Ruger Vaquero Revolvers

The Ruger Vaquero was introduced in 1993 to meet the market demand for single-action revolvers. The sport of cowboy-action shooting was growing, and at the time, most of the revolvers used were Italian replicas.

Seeing the opportunity for an American design in cowboy-action shooting, Ruger modified their existing Blackhawk frame to resemble the classic Colt Single Action Army. The redesign involved reducing the size of the frame and cylinder to more closely resemble the classic Western single action.

The Vaquero is available in .357 magnum or .45 Colt and in four different options. These include the classic blued, high gloss stainless, Bisley model with an improved Bisley grip, and the SASS model. The SASS class of revolvers is a set of two with consecutive serial numbers and the SASS stamp. The Vaquero has proven popular in cowboy-action shooting and is also a rare American-made affordable single-action revolver.

Quick Facts

• The Ruger Vaquero is identical in most ways to the Colt SAA, but incorporates modern safety features the original SAA lacked
• Bisley grips are named for shooting matches hosted in Bisley, England
• Vaqueros come in two barrel lengths: 5.5 and 4.62 inches