My Lipsey's Special.....

[mic214]

About a year or so ago, I traded into a real nice stainless Ruger Vaquero with a 4-5/8" barrel that is chambered in .44 Special. It came with a set of Hogue imitation ivory grips, but no box or papers.

In doing a little research, I discovered that this pistol was one of 503 that Ruger made for Lipsey's. According to the serial number, this one was made in 2010. This was confirmed from a member on another board who works for Lipsey's that this is, in fact, one of their special runs from Ruger. According to him (Jason), my pistol was shipped to them in March of 2011 and it had the black checkered grips on it then. This is one of 503 that Ruger produced for Lipsey's in .44 special. Apparently they also produced 500 blued Vaqueros in .44 special with the 4-5/8" barrel length.

Lipsey's also had 510 stainless Vaqueros in .44 special with 3-3/4" barrels and 510 blued Vaqueros in .44 special with 3-3/4" barrels made up for them by Ruger.







I was able to score a set of factory black checkered grips for it from a member on another board:



I dug through my "Box o' Holsters" and found a couple of other holsters that fit this .44 spl Vaquero. The first is a "Tanker" rig from El Paso Saddlery:



The second is a Threepersons holster made by S.D. Myers:

[nolongcolt]

Nice stuff for sure! Only thing I don't like about the New Vaqs is the hammer shape. Just looks odd to me. What make holster is the first one pictured?

[Encore64]

If your Vaquaro was built to the same standards the Lipsey's 44 Special Bisley Flattops were, you have a gem.

Absolutely the best gun I have ever gotten from Ruger and I am a huge Ruger fan.

[mic214]

Mar 19, 2016 17:46:22 GMT -5 nolongcolt said:

Nice stuff for sure! Only thing I don't like about the New Vaqs is the hammer shape. Just looks odd to me. What make holster is the first one pictured?

That holster is called a "Tortilla Rig" from El Paso Saddlery.....

Mar 19, 2016 18:12:34 GMT -5 Encore64 said:

If your Vaquaro was built to the same standards the Lipsey's 44 Special Bisley Flattops were, you have a gem.

Absolutely the best gun I have ever gotten from Ruger and I am a huge Ruger fan.

I would love to have a Lipsey's Bisley Vaquero in .44 Special....I have a neighbor who has one with a 4-5/8" barrel, but he isn't letting go of it.....

I am working on getting a Colt New Frontier in .44 Special with a 5-1/2" barrel....That is my dream gun.... !

[nolongcolt]

You mean like this one?

[Encore64]

I just bought a 7 1/2" NIB. Pick it up first of the week. Look forward to shooting it.

[kings6]

Anyone know if the new rear sights on the current NF Colts will fit a 3rd generation NF?

[mic214]

Mar 19, 2016 20:54:15 GMT -5 nolongcolt said:

You mean like this one?

That is an absolute beauty!

[nolongcolt]

Thanks, I see there a few on GB for prices fairly high to silly high. One is particularly nice looking in its case colors though. More vivid than mine. I like mine.

[bulasteve]

I've one of the polished SS 3.75" Nm Vaquero Sheriffs in 44spec.. Also love it ! I like the upswept hammer, very positive handling in cold weather, with gloves. Kinda a BP hammer ? Do recall hearing quite a few folks swapping that hammer out though. Must be a bunch of them laying in parts boxes, sadly.

[bradshaw]

mic214.... a good series of photo, the second of which poses a young Vaquero with two boxes of .44 Special from the early 1980's----Winchester 200 grain Silvertip JHP and Federal 200 grain swaged Lead Hollow Point. Fired from a 5-1/2" Redhawk, these Winchester and Federal .44 Specials accounted for several whitetails. Broadside lung shots at ranges from 20 to 40 yards, the effect was anything but dramatic. As though the modest POW of the shot blended with the moseying impact of the bullet in a moment of confusion. Flight for two consisted of wandering off, only to keel over a short distance away. One practically stood still and fell over when its brain ran out of oxygen. I've seen the same thing from a similar 90 pound deer lungshot with a Colt Python and .357 Mag 180 JHP at 1,000 fps (Federal #357G, bullet introduced in .357 Maximum.

Said loads would not be my choice for large deer, although they certainly did the job on these.

The El Paso Saddlery M7 Tanker is a fine throw-it-over-your-shoulder-and-go rig, which can be slung back out of the way for wood handling and other chores.
David Bradshaw

[mic214]

Mar 20, 2016 8:00:37 GMT -5 bulasteve said:

I've one of the polished SS 3.75" Nm Vaquero Sheriffs in 44spec.. Also love it ! I like the upswept hammer, very positive handling in cold weather, with gloves. Kinda a BP hammer ? Do recall hearing quite a few folks swapping that hammer out though. Must be a bunch of them laying in parts boxes, sadly.

