Larry Mudgett tests the Ruger Vaquero in a self-defense role

[Totem Polar]

I wonder how they would fare in the quest for a good Old Man's Gun.

I have toyed with the idea of fitting a round butt grip frame to a 4 5/8" Ruger single-ten—the one that comes with the big fiber optic sights all around, and socking it away against future decades.

Fat sights for old guy eyes, check.
Zero recoil, check.
A trigger that anyone who can still move their fingers can use, check.
Cheap ammo for fixed-income practice, check.
Future-proof legislation-resistant optics (as much as anything can be future-proof, in terms of politics), check.

Sure, it’s only 10 rounds of weenie CCI stinger, and then done, but it beats nothing by a long shot.

JMO.

[SeriousStudent]

https://www.amazon.com/Broad-Sword-S.../dp/B0039GL1PK

You’re welcome.

Way ahead of you.

[LSP552]

I’m often found dinking around the outdoors with a 4 5/8 Blackhawk .45. It’s one of my most fun guns. I wouldn’t pick it to start a fight, but I’m not exactly unarmed either.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....d-death-Sunday

[Rex G]

I wonder how they would fare in the quest for a good Old Man's Gun.

It takes very little hand strength to operate normal-sized SA sixguns. The shooter has good mechanical advantage when applying leverage to cock the hammer, and the hammer can be cocked by either hand. The recoil characteristics are quite friendly to aging joints. (The tiny mini-revolvers are probably exceptions to all or most or all of these factors.) So, yes, depending upon the individual infirmities, injuries, or disabilities, an SA revolver might be a viable choice for some folks, if they have the arm strength to lift and point the weapon.

In the case of disabled or missing index fingers, using an SA revolver as a “slip gun” might be a choice. The Colt SAA, and some number of the design copies, will operate with the trigger continuously held to the rear-most position, or tied-back, or even completely removed. The hammer is what fires the weapon. The legal eagles, of course, may find plenty wrong with the idea of using a modified weapon. I am simply saying what is mechanically possible.

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, when I slept with a carpal-tunnel-syndrome brace on each hand, for a while, I kept an SA revolver by the bed, along with the usual shotgun, because these weapons were most-usable in case there was no time to rip-away the splints.

[JonInWA]

The 4 5/8 in 357 with a 9mm cylinder would be a damn fine everything SA.

Yup. Pretty much for me. Mine is a great combination. A close friend and hunting buddy insists that I specify mine going to him in my will....

I found that with the sights regulated for 158 gr .357 magnum (Hornady XTP/Sellier & Bellot), the same sight regulation works well with 115 gr 9mm (Federal Champion), so I have pretty effortless interchangeability with just a cylinder switch.

Best, Jon

[Bigghoss]

I’m often found dinking around the outdoors with a 4 5/8 Blackhawk .45. It’s one of my most fun guns. I wouldn’t pick it to start a fight, but I’m not exactly unarmed either.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....d-death-Sunday

I used to have a stainless one. I wished I'd ordered a convertible instead of impuls buying the one in the case.

[LSP552]

I used to have a stainless one. I wished I'd ordered a convertible instead of impuls buying the one in the case.

Yep! I love the ability to shoot ACP. Now that I don’t have access to free .45 ACP, I mostly use the .45 Colt cylinder.

[Bigghoss]

Yep! I love the ability to shoot ACP. Now that I don’t have access to free .45 ACP, I mostly use the .45 Colt cylinder.

I don't reload yet and .45 Colt is expensive so I sold mine. I had an Italian SAA clone in .357, that one turned out to be a lemon so I got it fixed and sold it off. For whatever reason it also kinda bugs me that the guns are so large but they only hold 6 rounds of .357 because tradition.

[Bigghoss]

Watched a western today and started browsing single actions again. I should watch a modern war movie so I'll be inspired to finish my AR's.

[JAH 3rd]

My recent purchase of a Ruger Bisley 45 long Colt / .45acp 5.5" barrel stainless steel was a direct result of watching too many "Gunsmoke" reruns late at night. It just threw a craving on me that I couldn't overcome.