Ruger Vaquero in 38-40 / 40 S&W

[Doc Jethro]

How do you find a Vaquero 38-40 when only 1500 were made for Davidson's. I have been trying to trade a 1880 black powder frame Colt SAA for one and have had no luck at all.

I got excited a couple of days ago because I found one that was up for auction. Finally got on the auction page and the thing had sold back in 2007. Any advice would be appreciated, I really want a Ruger. I may have to order a Uberti Cattleman in the 38-40. 

[Mustang Gregg]

Check the SASS Wire Classifieds too.  And Gunbroker, Guns America, etc, etc. 
I have some old Davidson's fliers (2007 & 2008) that have .45 ACP/.45 Colt convertible Vaqueros too. 
Those were great times and lots of Ruger choices.

Mustang Gregg

[rbertalotto]

On GunBroker you can do a notify where you input what you are looking for and you get an email anytime that item shows up.

I have it searching for 38-40 as I'll buy just about anything with a reasonable price tag in 38-40

In near two years I've never seen a Ruger 38-40 posted! They are rare!

[Ranch 13]

Not the cheapest way to get there, but any gunsmith worth the title should be able to convert a 357 to 38-40.Simply bore out the cylinder and either replace or line the barrel.

[rbertalotto]

Since the 38-40 is really a .401 diameter, you could have the barrel bored and rifled.

I wanted a 38-40 SAA so bad, I converted a Uberti in 45LC to 38-40.

Bought a cylinder and barrel from www.gunparts.com..........and swapped them out.

You can find an article I wrote about it on my web site

www.rvbprecision.com

[Trailrider]

Better yet...find one in .357 Magnum and two cylinders and have the barrel bored out to .401-.403 and have one cylinder chambered for .38-40 and one for .40 S&W! I wouldn't want one...got enough .44-40's to load for, not to mention the conversion cylinders for .44 Extra Long Russian (aka .44 Mangle-em)! 

[Ranch 13]

Since the 38-40 is really a .401 diameter, you could have the barrel bored and rifled.

I wanted a 38-40 SAA so bad, I converted a Uberti in 45LC to 38-40.

Bought a cylinder and barrel from www.gunparts.com..........and swapped them out.

You can find an article I wrote about it on my web site

www.rvbprecision.com

That's almost a dumb thing to do, if a person wanted a Uberti 38-40 , then why not just keep it simple and buy one of the dozens of them floating around that left the factory as a properly timed,tuned and marked 38-40

[Old Top]

Ranch 13

I beleive that rbertalotto lives in Mass. which is a bear to get any pistol in, unless it was bought before their silly gun law state you could not import it into the state.

Old Top

[Ranch 13]

Oldtop, where one has the misfortune of living does not excuse them for their misquidances..
OP wants to know about a Ruger 38-40, wazzhizbuket pops up about converting a Uberti 45 colt to 38-40, when it is in fact quicker and easier to have simply bought a Uberti already built, IF a person were wanting a Uberti gun, which has nothing to do with getting a RUGER in 38-40.

[rbertalotto]

I beleive that rbertalotto lives in Mass. which is a bear to get any pistol in, unless it was bought before their silly gun law state you could not import it into the state.

Correct!

We can not buy any handgun that is not on an approved list unless it was already in the state before 1998.

"misquidances..".........nice word, I'm really impressed!......

[Ranch 13]

Correct!

We can not buy any handgun that is not on an approved list unless it was already in the state before 1998.

"misquidances..".........nice word, I'm really impressed!......

So when you said

[On GunBroker you can do a notify where you input what you are looking for and you get an email anytime that item shows up.

I have it searching for 38-40 as I'll buy just about anything with a reasonable price tag in 38-40

In near two years I've never seen a Ruger 38-40 posted! They are rare!/quote]
The only ones you could buy are already in your state? Son that is going to be looking for the preverbial needle in the haystack, If you are telling us straight story..

[rbertalotto]

Yup....I found a few rifles which are not banned.......but yet to find a "Mass Legal" 38-40 SAA except for a pair of Colts that a fellow has been trying to sell for over a year at $1700 each.

Gotta move out of this state! It's maddning because I go to New Hampshire, Maine, VT or RI and I see all kinds of CAS handguns I'd like to add to the collection but there is no way to import them legally into Massachusetts.

[Doc Jethro]

Everything is legal after dark............

Just kidding. I think that I would take up residence in a differrent state too.

[Ranch 13]

Googled up Mass. approoved gun list, there are no Uberti's, and no 38-40's of any manufacture on the list...

[gimmearose]

 i have the Ruger Vaquero in 38-40 / 40 S&W in stainless 5.5 inch barrel I am thinking of selling

[Hondo44]

Absolute best place to find a Ruger 38-40/40 S&W is on the Ruger Forum classifieds. Post a want ad here:
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=41

However, there were none produced before 1999.

Made in 4 5/8" blue or stainless and 5 1/2" stainless only. Later another 500 to 100 were made in 40 S&W only. but that would be a simple ream to make one a 38-40.

[Slamfire]

  Hey ,Gimmie,,,,I think I might like to get a 38/40-40,but only if its been shot & tried,,,i'm not a wall collector I "shoots em". Sooo,,if you still have your'n,,,how much or trade???







   Hootnix.

[cpt dan blodgett]

It is truly sad that the state where the "Shot that was heard around the world" was fired is doing so much to prevent private ownership of firearms.  Had today's politicians ran the colony the shot could not have been fired.