scattershot

I just bought a New Vaquero .44 Special. The frame is marked Vaquero, though. Aren't all New Vaqueros marked New Vaquero?

shootist

Don't think so, don't have a new model myself cause they can't handle 44 mags. like my Vaquero's do, but my new model Blackhawk only says Blackhawk on it.

bwinters

The new vaquero term is only a description not a formal model designation.

caryc

The term "New Vaquero" was indeed a model designation. The old Vaqueros said "Ruger Vaquero" on the cylinder frame. The New Vaqueros say "Ruger New Vaquero" on the cylinder frame.

Guns like the Montado bore a name that was only a description since it did not say "Montado" on the cylinder frame. It still said "Ruger New Vaquero".

I think the problem comes from the fact that Ruger no longer produces the Vaquero and seems to want to get away from the "New Vaquero" since they even just call them Vaqueros in their current catalogs.

There have been different model guns come out on the "New Vaquero" smaller cylinder frame that only say "Vaquero" on them. So it's quite likely that the OP's gun is on the smaller "New Vaquero" cylinder frame and only marked as "Vaquero"

They're just doing away with the "New" the same way they did away with the "S".

They created a real mess when they came out with the "New Vaquero" and now they're creating a bigger mess by labeling them as "Vaquero".

elrondo

I looked in Ruger Catlog and only saw Vaquero in 357 and 45 Colt . Am I missing something

caryc

The .44 specials I believe, are Lipseys guns. Ruger doesn't list distributor special runs in their catalog. If you go on Rugers website they have a link for the distributor special run guns.

scattershot

So they are calling them all Vaqueros now? THAT should give collectors something to think about in 50 years or so.

Thanks for the info.

caryc

It doesn't do us grip makers any favors either.

gunjunkie

my .45 is about 3 years old and it says "RUGER NEW VAQUERO".

caryc

I think the New Vaqueros are still being marked correctly. I've heard it's the special distributor runs of the New Vaquero that are being marked Vaquero.

ADP3

I had both stainless and blue versions of the .44 Specials from Lipseys. They were all New Vaquero configurations marked Vaquero. Ruger is just messing with us and muddying the water

Best Regards,
ADP3