Trouble with Ruger Vaquero

Oldgoat03 · July 13, 2012, 06:08 PM

I'm new to the Firing Line an would like to ask other revlolver folks about their experience if any with the New Single action Ruger Vaquero.

I bought a pair in 45 LC for my wife so she could compete in Cowboy Mounted Shooting Assoc (CMSA) events.

I've been shooting for years and have always had great experience with Rugers so when she said Vaquero's were on her wish list the choice was easy.

Fast forward about 9 months and she was at a mounted shoot and one of her revlover cylinders jammed an wouldn't rotate. I figured a primer had backed out and/or it had gotten dirty (loading black powder). When I looked closer I discovered that the Transfer bar had broken off and become stuck in the hammer mechanism preventing cocking and rotation of the cylinder. I managed to get the piece out and was prepared to fix it myself once I got a new part from Ruger.

This pistol has not had much use and to have it break was a shock. Then to make matters worse I called Ruger the end of June and told them the story and even got a part number from the CS rep. She the told me they were shutting down for maintenance and wouldn't be able to help until the week after the 4th of July. Oh and would I just call back?!? It really didn't seem like the Ruger Cust supt I had always rec'd and heard about.

Ok so I called back the week after the 4th and after telling her my story again she told me the part was out of stock sorry. Then silence. I asked when one might be available and was told they were back ordered and she didn't know. Crap!?! Again silence ... She eventually said she could put me on the back order list but didn't know when they'd be available.

My wife is in the middle of her CMSA season and now doesn't have one of her guns. She is for all practicle purposes done for the year because Ruger doesn't have a part on hand for one of their current production guns.

To say that I'm frustrated and unhappy with Ruger CS on is this an understatement. I've had only good experience prior so thought I'd check here to see if its only me or??

Anyone else have or heard of this problem with the transfer bar on a vaquero? Anyone else had similar experience with Ruger Cust support?

I am not bashing Ruger so sorry if I've vented a bit along the way but this seems unreasonable.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Bob Wright · July 13, 2012, 07:41 PM

I broke the transfer in my .45 Colt "Super" Blackhawk. I ordered mine from Brownell's and replaced it myself.

It happens, especially if the hammer nose is a little short and strikes the transfer bar fully instead of hitting the frame simultaneously.

Bob Wright

Crunchy Frog · July 13, 2012, 09:16 PM

If Midway, Brownell's etc. does not have a transfer bar in stock try putting out a call for help on the mounted cowboy websites or on the SASS Wire. Transfer bars occasionally break; some shooters keep a spare on hand. I'm sure a cowboy shooter will help you out.

johnbt · July 14, 2012, 08:54 AM

Most gun makers are using every part they can get on backordered guns. Ruger had over a million guns backordered and even stopped taking new orders in March. The customer service department isn't to blame, they don't make the parts.

Bob Wright · July 14, 2012, 08:59 AM

Guns that get heavy use with magnum velocity cartridges are going to suffer broken parts. The wise shooter keeps a few parts on hand for just such an occassion.

I keep ejector rod housing screws, transfer bars, base pins, firing pins, and things like that on hand.

Bob Wright

jmortimer · July 14, 2012, 09:10 AM

Say what you want about Ruger, but Customer Service is great. I have a new Vaquero and it is really well made. Stuff happens and sometimes parts are out of stock, it happens. You are throwing the baby out with the bath water on this one.

g.willikers · July 14, 2012, 09:21 AM

It only makes sense to keep spares around for the regularly used guns that see the most use.
And for some cosmic reason, the parts that you will have spares for never seem to break.

dahermit · July 14, 2012, 09:30 AM

Quote:

...Guns that get heavy use with magnum velocity cartridges are going to suffer broken parts...

But in the poster's case, it would have been very light loads using black powder. Cowboy Action shooters do not shoot anything but very light loads.

Salmoneye · July 14, 2012, 09:57 AM

This is a matter of Transfer Bar Pinch...Ruger is well aware of the issue, and if I were a betting man, I'd say that if you had returned the gun when this happened with a letter stating 'