Give us your Ruger story - win a shirt!

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

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[Rawhide Rio]

For years, I shot CAS using Colt, Ubertis, and USFA single actions, but always respected the ruggedness and reliability of the Rugers. 
However, the Ruger Vaquero was a little on the large size to feel truly comfortable in my hands. I had always said that if Ruger would scale the Vaqueros down to Colt-size, that I'd buy one.
Last winter a couple of my shootin' pards bought new sets of the New Vaqueros and let me try them out. To make a long story short, I bought a brace of consec. serial numbered, short .45s in SS the following week. While it has taken some getting use to not having the 4 clicks, I really like these a lot and are my primary match guns now. So, I joined the ranks of cowboy shooters using Rugers. For a tough reliable sixgun for CAS, they are hard to beat.

I respect the fact that Ruger has about the best customer service I have ever heard of, and listens to the needs of Cowboy Action Shooters. The Ruger Vaquero is evidence of that, and the New Vaquero is even more evidence.

Yeah, I'd say I'm happy being a Ruger shooter.

[Doc Burns]

When I started out with CAS I had a 58 army c&b which I had converted over to cartridge. My first shoot I did not know and did not bring enough ammo. When we got to the last stage I told every one that they would have to count me out because I didn't have enough ammo. One man told "no, I would shoot his guns" So he handed me two Ruger Blackhawks. After I shot that stage I made the decision to get me these to shoot. I found my Blackhawks and have been shooting them ever since ( about a year) Couldn't ask for a better gun to shoot. My thoughts are now to get me a pair of vaqueros asap

[Filthy Harry]

          OK, started out with an OM Vaquero, worked fine, but didn't really fit a small hand. Went to a Navy and Army conversion till they started wearing out. Decided I wanted either New Vaqueros or GW lls. Couldn't find New Vaqueros in the area, so I ordered Custom stainless GW ll in .38 with Nate Kiowa Jones actions. Shot them part of the year and at the end of the year drawing at Bristol Wisconsin, I won a pair of blued 4 3/4" .357/.38 New Vaqueros. Starte shooting them the next Spring and really liked them. I'd shoot them a couple matches and then go back to the GWs. I kept thinking I was shooting the stock Vaqueros better. Naw, that doesn't make sense. finally shot the Wisconsin State match with the Vaqueros and shot it clean, cept for the rifle round I ejected!!!! I've been dragged kicking and screaming into the Ruger camp, cause I just keep shooting the Rugers better. My Grandson, Darn Near shot the State Match this year and got second in Buckaroo with the Rugers. I just ordered Eagle Rosewood Gunfighter grips for them and can't wait for Spring.  Just  something about those Ruger that makes them shoot better, cause it can't be me.

[Dick Dastardly]

Back before there was a SASS I bought a Ruger.  It is the Ruger Old Army.  I've shot deer with it, rabbits, heads off partridge and uncountable former receptacles of fermented malt beverages.  I shot round balls and conicals but was never impressed with the accuracy of the second cylinder full without cleaning.  But, that's another story.  I'm getting ahead of myself here.

One sunny summer afternoon I decided that I wanted more power from the ROA.  I'd tried putting all the FFFg under a conical that would still allow the cylinder to turn.  Pretty impressive, but I  wanted more.  I had a can of pan priming powder from a pard that quit shooting his flint lock front stuffer rifle.  The can was worn, but I knew what it held.  So, I charged up the ROA with a good compressed charge of FFFFg under conical bullets.

Then, I put up some of them empty beverage cans and had at it.  First shot had impressive roar and recoil.  The can took a dead center hit.  And, the hammer was OPEN on the ROA.  The blowback had blown the cap off and the hammer open.  I  pulled the trigger again and BOOM.  Same thing.  Second can suffered a fatal wound.  Then, I noticed blood dripping off my glasses.  The caps had hit me in the forehead and blood was running.

I  didn't empty the last four chambers by shooting them.  I pulled the bullets, scooped out the powder and cleaned the gun.

That's one strong gun.  Also, one dumb but learning shooter.  I never repeated that experiment and never will.  Thanks to the glasses I didn't loose my eyes.  Things could have been worse.

So, now you know the story of the semi-auto ROA.  I wonder if I'd held the trigger back if it might not have gone full auto???

That same gun is in the photo below, along with a matching companion.  It now goes to SASS matches with either a Kirst Konverter cylinder or the original C&B cylinder, depending on my mood.  These ROAs have a balance and feel that my big hands love.  The brass backstraps and squareback trigger guards are a joy to the eye.

