You can load all 6 chambers on any pst 2016 Uberti with the exception of some models made for Cimarron.
@@smartacus88 I think my Uberti was made in 2014 ; but thanks for the information!
I have narrowed it down to
- Pietta (Authenticity advantage)
- Taurus Deputy (Value)
- New Vaquero (Sturdy with easy free spin mod)
The agony.
@@mkshffr4936 I'd pass on the Taurus. Buy once, cry once.
Thank you so much!!
@@Stonerville1 Hope it helped!
I can tell you which is more dependable
I sorta look at the Ruger Vaquero as what Colt's model 1873 would be had it continued to evolve. I like the older, more traditional revolvers. I also like my Ruger Vaquero.
BTW, that finish doesn't last at all. My Vaquero had the CCH finish and it's long gone.
I've re-done the CCH with cold blue three times over the years. 😆
Howdy folks I'm going to be doing a comparison of these two things, nope they really are not alike much but here we go anyway 🤠 lmao
I hate the free-wheeling cylinder on the Ruger, it makes it hard to line up to eject spent rounds. you would get killed in the old west with the Ruger
That's a fair complaint. 👍🏽
the reason is so that ther can't be a neglegent discharge whle reloading 9:38
I understand the new Vaquero is not recommended for the higher pressure loads of .45 LC. The old Vaquero can.
That's my understanding as well.
Great video thanks!
Thanks for watching 🤙🏽
I personally like the older large frame vaqueros as well as the newmodel Blackhawk. To me the Ruger xr3 red grip frame over the Colt style grip frame. i know heresy but to me the Colt saa grip frame is not comfortable and is a very poor pointer. I am a sort of an oddity in this aspect as to me the Luger and the Glock are poor handlers to me.
Another significant difference would be that the Uberti would have a "half-cock" position and the Vaquero doesn't. This could be a matter of vital importance if your thumb happens to slip....
The Vaquero has a transfer bar, so unless you are pulling the trigger, the gun will not fire if your thumb happens to slip. You should not have your finger on the trigger unless you are ready to fire.
@@davidharris9077 Understood. That doesn't mean that someone used to having that half-cock "safety" isn't going to feel pretty uncomfortable when it's not there...
I wood prefer a blackhawk, i dont like u cant run hot loads. Non of the stock rounds are not that impressive, but when u run the max hot load thats when 44 mag lives up to the hipe and much more imprexxive. U can reach out and touch some thing.
I look at the modern engineering as a potential issue in an end of the world scenario. I can't replace the firing pin in a vaquero. But the spur? I'm not the best machinist in the world but I think I could replace it if I had a spare.
And I only bring it up as you stated in one of your previous videos how you managed to kill a vaquero.
Just my position. Already got the smoke wagon anyway. Wish it were .357. said it all before.
Alright I'm done. Good video.
I could make an hour long video on all the parts and pieces I've broken on my Ubertis. They're without a doubt more delicate. That Ruger I finally killed has been through an unimaginable amount of abuse. I've broken Ubertis inside of 200 rounds.
@@SapperGentleman
Looks like I picked the right gun. I just bought a Ruger New Vaquero. 4.62 inch barrel in blued. .357 Magnum. Haven't had the chance to shoot it yet but looking forward to it for sure.
I have taken friends who have never handled an SA Colt Clon revolver and it was like asking a young teenager to call his mom from an old-fashioned rotary phone, he was completely lost. I just love these SA revolvers. I own a Pietta Western II 1873 in 357 / 9mm. PS I carry mine with 6 all day long because I know how well the first-notch safety works and I have complete trust in it, just as I trust my striker-fired autos because they also have a small notch in which the striker is held back until you pull the trigger. hell, it's even smaller than my Piettas's notch. also, it has been proven that it will not go bang if dropped like from waist level or chest level. Mechanical engineers have even hit the Hammer with a good-sized stick while in a vice at a range and the Hammer would not release and go bang. the steel components of yesteryear were inferior compared to today's modern steel components. So! I keep the five-dollar bill in my pocket and a sixth-round in the chamber. I also hit it with a hard rubber mallet while in a vice at the range and didn't even make a mark in the first notch after inspection. if I remember correctly it would take about 800 ft pounds of energy and maybe it might go boom, also it would have to be dropped from a second or third-story window onto concrete for the Hammer to rupture the trigger and notch assembly again MAYBE? the main reason that the manufacturers don't recommend for you to carry six is because of the many gun owners who buy guns and don't know how to use them properly and those people would carry six with the Hammer resting on a live primer! then we have a BANG PROBLEM! So they avoid lawsuits because they told you not to carry six. ( it's for the slackers that live in La La Land) I am a US Army Veteran from 1966 / 1969 and past LEO NYC, NY I am 76 years old and I have never shot myself in the foot yet! LOL moral of the story, know your weapons, know how they function, know what they are and are not capable of doing, and trust them ONLY WHEN YOU CAN TRUST IN YOURSELF! be safe and shoot straight!
