Ruger Hammers

Recently, TALO Distibutors came out with a special edition Ruger New Vaquero, the CFDA edition.  Evidently, the major change is a hammer with a shorter hammer spur.  Some CFDA shooters say that it is the same hammer used in the Ruger (old) Vaquero, which had a shorter hammer spur than the current editions.

So, I had to go drag out some Rugers to measure the hammers.

Top to bottom. Ruger Super Blackhawk, Ruger New Vaquero, Ruger (old) Vaquero

Sure enough, there is a measurable difference in those three hammers. I measured them all from the face of the hammer to the end of the spur with my reloading calipers.  The Super Blackhawk on top is an 87-series manufactured in 2000.  The hammer measured at 1.306.  It, of course, is the wide-spur hammer.  The middle revolver is a New Vaquero, made in 2014.  That hammer is the longest, at 1.340.   The bottom revolver is my (old) Vaquero, a 55 series, manufactured in 1993.  That hammer is the shortest of the three, at 1.180.

Parts of the CFDA community is abuzz about the new configuration.  We have yet to see if the different hammer makes a difference in competition but I'll bet that we'll be hearing more about this new revolver as the spring competition season cranks up.