Tyler Gun Works Custom Ruger Vaqueros Revolver, Yeah You Need One

By Major Van Harl

Wisconsin –-(Ammoland.com)- Firearms collectors and firearms owners I believe are two different groups of gun people who share a common interest in the same genre,,, that of privately owning firearms.

A firearms owner is a person who buys different rifles, shotguns and handguns to meet their shooting, hunting and self protection needs ( utilitarian ). I assume they want quality in their firearms, but they do not necessarily need pretty, special, or ostentatious. They need a firearm that works when called on to fulfill a specified mission.

Firearms collectors also want quality, but more importantly, they want something special. Special can mean rare, unique, one-of-a-kind, perhaps previously owned by someone famous, or has great history and provenance.

There are always collectors out there ready to pay top dollar for say Billy the Kid’s handgun, George Custer’s Little Big Horn handgun or Sergeant York’s rifle. Once these unique firearms are acquired and collected, the odds that they will ever be shot again are extremely rare.

For me, any gun I own has to work, and has to function as a tool to assist me in my life. I have a collection of antique kerosene lamps, and lanterns that sits on a display shelf. However, I can take anyone of them down, fill it with fuel, and use it as a light source in a crisis.

There are a number of firearms at my disposal that are over a 100 years old, and I guess you could call them antiques, but they all work and I have fresh ammo for each one of them.

What I am saying is that I purchase tools that make my life better, easier, and safer. If they look good in the process that is a plus for me, but not a necessity.

Having said all of the above, there is nothing wrong with owning a handgun that looks great, is highly collectible, however can accomplish not only double duty, but triple duty in a crisis. This enhanced firearm, performing all these tasks while gleaming in the sunlight and making the owner glad (and perhaps a little proud) that they acquired the handgun.

Tyler Gun Works Custom Ruger Vaqueros Revolver

Bobby Tyler of Tyler Gun Works in Friona Texas (www.tylergunworks.com/gallery.shtml) is at it again with his color case magic. He is taking 200 of the extremely practical blue steel Ruger Vaquero single action revolvers, chambered in 357 mag, adding a factory Ruger 9mm cylinder, color case finishing the handguns, and offering custom engraving on a limit number of the revolvers.

Each Vaquero will be engraved 1 of 200 and Mr. Tyler stressed only 200 will be produced. No mass marketing here.

Mr. Tyler does all of the color case finishing for Henry Repeating Arms. I have one of the Henry rifles he produced along with a Tomahawk that he also color case finished, and I can personally attest to the quality of his work.

Mr. Tyler has the first Ruger Vaqueros with both the 357 mag cylinder, and the additional factory 9mm cylinder. When he is finished with his efforts on these limited 200 revolvers they will stand out in a crowd, but they will also be a very practical tool the owner can call upon in time of need. The number one handgun sold in the US is a small framed revolver in 38 Special, so, barring a crisis, you will always find 38 Spl ammo. Of course, you can utilize the 357 mag capability for larger, tougher and perhaps more dangerous contacts.

Having a Henry Big Boy rifle chambered in 357 mag as a companion piece for your Vaquero also greatly enhances a person’s capability to meet and detour evil.

The advantage here is the 9mm cylinder that Mr. Tyler is providing with this gorgeous handgun (not a manly term) he is producing for the Ruger collector, and for that Ruger practical shooter. 9mm is the number one sold handgun cartridge in the world. There is virtually nowhere you can go and not find 9mm ammo. 9mm is also the cheapest center fire handgun ammo you can buy.

Three cartridges, with three capabilities that can all be fired out of the same handgun–the Tyler Gun Works color case finished Ruger Vaquero. Beautiful, collectible, and perhaps the most important quality, functional.

You might think more than twice about taking out Custer’s old handgun in a crisis to stop “walkers” but no matter how good looking Mr. Tyler’s Vaqueros are, you will not hesitate to engage with that quality handgun, and do it in your choice of three cartridges.

The Tyler Vaquero has a 4 5/8 inch barrel. All 200 will be color case finished, both cylinders will be blued. Retail will be $850 for the Vaquero. If you want it engraved as many of the Ruger collectors do, that will cost $500. Samantha Cherry of Engraving by Sam, in Greensboro, North Carolina (engravingbysam.webs.com) has taken the lead on the custom engraving of Mr. Tyler’s Vaquero project.

There are custom stag grips that can be added to the Tyler Vaquero for $170. Mike Palmertree of Lone Star Custom Grips (lonestarcustomgrips.com) provided these quality, great looking grips to the project.

Mr. Tyler had a special holster produced by Barranti Leather (www.barrantileather.com) for the Vaquero if the collector desires to own one and it is priced at $125.

Tyler Gun Works has worked hard on this project to bring in other small businesses that support the firearms industry. Mr. Tyler even commissioned Candice Schueler of Friona Texas to create small custom bags to place the extra cylinder in, to protect the finish.

Mr. Tyler has already produced 200 color case finished Ruger Bearcat “shopkeeper” models, numbered 1 of 200 for the Ruger collector world.. If you acquired one of these Bearcats you have the right-of-first refusal to continue with the number you have on your Bearcat. Which means, if you want the Vaquero with the same 1 of 200 number as your Bearcat, let Bobby Tyler know as soon as possible.

He will bend over backwards to accommodate his former customers, but at the extremely fast rate the Bearcats sold out, do not hesitate in ordering your matching numbered Vaquero.

From what I am learning there is a very strong group of Ruger collectors out there interested in Tyler Gun Works custom Rugers. The competition for purchase of the Tyler Vaquero will come from the rank and file Ruger owners. Take a look at the Ruger suggest price for a Vaquero 357 mag revolver. For literally a few hundred dollars more you can have a Tyler color case custom Vaquero with two cylinders that allow you to shoot three cartridges.

Whether you are a Ruger collector or Ruger owner, you will get an outstanding finished handgun that will look great and in time of crisis meet your needs. The Tyler Vaquero in 357mag / 9mm is a desired tool of excellent quality, looks and value (www.facebook.com/tylergunworks).

Sometimes enhanced quality and enhanced value mean more than just dollars–they can be a life saver.

Major Van Harl USAF Ret. / [email protected]

About Major Van Harl USAF Ret.:Major Van E. Harl USAF Ret., a career Police Officer in the U.S. Air Force was born in Burlington, Iowa, USA, in 1955. He was the Deputy Chief of police at two Air Force Bases and the Commander of Law Enforcement Operations at another. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Infantry School.  A retired Colorado Ranger and currently is an Auxiliary Police Officer with the Cudahy PD in Milwaukee County, WI.  His efforts now are directed at church campus safely and security training.  He believes “evil hates organization.”  [email protected]

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