New Vaquero in 45 Colt

My wife owns a S&W 1917 that I feel is unwise to shoot a great deal, so I picked up a 5" S&W 38 Spl M&P for her. The M&P is a nice gun, but a bit puny in her eyes. She loves her stainless New Bearcat, so when we saw a lightly used New Vaquero at an LGS, I asked her what she thought of it. She liked it then and likes it now. It has the "thump" that is missing with the 38 Spl but is still pleasant to shoot and I am very impressed with Ruger. The action is butter smooth, the cylinder actually stops rotating with a chamber under the loading gate, and the grip feel is night and day better than a New Model Blackhawk/Single Six.

Fast forward a few years and we would like to make a few changes. I need to buy a holster for it and she would like wood grips to match her Bearcat. I am also considering swapping in a SBH hammer both to pair better with her Bearcat and for the lower, wider hammer spur.

Any recommendations for grips? Are the Ruger wood grips worth purchasing? If not, Eagle grips or? I am still window shopping for holsters, no rush because she doesn't wear a gun as much as I do.

https://i.imgur.com/rV74qI0.jpg

P.S. I never understood the appeal of the Peacemaker or the 45 Colt. My 629 Mountain Gun or SBH and the .44 Magnum were obviously superior in my mind, I don't think I even fired more than 5 rounds of .45 Colt before we bought my wife's New Vaquero. Consider me a convert now - I really understand what I was missing. The round seems as mild as the 44 Spl, but packs a wallop. The grip size/shape, weight, and balance of the New Vaquero makes it feel better to me than my Mountain Gun and that's pretty high praise.

What are you feeding the Ruger? I've been shooting mild Traiboss loads in some revolvers and carbines.
Even with the light loads, the big, lumbering 255 RNL does pack a wallop We have dangling bowling pins down at camp, and those .45s knock out whole chunks of hardwood.
Moon

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Originally Posted by halfmoonclip

What are you feeding the Ruger? I've been shooting mild Traiboss loads in some revolvers and carbines.
Even with the light loads, the big, lumbering 255 RNL does pack a wallop We have dangling bowling pins down at camp, and those .45s knock out whole chunks of hardwood.
Moon

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I bought two boxes of "cowboy" ammo, one 200gr and one 250 grain initially, then started reloading.

I'm loading Berry plated 250 grain bullets and Universal at the moment. I used up the little bit of Unique I had, then switched to Universal because it was on the shelf.

I like the 250-255 gr bullets at or close to SAAMI max. They claim you can go a little higher with the New Vaquero, but thats plenty for us.

Andy

I think the factory wood grips are too thin. I replaced mine with hogue walnut grips. They added some much needed width for me. If you want the factory wood grips, pm me they're yours.

If you plan to exchange the hammers yourself, you will want to know the screws that Ruger uses are pretty soft. Select a good, hollow-ground, close fitting screwdriver.
One other benefit of going to a SBH Hammer, is that the sights remain visible when the hammer is down. The normal hammer is tall enough to block that final sight picture.

I put Altamont grips on mine and went with a lighter mainspring (the original spring is a bit much).

Altamont Grips makes some very nice offerings for single action revolvers.

https://www.altamontco.com/

I also have a Ruger N.V. in 45 Colt, with 900 rounds of various factory loads through it, & ironically just today received my gunbelt from El Paso Saddlery for it.
Of my many pistols/revolvers..the Ruger is just that one gun, that I have an inexplicable love for?? There is just something.."right" about big bore single actions.

Good advice on the Altamont grips; they fit well, are nicely finished, and aren't silly expensive.
Been using Trailboss in my.45 Colts for years; fills up that big case, meters well and chronos consistently.
I use bare lead; cheaper, and doesn't lead at modest velocities. Our late range officer used to cast for all of us.
Love Trailboss; wish it existed back when I was trying to fill up .45-70 cases.
Moon