45 acp vaquero

[whiskey]

Is there a 45 acp cyliner available to use in a .45 ruger new vaquero

[sack peterson]

Edited - I had a nice response I wrote about the Vaquero - I completely missed the fact you're asking about a New Vaquero.

No, there's not a .45 acp cylinder for the new vaquero.

[Pettifogger]

Ruger hasn't made .45 ACP cylinders for the New Vaquero so far.  This is a good substitute.  Same length as a .45 ACP with a regular .45 Colt rim.  http://www.cowboy45special.com/

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I'll vouch for the brass Pettifogger gave the link to. It's first rate and uses the same loading data as the 45 ACP. No mods or extra cylinder needed, either. Your 45 ACP dies will do the job, as well.

[Shadow Catcher]

I'll vouch for the brass Pettifogger gave the link to. It's first rate and uses the same loading data as the 45 ACP. No mods or extra cylinder needed, either. Your 45 ACP dies will do the job, as well.

Funny how the universe works - I had this same question and answers on the other wire - but I still don't know how I can use up thousands of .45 ACP ammo  . . . which is the reason for wanting that other cylinder.  May be time to send e-mail off to the various high end gunsmiths and see who can build one from a .357 mag cylinder . . . .

Shadow Catcher

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I still don't know how I can use up thousands of .45 ACP ammo  . . . which is the reason for wanting that other cylinder.

I didn't realize that was the situation. In that case, go for it. Your idea of using a .357 cylinder is probably a fine one. If you find someone who does the conversion reasonably, post it for us.

[Abilene]

Even if Ruger comes out with a dual-cylinder new Vaquero, the chances of them selling just the 45ACP cylinder is slim.  When they were producing the dual-cylinder OMV, a number of folks were told by Ruger that they could not buy just the cylinder, although I recall hearing about a handful of folks who did get just the cylinder but they had to send their gun to Ruger for it to be fitted, and others who inquired about that were told they would not do it. 

I had a 45LC/45ACP Vaquero when I first started CAS.  Found out it was really sensitive to the length of the brass, since it was headspacing on the case mouth.  Had to measure all my brass and only load those that were less than a certain length (can't recall what it was).  And bullet shape made a difference as well.  I could use 230LRN if only the rounded part of the bullet protruded from the case mouth.  Semiwadcutters were a no-go.  Shot some 45ACP BP loads in it, that was fun 

[Patrick Henry Brown]

Well, I can add that I have made recent inquiries with Ruger's service dept. about fitting some 44 Mag. cylinders to my 44-40 OM Vaqueros. Their response was a very definite no. I ended up finding a couple of Blackhawk cylinders in 44 Mag and fitting them myself. Would prefer to have the fluted cylinders though.

[Pettifogger]

Finding a .357 cylinder for a New Vaquero will be difficult and Ruger won't sell you one.  By the time you find a cylinder and then have the custom work needed to bore it out and chamber it for .45 ACP you can buy a 1911.  That way you can kill two birds with one stone.  You can shoot up your ammo and have a gun you can use in the Wild Bunch side matches.

[Bonesteel Badger]

Shadow Catcher, wouldn't moon clips work? I've never used them and I know they would be a pain w/ a single action but ifn you wanted to use up the ammo they might be worth it, at least for practice. BB

[Pettifogger]

Shadow Catcher, wouldn't moon clips work? I've never used them and I know they would be a pain w/ a single action but ifn you wanted to use up the ammo they might be worth it, at least for practice. BB

Nope, won't work.  The headspace on a .45 Colt and a gun designed to use moon clips is way different.

[Shadow Catcher]

Shadow Catcher, wouldn't moon clips work? I've never used them and I know they would be a pain w/ a single action but ifn you wanted to use up the ammo they might be worth it, at least for practice. BB

I think Bonesteel got it right - the total headsapace thing won't work.

I read some years ago an article by Skeeter or one of the greats about taking a Ruger Blackhawk with a .45 ACP cylinder as a hiking/trail gun, and carrying a few officers model mags with hot .45 ACP ammo as a means of fast reloading.  Struck me as a fine idea - and I have a few New Vaqueros - any of which would be a great hiking/trail/riding pistol, almost as good, maybe better, than my 1911.

Let's be honest - I think a 250 - 300 gr .45 Colt load is better than a .45 ACP load of any variety, but I have a boat load of .45 ACP as well,  and it's a neat solution to a non-existent problem. I'd love to have one for my short bbl'd  .45 . . but I can get by for another 30 years without it.

Maybe someone will get an itch to make them and market them - then I'll buy one.

Shadow Catcher

[Hedley Lamarr]

... and it's a neat solution to a non-existent problem.

Ain't that what America is all about?