Never show a colt guy your New Vaquero!

Coyote Hunter · May 12, 2012, 08:59:49 PM

Showed my buddy my new blued New Vaquero. Before I could say anything, he pulls the hammer back to where a half cock would be on his gun, and starts to spin the cylinder, putting a scratch around the ENTIRE cylinder....

. When I told him all he had to do was just open the loading gate... he said "OOPS, wonder why they made it that way?" AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!

Pay Dirt Norvelle · May 12, 2012, 11:03:32 PM

Ouch!!!

Pettifogger · May 13, 2012, 12:03:24 AM

Rugers aren't Colts, they do drag their bolts. You would have had a line around the cylinder the first time you shot it anyway, so don't get too upset.

Mustang Gregg · May 13, 2012, 04:16:53 AM

If you use your new Rugers, you'll soon have the mark anyway. We all do.
Don't sweat it.

But I wonder who owns Colts that's never handled a Ruger before?
He should've noticed there ain't no half cock notch.

MG

Coyote Hunter · May 13, 2012, 07:16:15 PM

Well, he even had to hold it in that position to do it, since there isn't a half cock. It happened so fast, my mouth didn't open fast enough.

But I guess it's good to hear I would be getting one anyway. maybe it's like a new car, you dread the first scratch, but when it happens, you just drive the thing like it should be anyway...

Hedley Lamarr · May 13, 2012, 09:59:46 PM

You might have stopped it by opening the gate and spinning the cylinder prior to handing it to the fella.
Just so you know it was in fact unloaded.

Always gives me the heebie-jeebies when someone just ups and hands me a firearm.

yeti76620 · May 16, 2012, 05:57:17 PM

Quote from: Hedley Lamarr on May 13, 2012, 09:59:46 PM
Always gives me the heebie-jeebies when someone just ups and hands me a firearm.

The ONLY time Me-Myself & I get the "Heebie-Jeebies" over firearms when they're handed our way with the muzzle pointed AT us....just makes the voices inside our head break out into a riot of discontent.....

ALL Guns are LOADED....

Just think of that cylinder marking as a Winner's Circle!

Coyote Hunter · May 17, 2012, 10:50:53 PM

Actually, the gate was open when I handed it to him butt first, because I checked the cylinder. He is our safety officer for our group and was doing a safety check before loading our blanks for the show. He shut the gAte and the tried to half cock it and reopen the gate to spin the cylinder. This was the first ruger in our group because we were going to do a mock street showdown, and the crowd had to call the winner. I usually use a remington conversion but was going to use the ruger for the showdown...shorter barrel.

Like you said, if it was gonna get one anyway, then I'm not going to sweat it. I took it out today and shot some BP reloaded schofield 45's through it. It shoots sweet. Guess it's my new farm carry gun.

Pappy Myles · June 06, 2012, 12:48:36 PM

Winners Circle, I like that!!!!!

Wait till you put a set of power custome half cock hammers in, really messes with them...............

Cliff Fendley · August 06, 2012, 06:02:03 PM

Doesn't matter, a Ruger is going to get a line on the cylinder anyway if you shoot it.

Deringer Donny · March 11, 2013, 10:38:29 PM

Well the good news is its still a Ruger so i think there won't be any problems!

Sleepy Floyd · February 06, 2014, 03:18:15 PM

I know this is an old, thread but I just got a new vacaro and am going through the threads to help me with this gun.

When I purchased it I did the half cock thing and found something amiss. The sales guy had no clue. I finally opened the gate and lo and behold it worked.

Mike

Pay Dirt Norvelle · February 19, 2014, 10:37:36 PM

I was lucky when I got my Rugers that I didn't try the half-cock notch thing as I was lucky enough to have someone show me how they worked

Sixshooter_45 · March 15, 2014, 01:23:33 AM

Well my Old Model Vaquero in .45 colt use to have a line on the cylinder too.

After I fixed the timing and polished out the cylinder, no more bolt drag marks on mine and the bolt drops right into the cylinder lock lead where it should.

I also sanded out the warning on the barrel, she's sports some beautiful bookmatched curly walnut colt style grips, clements bullet ejector rod, heavy duty spring latch and an belt moutain cylinder pin, also put a BP chamfer on the cylinder, throats have been properly sized and I installed a super blackhawk hammer but reshaped the width of the thumb cocker, installed a trigger stop. It was also sent to Lee's gunsmith and had some work done to it to slick it up some.

I love it now that it's had a little work done to it!

Not all the above modifications are shown but are completed.

The Connemara Kid · June 21, 2014, 02:57:45 PM

Quote from: Mustang Gregg on May 13, 2012, 04:16:53 AM

But I wonder who owns Colts that's never handled a Ruger before?
He should've noticed there ain't no half cock notch.

I ran into the opposite not too long ago. Went to Old Tucson Studios in SASS gear and when the "Sheriff" inspected my Colts, he had no clue as to what he was doing, one was over 110 years old and I had to take it back from him to show him how to half cock it, etc. Guess he sees alot of Rugers

Bibbyman · June 21, 2014, 03:23:31 PM

Quote from: Mustang Gregg on May 13, 2012, 04:16:53 AM
If you use your new Rugers, you'll soon have the mark anyway. We all do.
Don't sweat it.

But I wonder who owns Colts that's never handled a Ruger before?
He should've noticed there ain't no half cock notch.

MG

I have only handled new model Ruger single actions a few times since they came out and instinctively try to half cock the darn things. I don't have enough interest in them to ask to see one. The rare occasion I've handled one comes when someone handed me one thinking I would be interested in looking at it.

Abilene · June 21, 2014, 03:55:21 PM

When I work at a CAS or Mounted event, with a table full of new Colt reproductions, I watch how the customers handle the guns. If they pick one up and open the loading gate and try to turn the cylinder, I will pay very close attention because they are likely to do one of two things: 1) Pull the hammer part way back (but not all the way to half cock) to try to turn the cylinder. Or else 2) they go to half cock but then let the hammer down from half cock instead of pulling it back to full cock and then letting it down. Either of those things of course contribute towards a line on the cylinder. I will show them how to handle a Colt-style action. A properly timed and handled Colt action can shoot many thousands of rounds without a line on the cylinder.

Cliff Fendley · June 22, 2014, 09:10:18 PM

I don't fuss over the Rugers because they drag the bolt anyway. The Colts are what I'm fussy about and if it's a particularly nice gun I don't let anyone handle it unless they are familiar with a Colt action and know what they are doing. I always go to full cock before letting the hammer back down on a colt action. If it's timed right it wont ever leave a mark.