I have other Ruger guns, but this is my first one.  All are good, but the original ROA has a special place in my heart.

DD-DLoS

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy all

          I bought my first Ruger back in 1966, it was a Single Six Convertable, that gun has had thousands of rounds thru it and put lots of meat on the table. I've bought several Rugers since then, I guess, or should I say I know I can depend on them to come thru when needed, I've always had a big love for the Colt 1873 , this gun  just fit my hand right , and felt like it was part of my arm, so to speak, back in the day of quick draw , this is what I used the most. When Ruger came out with there Ruger Vaquero, I thought this was a big Plus for Ruger , but I still found the OMV didn't quit feel as good in the hand as my Colts , and then a few years ago, Ruger came out with the New Model Vaquero, and SHA-ZAM, they got it RIGHT, it FEELS like my Colts and I love the new hammer, my thumb picks it up every time or the hammer picks up my thumb , just know I REALLY LIKE IT , They also did a bang up job on fit and finish , I got the stainless steel Vaquero's, and they shine like the nickel, the lock up and timming is right on ,and they point and shoot like the left and right arms of God, an this is right out of the box. The only thing I've done to them is to add Eagle Gunfighter Grips, in the Ultra Ivory. You just Gotta Love These Guns.


                              I call these Vaquero's my BIONIC  Colts, You just can't beat them, here's a picture of them.

                                                    Ten Wolves Five Shooter

[Forty Rod]

I gave my wife a Bearcat on July 16, 1965, the day we got married.  A couple of years later I had it engraved...about 75% coverage not counting the cylinder which wasn't touched...by a Okinawan craftsman who did a very acceptable job.  Over the years it has had some parts plated, the hammer jewelled, and my son had it for several years.  He recently returned it with the frame, trigger gueard, and ejector housing "painted" black with a "touch up pen" he got at a gun store.  The barrel and cylinder have been polished bright.

No pictures because it's being professionally stripped of the black stuff before being sent to Ruger for factory refinishing.  Once I get it back it will get "ivory" grips with gold-colored Ruger medallions.

Over 42 years old and probably  less than two boxes of ammo through it.  Still mechanically tight as a new gun.

[slick vic]

I was searching on the web to cowboy releated things in 2006 when i came accross SASS and this thing called EOT. So i read it over and over not really believing what i was seeing. As i come from Northern Ireland its not quite the thing you come accross over here. So i made the decision i am going to this. I joined SASS, paid entry fee as a conventioner allowing me to gain access to all nightly venues, booked my flights and accommodation and headed west to EOT 2006 the Silver anniversary. When i got there it blew my mind this was what i had been looking for all my life. I asked many questions from both the vendors and the competitors mostly about the equipment and guns and nearly all said for revolvers choose Rugers. So i went along to thr Ruger stand and made some enquiries. One on the guys on the stand on hearing my accent asked me where i was from and then told me while he had been in the US army had been on an officer exchange to Northern Ireland and been attached to the Royal marine comandoes, small world.
Anyways i came home all ready to go and found a local shooting club 17 miles from me who where just starting CAS so i joined that night and ordered a pair of New Vaqueros in 38/357 blued and case hardened now get this at £500.00 each thats $1000.00 each in US dollars but you only get what you pay for.
I went back to EOT in 2007 with all the gear and competed man it was fun and while i was there i got action jobs done on my Vaqueros by Bob Mundon.  My wife Tart N Terror has now caught the bug and is going with me to EOT 08 so looks like another pair of Vaqueros on the way.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/scotty350/P1010248.jpg

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy!

My third gun was a Ruger, back in 1976.  It was in a rack with 10 other rifles, all model 10-22s.  However, one drew my eyes right to it.  The walnut was just prettier; the metal seemed a bit shinier and it had "Made In The 200th Year Of American Liberty" written on the side of the barrel.  I had to have it!  A few years later I heard about a new snubbie that Ruger was making, the Speed Six.  They were available with a short barrel (long, too) and available in Stainless Steel.  I paid 50% MORE than suggested retail and got one of the first ones in Indiana or Kentucky.  (I was living in Indiana and stationed at Ft. Knox, KY. at the time.)  During these years, the 80s, I bought another 10-22. 

Well, fast forward to the mid 90s.  I always wanted a single action sixgun and the news was out about the Vaquero.  I also heard about the "new" shooting sport, CAS - including SASS and NCOWS, to name 2 organizations.  Well, 5 Vaqueros in 2 different calibers later, here we are in 2008. 

I still have most of those Rugers. 

[Travis Morgan]

Bring back the Vaquero!