YEP i am an official GUN NERD!
I'd love to have an old model BISLEY vaquero in 45colt
Uberti makes the revolvers, Taylor's etc... imports them.
From a strictly aesthetic point of view, I vastly prefer the look of the Ruger to that of the Italians. Normally, that wouldn't be the case for me (e.g., I can't wear American cowboy boots, but give me a pair of Italian Beatle boots, and I'm in heaven), but somehow the Ruger just looks more "it." Maybe it's the girth, maybe it's the shorter barrel (more likely a combination of the two), but I like the look of the Ruger (and I have an F.lli Pietta in .38 special).
The Italians are definitely more accurate clones of a Colt, but the Rugers are just burly. 😊
Italian Beatle boots!!??,🙄
@@enricomandragona163 Yep.
@@christocc never heard of them
@@enricomandragona163 Pretty sure the reference is to the "Chelsea boot"
Ruger makes so sturdy stuff. I would rather have a solid heavier revolver any day
thicker on the old but not on the new? HMMMMMM?
edge to vaquero? HA HA HA. the uberti is second only to the colt itself!
Didn't watch the entire video so maybe it was mentioned: if you want to change grips on vaquero it is easy. Changing on uberti / cimarron is ridiculous. They haven't seemed to find a way to make replacement grips that actually fit so you have to have them adjusted. With additional annoyance that if the new grip has any finish then that is ruined because you have to sand/file it away on parts of the grip to make it fit. In other words, save your money.
I did not mention that, but you're 100% spot-on 😆
I'll take the ruger
There is no comparison especially when a Ruger is just a couple bucks more
Ruger all the way. In my opinion, there is no comparison. Load 6 rounds, full power 45 colt loads
A Ruger Made Marlin is gonna be EPIC!!!
from the INITIAL price of the 45/70, it's KINDA SCARY but the QUALITY looks AMAZIND!!!
Ruger can handle some heavy duty loads. A robust weapon to say the least.
Great video. I've a cimmeron cattlemen 2, so it's had the internals slicked up, she shoots like a dream. I'm a Virgo and very picky about my stuff. But for life of me I cannot find one thing on that uberti to bitch about. Not a scratch, blemish, anything, and shoots great.
I've also a pietta 1851 black powder, and again, the pistol is simply beautiful . I've yet to shoot it. Life gets in the way.
I used to own a ruger black powder revolver in.45 cal. I found the metal to be soft. The loading mechanism would bend. I sold it cheap. I've never owned a ruger since. But I'm sold on uberti and pietta. Fantastic guns. Beautiful, fun to shoot.
Comparing Ruger with Colt clones is like apple's and oranges. Ruger's are great guns but they are very different than colts or clones. As far as Ruger's the old three screws are in a class of their own witch I love.
Man, you are all over the map with this comparison. If we're trying to stay true to the colt, the ruger is out, it's firing system has been modified. It's over built to accept magnum rounds at a cost extra wt. Due to the us of cast parts,(value cast, extruded parts) v.s. hardend forged steel,hence the parts are stronger yet less bulky. I feel the uberti is supior to the ruger.
They are sort of apples to oranges, but they are both used in SASS competitions, so their merits are worth comparing.
Uberti, pietta, and Barretta are all under the Barretta umbrella corp.. where as "Taylor,cimmeron and Dixie gun works,and stoeger are merely importers."
But if one's preferred brand is something other than what I support so be it.
