Vaquareo vs Bisley Vaquareo

[Red Butler]

I'm on the fence about buying a set of one or the other. Pros & cons?  Is there a benefit of one over the other?  Any help would be appreciated.  They both have fixed sights... Thanks.

[Hemlock Mike]

They are basically the same -- Which style fits yer hand better ??
Try them out side by side if possible.

Mike

[Camille Eonich]

Hammers are lower on the Bisleys.  Duelist love them.

[Kaboom Andy]

Camille is right........if you shoot "Duelist" (like me) you'll love the Vaquero Bisley! In a "Two handed" way they don't function better than standard Vaquero

[Red Butler]

Thanks all!

[Will Blastem]

Camille is right........if you shoot "Duelist" (like me) you'll love the Vaquero Bisley! In a "Two handed" way they don't function better than standard Vaquero

I also heard due to the grip design the recoil was more straight back rather than up as it is with a "plow handle" grip...no first hand experience, just reporting what I heard...Any truth to that Kaboom?

[Kaboom Andy]

I also heard due to the grip design the recoil was more straight back rather than up as it is with a "plow handle" grip...no first hand experience, just reporting what I heard...Any truth to that Kaboom?

right Will,
the design of Ruger Grip is perfect for Heavy Recoil cartridge

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Here is my experience. I started the game using standard 'old model' Vaqueros. I only shoot duelist and I shoot 45 Colt, with full 250 grain loads, no loading down. I did not experience any particular problem using the standard Vaquero grip with standard 45 Colt loads. I hold all my revolvers so the pinky curls under the bottom of the grip, I do not attempt to cram my entire hand onto the grip. Holding a SA this way, the standard Vaquero grip, or any Colt or colt clone grip for that matter, tends to roll slightly in my hand under recoil, the pinky preventing it from going very far. My entire arm rises slightly as the pinky stops the roll. But it does not really rise all that much. I have never short stroked a hammer, or had my thumb slip off the hammer spur. I do shoot a lot slower than the really hot competitors, so that may have something to do with the way I operate the hammer.

I too heard that the Bisley Vaquero grip was better for heavy recoil. When I decided to change over to Black Powder I purchased a Bisley Vaquero in 45 Colt so I could control the 'more powerful' recoil of Black Powder. For this cowboy, the Bisley grip proved to be unnecessary. I was able to handle the recoil of fully loaded 250 grain 45 Colt BP ammo just fine with the standard grip, and my pinky hanging under the grip and the pistol rolling slightly in my hand as I have described. The lower hammer spur of the Bisley was a moot point for me as I have no trouble with the standard hammer.

One added benefit of holding the grip as I have described is that by curling the pinky under the grip of a standard plowhandle, you can open up about 1/4" of space between the rear of the trigger guard and the knuckle of your middle finger. This 1/4" of space goes a long way towards preventing the knuckle from being whacked by the trigger guard in recoil. Depending on how large your hand is, cramming the entire hand onto the grip usually crams the middle finger right up to the trigger guard and knuckle whacking with heavy loads is almost guaranteed. I suspect the same might be true when attempting to cram the entire hand onto the Bisley grip, but I did not shoot it long enough to determine for sure.

Just my experience, try before you buy.

Just so you know, neither the 'old model' Vaquero, nor the Bisley grip 'old model' Vaquero is presently in production at Ruger. The only flavor Vaquero currently in production is the New Model Vaquero which only comes with a standard plowhandle grip, almost identical to a SAA Colt. The grip is slightly thinner in cross section than a Colt grip, and slightly smaller overall than the 'old model' Vaquero handle. The hammer spur on the New Model Vaquero is also very similar to a Colt. It is higher than the hammer spur on the 'old model' Vaquero. The hammer spur on the New Model obscures the sights when the hammer is down, just like on a Colt. The hammer spur on the 'old model' did not obscure the sights when the hammer was down.

Some dealers still have 'old model' Vaqueros and Bisley gripped 'old model' Vaqueros in stock, but they are already starting to get scarce. Of course there are still plenty of them on the used market.

[Kaboom Andy]

You are right DJ,
but what I mean with "heavy recoil" is a REAL heavy recoil cartridge. 45 LC (full BP or smokeless) it's not (for me) heavy coz we are talking about "CAS load" (also the full BP 45 LC it's mild load for me)..............but when you load it (and Ruger can handle them) for higher performance you can feel the difference between an hogleg and a Bisley type grip! believe me
-sometimes  and just for fun I use this cartridge in this way (when I want something more "exciting" I use the 454casull)

Under the "CAS" shooting style I can tell you that I prefere the bisley style  coz I've a real small hand (I cannot put my pinky curl under the bottom of the grip and, at the same time, reach the hammer!! ) so it's easier for me to reach the bisley hammer and control the gun ..........this is my two cents

[Danny Bear Claw]

I own a matched pair of long barreled Vaqueros, a Bisley Vaquero and a Birds Head Vaquero.  All are caliber 45 Colt, old model Vaqueros... the big ones.   I have fired various factory loaded 45s in them, black powder loads in all of them and even fired some that hot Corbon ammo in them.  The hot loads were most comfortalble in the Bisley Vaquero.  The grip on the Bisley Vaquero is very much like the old Elmer Kieth #5, which was specifically designed for shooting heavy recoiling loads.  Place a Bisley Vaquero next to a real Colt Bisley or a clone there-of and you will easily see the difference.

I have big hands and prefer the big revolvers.  Glad to hear Ruger isn't making them any more.  Greater collector value that way. 

I've posted pics of my Vaqueros on the RAT Pics section here in CAS CITY.   
Good shooting and God bless.