Cowboy Revolver, Which one ?

[Hylander]

OK, I'm going to order a new Cowboy .45 Colt 5.5"
Can't decide which one
Really like the Uberti 1873 and also like Vaquero but leaning more to the Uberti.
However there are several models and not sure what the differences are.
Such as the Cattleman.
There is the Old Cattleman, new frame Cattleman, Cattleman II
The Gun Fighter, the Gambler
Heeeelp

 

[Targa]

I dont know all the differences but there guys on here that have forgotten more about revolvers than I will ever know, maybe they will chime in. As for me, give me a Uberti/Cimarron case color hardened finish in .357 or .45 lc please.

 

[cpt-t]

Hylander: I have no experience with Uberti Pistol`s so I can`t help You there. But I have been Shooting Original Ruger Vaqueros since they came out in the 1990`s. In about every Barrel length Ruger makes. And most of them are in 45LC`s and Stainless Steel. And I have never had any type of of a problem with any of them I use them for just about everything. I am a die hard Ruger Fan and IMHO You would be hard pressed to find a better SA Cowboy Gun. Than a Ruger Vaquero or a Blackhawk.
ken

 

[redrick]

I would stay away from the Cattleman II , it has a new designed trigger & hammer firing system . They call it the retractable firing pin , the firing pin only comes out when you pull the trigger and if you like your gun to have 4 clicks , it now only has 3 with this new retractable firing pin. I think they are worried about the lawyers now . By the end of this year I was told by a Uberti Rep. that all of there SAA revolvers would have this system .

The Old Cattleman and New Frame Cattleman , the only difference that I know of is how you remove the cylinder , Old has a screw and New has a push pin .

Gun Fighter , the difference is the length of the grip , it is longer than the Cattleman grip . Some Gun Fighters can come as deluxe models that come with a action job like the El Patron . Taylor's does there's in house . I would recommend the Smoke Wagon Deluxe . The Cattleman , The El Paton and Smoke Wagon have the shorter standard length grip similar to the Colt . The Cattleman has smooth grips , the El Patron and Smoke Wagon have checkered grips and I believe so does the Gun Fighter .

When Uberti goes to the retractable firing pin I will start buying Vaquero's , at least I can carry with all six and it is a stronger revolver with a great warranty standing behind it if you should need it .

 

[fourbore]

. By the end of this year I was told by a Uberti Rep. that all of there SAA revolvers would have this system .

Time for me to finally get that Uberti.

 

[Screwball]

I don't do CAS, but wanted a SAA type pistol...

I went with the New Vaquero Convertible in .45. Having other .45 ACP pistols/rifles, I do keep the caliber... and being an off duty caliber, I have a good amount of it. The conversion cylinder was something I wanted. Yes, it isn't something exact to a SAA, but it does the job.

I also got a Uberti 1860 Henry Steel frame in .45 Colt, being I wanted to pair it up with a rifle.

 

[jwise]

I have had my Vaquero since 1998. It is big, heavy, has a fine hammer action and trigger, and is stainless steel.

My Uberti 1873 El Patron, on the other hand, is light, fast, has an incredibly smooth and fast hammer action and trigger. The color case hardened frame is beautiful.

 

[bedbugbilly]

Everyone has their favorites - makes, styles and calibers.

I own a number of handguns - more than I need! I have shot SA for 50 some years and right now, besides C & B, my "cowboy" guns include -

Uberti Cattleman 7 1/2" 45 Colt
Uberti Bisley - 4 3/4" .357
Ruger New Vaquero - 5 1/2" .357

I only shoot reloads - smokeless & BP - and only cast bullets that I cast from a variety of molds.

All that I have are excellent revolvers and well made. If I had to put them in order of preference, it would be as I've listed them above. I love the 45 Colt - the Uberti is accurate and fun to shoot - but,if you don't reload, then the cost of ammo can get to you.

The Bisley is an excellent shooter as well and mine eats a lot of 38 specials and I even reload 38 Colt Long and 38 Colt Short for it as well.

I like the Ruger NV but I really need to have the cylinder throats reamed larger. Ruger is notorious for undersized throats which are under bore size. A competent smith can take care of that though.

The throats on my Uberitis were just fine when from the factory. Example - my Uberti 45 Colt has a bore size of .452 and the throats are just about right on .454. I use the traditional 255 grain RPFN cast bullet and it drops with my alloy at right around .453 - .454 so I just shoot them unsized and tumble lubed for smokeless and finger lube them for BP with BP lube. I ran across a box of 500 commercial cast 255 gr RNFP that were .452 and they shoot just as accurately as my slightly oversize cast do. No problems with either as far as bore leading.

Pick what you like in the caliber and barrel length you like and then don't second guess yourself - you'll enjoy whatever you get. If I could only have one, it would be my 7 1/2" 45 Colt as I like to play with it at 50 yards and the longer barrel and sight picture works better for me. My next one will be with a 4 3/4" barrel though as it will be an easier carry on walks, etc. on the farm and for just fun plinking at shorter ranges. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[dgludwig]

When Uberti goes to the free floating firing pin I will start buying Vaquero's , at least I can carry with all six and it is a stronger revolver with a great warranty standing behind it if you should need it .

Though Ruger doesn't offer a warranty, per se, they have a good reputation for standing behind their products and offering great customer service.

