Keith, I think it depends on what you want out of it. I have owned both. They are both accurate, dependable sidearms. Both will break if abused. If you want a gun that is a Colt clone and is very close to the real McCoy for reenactments or cowboy action shooting, the Uberti is the way to go. The New Vaquero looks very similar to a Colt, but is not a clone. It is probably nominally more rugged than the Uberti, but not a lot. The original Vaquero is a substantial gun. It looks less like an original Colt than the New Vaquero does, but it can be shot with the same loads as a Blackhawk. The New Vaquero and Uberti are not capable of the "Ruger or Thompson-Center Only" loads that the old model Vaquero is capable of.
If I wanted something that was rugged and could shoot heavy loads, I'd get an old Vaquero. The New Vaquero is between the two and IMO doesn't have much going for it-although it is a fine gun in its own right.