Don't get me started over 5 vs 6 debate. The best safety is the one between your ears. The first click on the colt is the safety position. Everything else is political posturing. Foreign firearm mfg companies sometimes must jump thru hoops to get thier products imported. And I am certain the reasoning for uberti and pietta's safety issue stems from importation issues.
@@bigwu100 My "preferred brand" would be Colt, but I'm a poor. 🤣
What difference does it make I've killed 15 bears with a pistol colt SA abd Ruger's there is no difference the pistols have differences but when I have a bear trees I'll out the sixth round in the colt it's not rocket science I have no problem with carrying 6 rounds in NY colt never had an accidental misfire but don't drop Mt pistols only pull then out to fire
You're not a real man until you've killed a bear with a bowie knife or took out 5 Mexican bandits in a row for bonus points.
Red Dead Redemption is a hell of a game! :P
Are you having a stroke?
@@michaelkolano8686 mike I shoot a linbaugh45 do you know what a government hunter does there is a reason I don't shoot a 44 mag it penetrate and possibility of killing a dog I shoot LBT wfn 280
@@michaelkolano8686 when you at hand shaking distance it can get western in a hurry
@@earlchesnut9017 ...what?
Im going round in circles tryin to work out, "which clone?" "which caliber?" I want classic reliable stopping power but cant decide.
Buy them all.
I Ike the olldl modlrlll slsll yllol Mel the colt grip is uncomfortable. I know heresy but the glockenspiel and the luger are not comfortable
i have to mention the hawes! made in west germany shortly after world war 2. most likely the best 1873 copy ever made!
I agree completely
My suggestion is save your money up a little longer and buy a colt single action army
I have a third-gen. 👍🏽
The real McCoy is out of reach at the moment. Got a nice Taylor's 7th Cavalry Colt clone in 45 Colt with the 7.5" barrel and black powder frame.
Ok the Uberti is as close to what a true Colt firearm was than any copy that is made today. If you want a modern gun that looks like a old gun don’t buy a Uberti. If you want a gun that is as close to a 19th century firearm than buy a Uberti. I own a original 1873 Winchester rifle and I own a modern Merlin lever rifle. They don’t handle or operate the same and I don’t expect them to.
I have a Uberti Cattleman and an EMF/Pietta. Both are Pre-war frames (push button base pin release). The Uberti has a floating firing pin, dual notch base pin and only a three click hammer. The Pietta has a fixed firing pin and a true four click hammer with no safeties. In fact I installed a Uberti dual notch base pin in the Pietta so I can block the hammer so the firing pin isn't in contact with the ammo. primer. The Pietta is the most accurate Colt copy i've seen.
Here is a great shot of the Uberti. Totally thing of getting one of these! ruclips.net/video/LkXUno4Oz8Y/видео.html
The actual new model ruger can’t handle high pressure .45 LC rounds.
To me the old model Ruger Vaquero is the winner. I like that I can get 44 magnum power out of it.
Ruger is number one in my book.
ck to see if its loaded not like the people in the movies / democrats.
Ruger single actions are superior to Colt type single actions because you can fully load the cylinders. Period.
If I'm getting a single action revolver, I want as close to an original design as possible. I don't care about 1 extra shot since I'm not going to trust my life to a single action revolver anyway.
The only aspect that makes a weapon superior is the shooter, not whether it is safe to load 5 or 6 rounds.
@@kennetic9196 so which one looks closer to the colt?
@@Cheaps928 Uberti or Pietta but even they aren't exact replicas these days, a lot closer than Rugers though for sure
I have a Pietta 45 long colt. It does have the transfer bar,and can safely be carried with 6 rounds. Damned accurate weapon.
get a NM
there all colt copies so just buy a Colt
These are about 1/3 the price of a real Colt. 😆
Ruger all the way...due to girth 😜
Why make this? Ego? There's no reason to compare these two weapons.
Why leave this comment? Ego?
There's a lot of reason to make this video. Ego has nothing to do with it. I'm new to this, and anything that I can watch and read about this is helpful to me. Including the comments. Except yours.
I own a Pietta .45 Long Colt. Accurate,dependable,and I can safely carry 6 rounds in it. I like the weapon.