I've got a winchester 94 trapper in 44 magnum and am looking for a sidearm to go with it. what's the thought on a Vaquero to match? On a sidenote, which is actually the more authentic round say for a western fan, .44 mag or .45?

John

.44 mag dates from the 1950s.... .45 Colt from 1873.

Vaqueros are a good value, but you take a chance with fixed sights, that it will regulate to whatever load you choose.

The Vaquero is a great and tough gun, but as Mike says, you must either regulate the ammo to the sights, or the sights to the ammo. Either way you're pretty much locked into one choice of ammunition that will shoot where the gun looks.

The Super Blackhawks are basically the same firearm, but with very good adjustable sights. This allows compensation for different ammo, a different hold on the revolver (can and does change point of impact with a revolver) and still have the gun shoot to point of aim.

Both come in a variety of grip configurations, and barrel lengths as well as choice of stainless or blued guns. In either case the revolvers are brute strong, and a great companion piece to your trapper!

God bless,

The 45 Colt dates from 1873, but was not chambered in a lever action rifle until the 1980s, so if you really want to be authentic and get a rifle and revolver chambered for the same cartridge, you might look for a 44-40.
rt

As rt says, the 44-40 (.44 WCF) is a traditional round, nearly as popular as the .45 in the late 19th century, because it was a rifle round also, which the .45 never was (then).
The .44 mag is of course 1950s, but it derives from the .44spec, which in turn evolved from the .44 Russian, an S&W round authentic to the old west. You can shoot .44 Russian in a .44 mag, but it makes more sense to shoot it in a S&W Russian or clone!
But of course the .44-40 is a totally different cartridge than a .44.

44 mag is 44 Russian XX Long
Humpty

dairyman

Having owned a Vaquero in 45lc and 44mag i found the 45 to shoot better point-of -contact was point-of-aim, sorry I sold that gun, even with fixed sights I was shooting out to 75 yards. I thought the 44mag would be more effective so I traded, but found the 44mag to be hard to control, and could not regulate it no matter what I tried.

Was told to send it out to a gunsmith to have the front sight altered, but decided to go back to the Blackhawks.

Good Luck on your decision!

If you want accuracy go with either the Blackhawk or Bisley with adjustable sights. That way with different loads you just adjust the sights. The Bisley has a better grip for handling recoil but some don't like the looks. The Vaquero, to me, is the best looking, and looks more like a model P but you are somewhat limited in shooting with the fixed sights. Well, unless you can shoot like Bob Munden. Can't go wrong with any of them. However Ruger has discontinued the (old )vaquero and are now making a slightly smaller version translate that to, not as strong, so if looking for a vaquero know which one you're looking at.

You didn't say what you wanted to use the rifle and revolver for. I am assuming to hunt. In that respect I would go with a double action .44 magnum....7-9.5 inch barrel. The 45 LC, unless you reload, is limited to the "cowboy" rounds that are 225-250 grains and rather mild for shooting and for hunting. PMC makes a 325 gr. that has a lot more oomph! but will take shooting to get used to. The .45 LC with a 325 gr. bullet is certainly adequate for close in, personal protection, whether it's a North American animal or a dumb human. For personal protection 15yds is max...otherwise, it's NOT self defense :rolleyes: The .44 magnum is certainly a hitter...and probably a better revolver companion piece to a .44 magnum rifle for hunting.