Changes at Ruger Customer Service???

[rantingredneck]

have been having an on-again, off-again problem with my Ruger P90. I was getting failures to fire/primer light strikes and thought I might need a new hammerspring. I swapped it out and still having troubles. Intermittent failures with light primer strikes across the board. Finally figured maybe my firing pin was out of spec. It wasn't broken so I figured maybe it was a thousandth or two too short.

Never had to send a gun into Ruger before, but I've heard positive experiences from other people. Also heard people bellyache that they won't send out certain parts (like firing pins). So I called today from work and spoke to a very nice lady. I explained the problem to her. She first asked was the firing pin channel blocked or dirty. I said no I had fully detail stripped it and cleaned it and the firing pin was not broken. She said to send it in to them and they'd get it working right. I asked for a call tag and she asked for a serial number. Of course I was at work and the gun was at home so I told her I'd call her back.

So I called back once I got home and I think got the same person. I told her I was the guy who called earlier and read her my serial number. I figured at this point I'd take a shot at maybe getting her to send me a firing pin. Didn't think she would given other's posted experiences, but it was worth a shot right??

So I tell her that the primers show light strikes all the time and sometimes so light that the round doesn't fire. I tell her I've fully stripped and cleaned the slide and have tried replacing the hammerspring with a known good one from another of my guns. I tell her my theory that the firing pin is just a shade out of spec. She says, "Well instead of you bothering with sending the gun in, why don't I just send you a firing pin?? You're comfortable putting it in right??" I tell her, "Sure, it's no problem to detail strip." She takes my name and address and I have a firing pin on the way. She said if swapping the firing pin didn't work to call her back for a call tag and they'd take the gun in for service and get it right. I told her I would, because if it ain't the firing pin I'm out of ideas.

All in all I'm pleased with the response. I was expecting to have to beg for a firing pin and have to send my gun in anyway. As it is, she offered the firing pin without me even asking.

 

[Hunter0924]

I have ever had to send a gun but I have called customer service a few times with questions.
So far Ruger customer service has been as good to me as their pistols.

 

[unspellable]

light strike

I had a P89 with an off center firing pin hole in the breech face. As well as hitting the primer off center, it gave light strikes, I presume the firing pin was binding somewhat due to being incorrectly lined up.

 

[rantingredneck]

Forgive the obvious question, but when you "detail strip" the pin did you clean out the end of the firing pin channel?

I'd spec out the OAL on the pins when you get the replacement. The other things I'd think about are checking the clearance in the transfer bar/hammer linkage.

I haven't looked at a P90 in a zillion years, but generally "light strikes" can be traced to dirt in the striker channel or some sort of obstruction in the hammer/transfer bar linkage.

Absolutely clean as a whistle. I tore the slide down to the component parts. and sprayed them out liberally with gunscrubber and swabbed them thoroughly. Also, I should have mentioned that even when new it showed very light primer indentations, much lighter than my P97 or either of my P345's. I originally thought it might be a weak hammerspring, but even after swapping them around it was still light striking. I've had 8 or 9 total failures to fire out of about 1000 rounds so it's hitting hard enough to ignite the primer most of the time.

Not sure exactly what you're calling a transfer bar on the P90. Mine doesn't have one. Ruger revolvers, yes. P-series pistols, no.

 

[rantingredneck]

I had a P89 with an off center firing pin hole in the breech face. As well as hitting the primer off center, it gave light strikes, I presume the firing pin was binding somewhat due to being incorrectly lined up.

If replacing the firing pin doesn't work that may be the cause of mine. The primer strike is slightly off center on mine too. I guess we'll find out in a few days when i get a new pin.

 

[rantingredneck]

An update to this thread. I received the firing pin and swapped them out. Still having light strike problems. Called customer service back and spoke to a service tech. He asked if the primer indentations were off-center. They are. He said likely a machining problem with the slide/firing pin channel. So they sent me a call tag and I got it to UPS today. We'll see what happens from here and I'll keep the thread updated as we go.

First time I've ever had an issue with a Ruger. So far I'm pleased with the service.

 

[Lookn4Brass]

Glad you had a good experience with them. Some guns, according to Ruger, require you to send it in. When it comes to the Mini-14, there's no way in the devil's hot place that you're going to get a firing pin without sending the gun in. I wanted one to fit to the gun as a spare. Even though I was an accomplished, licensed gunsmith myself, they would not send me the part - said it had to be individually fitted to the gun. Period. ARRGH! Oh well. Some of us really don't like to let our guns away from the ranch... or house...without us going with them. Guess we have to play along sometimes. Sometimes not!