Those Sheriff's Model Vaqueros are really nice. I wouldn't mind having one of them myself either! The factory hammer works fine for me, but I actually have thought about swapping out the hammer for a SHB hammer down the road. I think it is something I could easily do myself.

Mar 20, 2016 10:45:15 GMT -5 bradshaw said:

mic214.... a good series of photo, the second of which poses a young Vaquero with two boxes of .44 Special from the early 1980's----Winchester 200 grain Silvertip JHP and Federal 200 grain swaged Lead Hollow Point. Fired from a 5-1/2" Redhawk, these Winchester and Federal .44 Specials accounted for several whitetails. Broadside lung shots at ranges from 20 to 40 yards, the effect was anything but dramatic. As though the modest POW of the shot blended with the moseying impact of the bullet in a moment of confusion. Flight for two consisted of wandering off, only to keel over a short distance away. One practically stood still and fell over when its brain ran out of oxygen. I've seen the same thing from a similar 90 pound deer lungshot with a Colt Python and .357 Mag 180 JHP at 1,000 fps (Federal #357G, bullet introduced in .357 Magnum).

Said loads would not be my choice for large deer.

The El Paso Saddlery M7 Tanker is a fine throw-it-over-your-shoulder-and-go rig, which can be slung back out of the way for wood handling and other chores.
David Bradshaw

Thanks! You are correct about the Winchester and Federal ammo being from the early 80's. I bought it during the "Dirty Harry" phase of my LEO career, where I packed a 4" S&W Model 29 off duty for a bit (Similar to what Skeeter Skelton himself did for a while). When out in the woods, I carried full house .44 magnum ammo (Federal 180 grain JHP's), but for "Social work" I carried the .44 specials as I could control it easier.

The EPS "Tanker" holster is a great rig for when I am riding in a vehicle (Truck or Polaris Ranger moslty). I also have a "Guide's Choice" Alaskan chest holster made by Diamond D Leathers. It is for my 5-1/2" Ruger SBH, but the Vaquero rides nicely in it as well.....

[jdoc]

Mar 19, 2016 22:27:46 GMT -5 kings6 said:

Anyone know if the new rear sights on the current NF Colts will fit a 3rd generation NF?

Robb,
Go to Kensight's website.  They offer a Colt Elliason rear sight for $66.95.  The current Colt New Frontier is a 3rd generation revolver.  I an unaware of any sight differences in 2nd gen or 3rd gen New Frontiers.  The Elliason was used on several different Colt models.   

There maybe two thread pitches used on the elevation screw.  I am thinking this was on the Colt target style 1911s.  I am unsure on this.  Best to ask Kensight.  Good luck.     

[bradshaw]

mic214.... perhaps you'll follow up with a range report on your handsome Vaquero. Can't help but admire a good fixed sight sixshooter, although the adjustable variety holds magnetic to my leather.

Very familiar with the superb Federal .44 Mag 180 JHP (#44B), especially as carried in the 4-inch Model 29 and 5-1/2-inch Redhawk. Accuracy holds up, certainly ram-accurate at 200 meters. Penetration through car bodies is no slouch, either. Shooting down into a water-filled 55 gallon drum, the Federal 180 JHP at 1,610 fps from the 5-1/2 Redhawk soaks the shooter standing on a ladder, and puts a thumb-dimple in the bottom of the barrel. The bullet is mashed out and pretty well disintegrated with the work done. Ain't no fainting daisy coming out of the 4-inch Smith, either.

Were I to pack a Vaquero .44 Special today, a cast powder coat 240 or 250 SWC would step up for a close look. i am impressed by the moderate plastic deformation annealing imparts to powder coat bullets when handed a responsibility.
David Bradshaw

[mic214]

While I have shot (And carried) my .44 Special Vaquero quite a bit, the only target photos I could find were from a year ago, shortly after I picked it up.

I set up my target at 15 yards and used the bench rest to put a few rounds through my .44 special. I was shooting the Magtech 240 grain lead flat point cowboy loads, which were moving out at around 760 fps (According to the specs on the box).

Here is my first group with a 6 o'clock hold on the orange dot:



For my second group, I held dead center:



It appears that at this range with this ammo, it shoots a little high and to the right so for my third group, I held just to the left of center at about 8 o'clock (I threw a flyer on this group out at about 2 o'clock in the 8 ring):



My last two groups were also shot holding just a little bit to the left of center at about 8 o'clock.



It was pretty sunny out and I was getting a lot of glare off of the stainless front sight of the Vaquero. So I took it to a friend of mine who was a gunsmith to see if we could correct that problem. He taught me how to serrate the front sight with a proper file. Using his 22lpi checkering file, I serrated the front sight on my .44spl NV.

Here are a couple of pics of the serrated front sight on my .44 special NV along side one of my .45 Colt NV's that had not been worked on: