Ruger New Vaquero .45 Colt
Model: 5101
Ruger New Vaquero .45 Colt
Model: 5101
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Ruger New Vaquero is a blued single-action .45 Colt built for cowboy action competition. It has an MSRP of $1,099, and its transfer bar and loading-gate interlock let all 6 chambers be loaded and the hammer rested on a live round, which no 1873-pattern gun allows.
The sights are a blade in front and a notch milled into the top strap, both fixed, as period categories require, so the gun cannot be sighted in to a load. It weighs 40 oz and runs 11.12 inches overall on a 5.5-inch barrel, with hardwood grip panels on an alloy steel frame. There is no optic provision and no spare .45 ACP cylinder in this configuration.
If you're cross-shopping, the Ruger New Vaquero Stainless is the same gun at the same MSRP with a 4.62-inch barrel and a high-gloss stainless finish, which is nearly an inch shorter out of a holster and does not rust in a wet climate. The Uberti 1873 Cattleman El Patron has an MSRP of $679 and weighs 36.8 oz, and it is hand-tuned at the factory, but it keeps the half-cock hammer and is loaded with five.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- The hammer can be lowered on a full cylinder, so there is none of the load-five bookkeeping an 1873 pattern demands.
- The grip frame is close enough to a Colt-pattern gun that period leather and grip panels generally fit.
- Alloy steel frame and barrel, both blued, with no alloy frame to worry about.
- The fixed rear notch cannot be moved, so switching bullet weights means changing the hold.
- The blued finish needs oil and attention in a humid climate, where the stainless version does not.
- Single action throughout, and the ejector rod clears one case per stroke.
Category Rankings
How the Ruger New Vaquero .45 Colt ranks among full-size .45 Colt handguns.
Ballistics Calculator
Calculate trajectory, drop, and energy for .45 Colt ammunition.
.45 Colt Ballistics →Where to Buy
No prices available at this time.
Alternatives to Consider
Similar full-size .45 Colt handguns ranked by similarity.
| NAME | BEST PRICE |
|---|---|
|
Cimarron Model P .45 Colt
Cimarron
|
— |
|
Ruger New Vaquero Stainless .45 Colt
Ruger
|
$1,300.99 |
|
Heritage Rough Rider Big Bore .45 Colt
Heritage Manufacturing
|
— |
|
Ruger New Model Blackhawk .45 Colt
Ruger
|
— |
|
Ruger Vaquero Bisley Stainless .45 Colt
Ruger
|
— |
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed from the original Vaquero?
The frame size. Ruger's Vaquero manual describes the same single-action mechanism as the New Model Blackhawk in a smaller package, and that is why grip and holster fit is closer to a Colt-pattern gun than the first Vaqueros were.
Will holsters made for a Colt-pattern 1873 fit?
Usually, at the same barrel length. The grip frame and cylinder diameter are close, though a holster with a tight sight channel is worth asking for.
What rifling does Ruger cut in it?
A 1:16 right-hand twist in six grooves, the rate .45 Colt barrels are usually cut at for heavy cast bullets.
