OT - .44 Special New Vaqueros are coming!

[gak]

I don't think I'm treading on anyone else's thread in posting this.
"Official" letter to a Ruger Forum member verifying and virtually guaranteeing production and hoped-for start of availability on shelves end of May. 3-3/4" Sheriff's model and regular 4-5/8" model--not sure of the actual fractions there, but the 3+ and 4+ parts are right--both in blue or stainless.


Great day indeed. Long in coming, this is what these midframes were made for--these and some fine flattops.

[Old Savage]

That will be great - I will be watching.

[COSteve]

I'm not surprised what with the popularity of their 44spl Blackhawk flattop.

[Don McDowell]

The only way it might get any better would be bring them out in 38wcf.

[Lefty Dude]

The only way it might get any better would be bring them out in 38wcf.

This will never happen. It has been determined that the cylinder does not have enough mass for the 44WCF or the 38WCF. The two cartridges have larger case rims than a 45 Colt. Ruger builds to the SAAMI spec.s and the cylinder is not adequate for the chamberings.

[Gun Smith]

Do the case rims have an interference fit with each other that precludes their fitting the cylinder?

[gak]

Latest report is that the .44 NV is a Lipseys special. Sure enough, a visit to that site verifies it. Two barrel lengths, both in SS and blued variants.

Later EDIT: Lipseys is calling it just "Vaquero," but they're just following Ruger's latest website nomenclature of same for all the NVs. It's a mid-frame New Vaquero.

[Poohgyrr]

Well, that is one way to get it. That would be a sweet six shooter. I don't think I can get the money for a gun this year, but you never know....

[Don McDowell]

The only way it might get any better would be bring them out in 38wcf.

This will never happen. It has been determined that the cylinder does not have enough mass for the 44WCF or the 38WCF. The two cartridges have larger case rims than a 45 Colt. Ruger builds to the SAAMI spec.s and the cylinder is not adequate for the chamberings.

hmm that seems odd, the nv cylinder is a touch bigger than a colt cylinder, and we know that both those cartridges were very popular in the colt......

[Don McDowell]

Just went and loaded all 6 cylinders in my 45 colt nv with 38wcf's, guess what???? they had plenty of room and the cylinder turned just fine.
Are you listening RUGER????

[gak]

Do the case rims have an interference fit with each other that precludes their fitting the cylinder?

-----
Someone(s) has postulated that Ruger has to work with certain tolerances as a standard, and that as such *some* ammo will not work--WRT rim spacing. Therefore, as a mass manufacturer, none will be attempted...
And...that custom smiths do not have to pay (as close) homage to those tolerances/specifications, and can make "most" or at least enough work...And therefore you may see (and I believe most of the usual suspects do advertise) such conversions. There's been less refutation than not of this thinking, so it just may be true,...and if so that (conversion) will probably remain the way to go if you want a mid-frame .38-40 or .44-40, sadly. Otherwise,
I (and others) have said that a .44S/.44-40 convertible NV would be just dandy. Even if if the .429 bore did not totally satisfy the .44-40 afficianados, it'd be a logical way to "justify" and actually get one into production.
Then...
IF spacing is not an issue, a .38-40/.40 S&W convertible might be able to stand on its own, because of the .40 auto part.

[Don McDowell]

I think the buggaboo to getting a factory 38-40 is going to be the lack of enthusiasm about the cartridge. There's certainly ample room in the NV cylinder for 38 and 44 wcf's. The rim difference between those and the 45 is only .013.
Here's a pic of the cylinder from my NV with 45's on one side and 38wcf's on the other.

[DPris]

Insufficient market interest to produce them in .38-40.
Denis

[J Miller]

Look out .... thread hijacking ahead!

What might be fun is if Ruger would build an internally modern, strong, pump rifle that's externally classic looking. Chamber it in the old Winchester rounds as well as the 45 Colt, and 44 Spcl. Then sell them to the cowboy shooters as a set with their New Vaqs. IF they did the marketing right, ( I doubt they are capable of that ) they'd clean up.

Now back to the regularly scheduled thread.

Joe

[COSteve]

Look out .... thread hijacking ahead!

What might be fun is if Ruger would build an internally modern, strong, pump rifle that's externally classic looking. Chamber it in the old Winchester rounds as well as the 45 Colt, and 44 Spcl. Then sell them to the cowboy shooters as a set with their New Vaqs. IF they did the marketing right, ( I doubt they are capable of that ) they'd clean up.

Now back to the regularly scheduled thread.

Joe

Rossi and Uberti have already done it. Rossi's reproduction of the Colt Lightening had some real issues and never was reliable. Uberti still sells their version in 45LC and 357mag HERE.

[J Miller]

Look out .... thread hijacking ahead!

What might be fun is if Ruger would build an internally modern, strong, pump rifle that's externally classic looking. Chamber it in the old Winchester rounds as well as the 45 Colt, and 44 Spcl. Then sell them to the cowboy shooters as a set with their New Vaqs. IF they did the marketing right, ( I doubt they are capable of that ) they'd clean up.

Now back to the regularly scheduled thread.

Joe

Rossi and Uberti have already done it. Rossi's reproduction of the Colt Lightening had some real issues and never was reliable. Uberti still sells their version in 45LC and 357mag HERE.

Yeah, that was/is true, but we wasn't talking about Rossis or Ubertis, we was talking about Rugers. I thought.

Joe

[COSteve]

My point was that its a 'been there, done that' so Ruger ought to be able to do one easily if they wanted to.