New Ruger a bit loose?

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westernrover

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I bought a new Ruger single action. I ordered it. It came in the bag in the case with all the grease, so I took delivery of it. Then I cleaned it up and checked it out. The cylinder has a bit of end-shake and the gap varies from 0.005" to 0.009". Seems a bit loose. Sell it, send it to Ruger, send it to a smith, or shoot it?
 
westernrover said:
I bought a new Ruger single action. I ordered it. It came in the bag in the case with all the grease, so I took delivery of it. Then I cleaned it up and checked it out. The cylinder has a bit of end-shake and the gap varies from 0.005" to 0.009". Seems a bit loose. Sell it, send it to Ruger, send it to a smith, or shoot it?
Click to expand...

Give them a call, tell them the measurements you found & that you have doubts about it. They will be
onboard if it goes South like not accurate or gets worse, be sure you keep measuring the gap if they
want you to shoot it, in case you see a dramatic difference or even an inconsistent reading.
Like MaxP said the most accurate Ruger I ever had was a Blackhawk & it was loose.
The next Blackhawk I bought couldn't hit the inside of a barn & it was loose also. Back then I was to
young & dumb to know I could send it back, the rear sight had to set so far left it looked ridiculous.
 
If your B/C gap measurement is accurate I would send it in. Ruger has made many people happy with their customer service so you will have no problem. No way would I accept a revolver as you describe.
 
I would probably shoot it first just to see how it does. I have had some revolvers that were too tight and could barely get the cylinder around on them. If it doesn't function properly or the groups are all over the place, then I would contact Ruger to see what they have to say about it.
 
As the late humorist Will Rogers said;

"Well all I know is just what I read in the papers" meaning I would shoot it first. Where the holes in the target is most important to me.

Personally I like a larger b/c gap. I have my 45 Colt Vaqueros b/c gap set at .008". Also shooting it will uncover any other problems that may exist.
 
Allow me to introduce you to Lucy - Lucy is as loose as a goose, hence the name. Lucy is a .454 Super Blackhawk. The end shake is so bad that if you shake the gun it rattles. Lucy will do this with boring regularity:

IMG_6826.jpg

This group was also shot at 50 yards (with a red dot up top):

SG-NewSBH-8.jpg

Lucy has accounted for a number of notable animals to include:

IMG_1508.jpg

You really need to shoot the gun first. When/if it doesn't shoot well, then - and just then, you should/could take critical measurements. My FA 83, while accurate, is as tight as a drum, but Lucy will out shoot it.
 

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.006 is optimum so yours is on the tail end of this... agree that if it were mine I would shoot it and see if it spits lead or not. That said, Ruger customer service should take care of it if it bugs you. Life is short. If you don't love it, give them some business on the fix and see what happens.
 
I am with Max P shoot it first. Several of my Ruger single actions are a bit loose and they shoot just fine. I would be more worried that the cylinder throats are all big enough for the barrel when using lead bullets in a Ruger myself.;)
 
I shot it. Shot 250 rounds on Monday and Tuesday. I don't really see a correlation between a sloppy barrel and cylinder fit and how it shoots. Others have pointed out that they have loose revolvers that shoot accurately, and tight ones that shoot less so. I don't shoot a revolver for precision groups at 50 yards, so I don't see what I'd be looking for in how it shoots. A b/c gap of ten thou and a lot of end shake won't necessarily spit lead, but that doesn't make it good. I did shoot a couple cylinders full of cartridges off a rest. Part of the groups were tight and there were fliers. It easily could have just been me pushing on the trigger since I'm used to a 15 pound double action. I don't have a Ransom Rest or anything like that. I don't actually intend to start testing manufacturers' products for them. It's a shame that ass-kissers like those who write or produce video for Gunblast never call makers out on their junk. According to them, b/c gaps are routinely three thousandths, and everything they test is just fine.

Regardless of how it shoots, the assembly shows poor workmanship for a $700 gun. Besides the cylinder so loose it rattles, there's a large burr on the frame. If it was a stainless gun, I might have just knocked it off. But this one is blued. It's going back to Ruger. It's a real pity because I bought three revolvers from Smith & Wesson and every one of them had to go back for a quality defect or several. One S&W is going back for the second time. A replacement cylinder is so poorly fitted the hand won't rotate it reliably and it strikes primers off center. I decided I would have to be a fool to buy yet another Smith & Wesson, so I bought a Ruger, and a single-action no less, something Ruger ought to be able to get right.
 
westernrover said:
I I don't shoot a revolver for precision groups at 50 yards, so I don't see what I'd be looking for in how it shoots. I don't actually intend to start testing manufacturers' products for them.
Regardless of how it shoots, the assembly shows poor workmanship for a $700 gun.
Click to expand...