If you want a single-action revolver that will stand up to hard use as well or better than any other ever made, you can't beat a Ruger. Being able to safely carry the revolver with all six chambers loaded is icing on the cake for some folks.

 

[mehavey]

Vaquero ≠ Traditional/Colt-Design SAA (period)

Point(s) of reference:
- New-Model Vaquero in 45 Colt
- New Model Uberti/Cattleman/"Smokewagoned" in 44-40
- New Model Uberti/Cattleman/"Taylored" in 32-20

The New Vaquero is Colt SAA in size only. Otherwise the action is very "coil-springed"
in feeling. Stiff/Lumpy at start and then rolling off as the hammer completes coming
back. It is, however, about 50% stronger than SAAMI spec (14ksi spec vice 21ksi NV)

The Uberti's, in contrast are like liquid in cocking/rotation throughout the cycle.
Pure mercury. Smooooooth as silk -- and w/ modern materials able to take "more" rolleyes
pressure than SAAAMI. (But NOT as a steady diet like the NV/Ruger.)

I like the floating firing pin.
I like the first notch "safety" that pulls the firing pin off the #6 cartridge.
I like the FOUR clicks in the action as it cycles. (Yes -- 4 )
I like the out-of-the-box cylinder throats reamed to correct dimensions for cast.
I like that the barrel's actually vertical (i.e., correct windage on that fixed sight)

And I like the accuracy.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6405308
Other than the above, I have nothing good to say about the Uberti's.




** Don't get me wrong. I like the New Vaquero. And the Cattleman(s) both have action jobs
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/vaquero-or-blackhawk.768001/page-2#post-9718468

 

[jaguarxk120]

Mine has the four clicks, but you have too listen very closely for the last one.
Bought it used it is 21 years old, sometime in the past a smith did a action job on this gun. When the cylinder rotates the bolt drop's into the locking notch at exactly the right time.

 

[redrick]

The Cattleman II does not have the 4 clicks , with the retractable firing pin it lost the first click ( safety notch ) . The Cattleman for now has the four clicks and not the retractable firing pin .

Go to Uberti's website for a look . I have handled one and sent it back for the Cattleman . Like I said soon all of there SAA will have this retractable firing pin system from what I was told by a Uberti Rep. after I questioned him about it . He said they asked Uberti not to change the whole line to that system and they told them that there was no way around it .

If you have one with the four clicks it does not have the retractable firing pin system . When they started putting that in the Cattleman II , I do not know .

 

[TruthTellers]

If I had the disposable income and the gumption, I would rather have a Uberti Cattleman in either Nickel or the Old West models. Mmm... Old West.

I'm sure the Ruger Vaquero is fine and with the Ruger phoenix on that revolver you're guaranteed good customer service, but when it comes to SAA clones, all I want is the best looker and the Uberti wins that hands down.

Then again, Ruger does make some Vaqueros with a .45 ACP cylinder and I do love me some .45 ACP in a revolver. Also, Ruger does offer some with the Bisley grip.

I don't think you can go wrong with either, perhaps it's best if you just get both.

 

[mehavey]

Sure sounds like 4 clicks to me.
(Actually had my wife count them)
And the pin is definitely floating.

What is the issue here?

 

[Hylander]

Thanks for the input,
I handled a Pietta Frontier today and a couple Vaquero's, the Vaquero's
are definitely heavier and feel bulkier.
I am starting to settle on the Smoke Wagon

Can't really decide on 4.75 or 5.5" though

 

[jackmoser65]

It is, however, about 50% stronger than SAAMI spec (14ksi spec vice 21ksi NV)

Strength is the same.

 

[mehavey]

Negative.

Read Pearce:
https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL 246partial.pdf
https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL_234_preview.pdf

"Loads in the 20,000 psi range
will prove useful for U.S. Fire
Arms revolvers that are 100 percent
American made (after the
year 2000), Colt New Service,
Ruger New Vaquero and Smith &
Wesson post-World War II NFrames,
including Models 25 and
625 Mountain Guns. Loads in
the 32,000 CUP range should be
limited to Ruger Blackhawk...."

I do NOT recommend hotrodding the NV. But Pearce's Tier-II(-) RCBS 270-SAA(277gr actual)
/titeGrp@8.1gr is my standard/heavy load in the New
Vaquero, going out at 975fps.
Overloading that small/light a handgun will become unpleasant long before it becomes unsafe.

 

[TruthTellers]

It's a cowboy gun. Why would you want to push the .45 Colt up to 20k PSI? Cowboys weren't shooting their six guns at pressure 30% that of normal. If you want to shoot stouter .45 Colt loads then get a Blackhawk.

Shoot standard pressure .45 Colt through the Uberti and it will last many decades.

 

[mehavey]

The (New) Vaquero is more than a "Cowboy" gun. With that Std-Heavy 270gr
it is perfectly point-blank zeroed ± 1¼" for hunting out to 50 yards.
(It's big 7½" brother took three mule deer back in the mid-70's with a
lighter (250gr) bullet going less than that speed.)

It's a tool.

- Relatively light
- Far more Compact
- ...and very useful


Now if you're talking the Uberti(s) -- they stay standard pressure.
But then they're 44-40 & 32-20 and not in the same league as the 45 Colt.
(Although they will also kill critters in their class very, very dead)

 

[Hylander]

I want it for a Cowboy gun to have fun with at standard pressure loads.
Already have a BH if I want to go Boom instead of Bang.