Is a Colt style single action good for target shooting?

In a word...NO! If you want a single action and want to "target" shoot with it, buy a Ruger Blackhawk with the adjustable rear sight. You still aren't going to be as accurate as a dedicated target pistol, but you'll do far better than with the Vaquero or other Colt SAA clone. Don't get me wrong though, I love Colt SAA!
 
It is as accurate as you can hold it, once you know where the sights are pointed. It will not be as accurate in your hand as an adjustable sighted target specific pistol. The sights on a gun have little to do with the accuracy of a firearm, but they have a lot to do with what you can do with available accuracy of the gun. Once you have adjustable sights dialed in for the load you are using, they might as well be fixed because you don't change them, unless you use different ammunition and the gun is shooting to a different point . Also target specific guns have sights that give a better, clearer and more defined sight picture that can be repeated, the fixed sights on a Vaquero are good for that type of gun but it will not give as good a sight picture as a target specific gun. I can plink cans offhand ,out to 25 yards with fixed sights with a .45 Uberti single action, but I can't hit the can everytime , but then I can't hit the can everytime with my target sighted Ruger .22 pistol. Shooting a hand gun is not easy out at .25 yards, if it was easy there would be no fun doing it, hey, anyone could do it. Back to your question, if you want to plink at targets and have fun at the range ,then the Vaquero is a good gun, if you want to shoot in some kind of interclub competition or train for the olympics ,then some thing along the lines of a Ruger MK1 or 2 or 3 with heavy barrel and adjustable sights would be a better way to start. Different guns have different purposes.
 
Things are getting sidetracked here. The Vaquero is accurate, probably on the order of 7 MOA, which means that at 25 yards you can expect it to shoot under 2" from a rest. An out of the box Blackhawk will be no more accurate than the Vaquero. The advantage the Blackhawk has is that you can adjust the sight to match the ammo you happen to be using. With the Vaquero you must load your ammo to match the sights, and that isn't as tough as it might sound.

If the windage is off the front sight can be drifted over for correction, and if the gun shoots low, the front sight can be trimmed to raise the point of impact. If the gun shoots high you will have to get a higher front sight, or change the load. Once the fixed sights are brought into coincidence with the point of impact at a given range, the gun will prove sturdier than one with adjustable sights. I know this because the blade of the rear sight of my SBH broke off from nothing more than recoil, and had to be replaced.

If the classic lines of the Colt SAA is what floats your boat, Ruger's New Vaquero is the best gun available for the money - you should go for it. Just find a load you like and stick with it.
 
Colt SAA

With the skimpy sites I only plink with my Colt SAA [2nd gen in .357 Mag]out to about 10 yards max...

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Like the others say, if you want a SAA for target get one with adjustable sites like the Ruger Blackhawk.... ;)
 
Plenty of rounds have been sent down range to punch paper from S&W M-10's, Colt and S&W 1917's, Colt Police Positives etc, etc. The lack of adjustable sights does not prevent the gun from being useful on the target range, nor does it make a gun less accurate.

A gun can be shot accurately provided the sights appear in sharp contrast to the target, and the shape of the sights provide a good index for hold. Originally the Government Model Colt 1911 was terrible in this regard because the front sight was little more than a blemish on the front of the slide, whereas the SAA has sights that are quite visible.
 
I have both fixxed and adjustable sighted SA's (Rugers, Colts and Uberti's). All are very accurate off the bench, but the adjustable sighted Ruger's provide a far superior sight picture for achieving target accuracy.
 
The Blackhawk not only has an adjustable sight it is also a lot thicker than the standard single action army sight. While the Vaquero (and like) sight can produce great results you typically will shoot it better if you have a lot of light.

Sight adjustment is not a big concern for me. I don't typically move my sights after the gun has been sighted in.

Try the Vaquero first to see what it is like before you consider buying it.
 
CAS is target shooting. Just not bullseye target shooting. An SAA, clone or otherwise, won't be much use for bullseye. Neither is a Blackhawk. CAS was made for them though.
 
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