considering a 45 Colt revolver

Hard to go wrong with a Ruger considering, quality, durability and price so I've ended up with two in 45:D.
My first is an old model Vaquero, 5 1/2" blued in 45LC.

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My second, a fairly recently acquired Ruger Blackhawk convertable, 4 5/8", stainless, 45LC/45ACP.

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Well, no one talked me out of buying a Ruger, that's for sure.:D The new model Blackhawk is the tough one, right? As long as I don't get a Vaquero or a flattop?? I can load it up, correct?

Please be careful here. There is a difference between the Vaquero and the New Vaquero. Some get this confused with the "New Model Blackhawk." The "old" Vaquero was built on the "New Model Blackhawk" frame and can be loaded up. The "New Vaquero" introduced 2005 is only slighly larger than an old Colt. I have a 7.5 inch stainless "New Vaquero," and don't go near some of the loads (20k psi) listed in a Brian Pierce article that's been quoted/posted on here before. The difference is obvious on the frame, where it's marked by the factory, and at a glance from the longer hammer on the New Vaquero. Ultimately it's a personal choice, on whether you ever want to use heavy loads or even just have the option to. It isn't perfect, but when I bought it, I was steered by the ease of maintenance and getting parts for the Ruger. It seemed less of a gamble at the time, but if I ever bought another, it might be an Uberti, for the period-correctness factor, as I never plan to shoot max loads.
 
I picked up 2 Chapparal SAA in 45LC. A 7.5 & 4.75 inch. I've only fired the 7.5 bbl one and it gave pretty good groups for my 1st time at the range with them. They were my own cast 255gr and 5.5gr trail boss @10yds'ish. I don't plan shooting the crap out of these are testing any loads faster than 750fps or so. And they fit my tight budget.
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1st shot groups @ approx 10yds
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W/ Chiappa '92
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Please be careful here. There is a difference between the Vaquero and the New Vaquero. Some get this confused with the "New Model Blackhawk." The "old" Vaquero was built on the "New Model Blackhawk" frame and can be loaded up. The "New Vaquero" introduced 2005 is only slighly larger than an old Colt. I have a 7.5 inch stainless "New Vaquero," and don't go near some of the loads (20k psi) listed in a Brian Pierce article that's been quoted/posted on here before. The difference is obvious on the frame, where it's marked by the factory, and at a glance from the longer hammer on the New Vaquero. Ultimately it's a personal choice, on whether you ever want to use heavy loads or even just have the option to. It isn't perfect, but when I bought it, I was steered by the ease of maintenance and getting parts for the Ruger. It seemed less of a gamble at the time, but if I ever bought another, it might be an Uberti, for the period-correctness factor, as I never plan to shoot max loads.

No worries here, the model I bought is the plain jane Blackhawk, neither new or old Vaquero. I honestly don't think I'd run too many full tilt loads through it, just occasionally.
 
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