How does one evaluate the accuracy of a revolver? I like 50 yards because it's a realistic hunting distance. Before I take any revolver on a hunt, it has to show me something. My revolvers are my hunting tools. I don't check critical dimensions unless there is a problem, and I evaluate it by shooting it first.

I personally don't have huge expectations for a $700.00 gun, a $1,700.00 gun on the other hand.... That said, it's a Ruger which means it is a great foundation, but it will need a trigger job, grips as well, and probably sights while we're at it. Again, it's a $700.00 gun, not a $1,700.00 gun. Remember, it's 2018 and $700.00 for an American-made firearm is not on the high side. If one is looking for perfection, there are a number of great gunsmiths out there that can tune a Ruger to be all it can be. However, if it doesn't shoot well, by all means it should be sent back for correction.
 
So this is one of those posts where the OP just wants to gripe, complain and blow off steam but is not really looking for a solution or dissenting opinions???

Ok. First off, I check barrel/cylinder gap (eyeballs, don't own feeler gauges), fit & finish, timing, etc., before I commit to buy any revolver, new or used. I figure after buying over 80 revolvers I should know what I'm looking at by now. Secondly, I don't understand all the crap that people measure to look for problems in a new gun before they even shoot the damned thing. Yes sir, how it shoots is really all that matters. I NEVER go looking for problems until there's a symptom, seems ass-backwards to me. The symptoms only show up in shooting. If you're not testing your revolvers for accuracy, how do you determine whether or not they're worth a crap? Third, your "problem" doesn't sound like a problem at all. Are you just looking for something to complain about? It would be an issue if it were a $3000 Freedom Arms or a $5000 custom but for a production Ruger or S&W, it sounds like you're just looking for something to complain about. Again, as folks have kindly suggested above, to which you have rudely responded, all that matters is how it shoots.
 
So a big burr on the frame, tool marks around the pins, way off-center primer strikes, trijicon sights where only two out of three dots glow, screws damaged by improper screwdrivers, rough chambers that stretch cases and inhibit extraction, bent cranes that let the cylinder slide past the stop, and other problems like that don't matter as long as the gun shoots straight? Or I should only expect better quality from FA or custom guns?
 
Okay, are we talking about the Ruger or are we just throwing every single problem you ever had into one post? Because it's tough for those of us whose personalities do not reside in your head to keep up with it all.

The only thing I take away from this is that you are bent and just want to vent. You're not actually looking for anything constructive. In case you don't know, that's not what these forums are for.
 
westernrover said:
...bent cranes that let the cylinder slide past the stop...
Click to expand...

I know what your problem is. You have a very rare swing out cylinder, Ruger single action. Since none of us have ever had one, of course we can't identify with or understand your frustration and displeasure. My deepest sympathy goes out to you. Send it back and get that one-of-a-kind revolver fixed!

Dave
 
Well if you're not happy with it and send it back to Ruger . You'll end up with two things. One is they will say it's within spec and send it back. Or two the most likely situation is they will fix any issue and maybe some stuff you didn't realize. Both will be done in a timely manner. That in my book is a step up from your three previous purchases. Give a chance before you bash. Getting a gun that's not quite up to you expectations for the price you pay is a let down. But in the times we live in where big gun producers are about numbers and getting things out the door ( it's sad but seems to be how things are) you shouldn't be surprised. At least Ruger is known for fixing mistakes on their dime and don't hold on to your guns for months at a rip.
 
My 1973 BH is loosey goosey but then over 300k rounds tends to do that for you.
Don’t believe me? Just ask my 1997 7.3 F250 with over 525k!
Loose (within reasonable limits) is just a result of experience.:)
 
MaxP said:
Allow me to introduce you to Lucy - Lucy is as loose as a goose, hence the name. .
Click to expand...

Lucy sounds like my Colt 1911.

We all expect perfection when we buy something new, just Human Nature. While I too would have shot the gun before thinking there was something mechanically wrong with it, a quick "once over" should have been all it took to see any cosmetic flaws that would be detrimental to me accepting it. As many have said, there's a difference between a run of the mill $700 gun and a $1500 custom shop gun. Kinda like the diffidence in the paint job between a $750 scooter and a $20,000 Harley. Iffin the cosmetics bother the OP so much, I too suggest he contact Ruger and see if they will make it right in his eyes. I hunt with many of my handguns and shoot all of them on a regular basis. They tend to get scratched and nicked up. Iffin I wanted to keep them perfect, I guess I wouldn't use 'em.
 
Geez, tough crowd. A guy mentions some problems with a new gun and next thing you know people are accusing him of everything short of multiple personalities. He asked for guidance and got trampled.

Lots of Ruger fanboys here?
 
Speedo66 said:
Geez, tough crowd. A guy mentions some problems with a new gun and next thing you know people are accusing him of everything short of multiple personalities. He asked for guidance and got trampled.

Lots of Ruger fanboys here?
Click to expand...
Read it again. He clearly doesn't want guidance and wholly rejected what he got.
 
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