I have 3 old Vaqueros; two in 45 Colt and one in 44 Mag.

I've look at and fondled the New Vaquero and like the feel of the grip frame and wondered about the pressure level recommended in the New Vaquero. I think that the old time Cowboys were shooting the 45 Colt at a load of 250 grain slug at the tube at around 100fps.

My question is I would think that the New Vaquero would be able to handle that load but wonder about how much more velocity it would safely handle at the 250 grain slug level. I think that that old black powder produces different pressure curves than some of the new smokeless powders.

If anyone has developed some of these loads out of a New Vaquero 45 Colt with a 5 1/2 tube I would be interested in your experience.

Sorry pard, you got that backwards. Back in the day a 7-1/2 inch SAA started a .454 255 at ~950 fps (or around 1000 fps). It's the modern cowboy shooters who aspire to 100 fps, though they seem to prefer 165s...

Seriously, I've read that the New Vaquero is nowhere near as strong as the Vaquero. Some have suggested it be limited to SAA load data. As you've noted that still makes for a pretty serious load.

nordrseta

You are right. That was a typo on my part ..... should have read:


Old time Cowboys were shooting the 45 Colt at a load of 25 grain slug out the tube at around 1000 fps.

Another typo

should be 250 grain slug.

The Ruger New Vaquero is just about the same size, and therefore about as strong as a Colt SAA. In 45 Colt the weakest point (thinnest metal) is the locking notch in the cylinder. It is not a problem to load these guns near 1000 fps with 250 grain bullets but that is about max. The original Ruger Vaqueros and Blackhawks have thicker cylinder walls and can be loaded quite a bit hotter (I've gone as high as 1300 fps with 265 grain bullets). You do NOT want to push the New Vaquero any where near that level.

Brian Pearce (handloader magazine ) wrote an excellent article about the New Vaquero in the April-May 2005 issue. If you can find an issue it is a good read. There is some good information about loads that are a little north of the Colt/Replica data.

Gunblast.com has a couple of reviews as well.

I have two 45 Colt New Vaqueros (3-3/4" & 5.5") and they've become favorites. Both are impressively accurate and a pleasure to carry in the field.

My favorite loads are a little off the reservation using a half grain over the Speer #13 published Max for SR4756 for a cast SWC and FRN bullets. Easy shooting and gets me close to 1,000 fps in the 5.5"

I'm hoping that one day there will be another level of data for 45 Colt for use in the New Vaquero and S&W revolvers.

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20246partial.pdf

On Page 12 there is article on loading 45 colt and the list some New Vaquero loads at 20klbs.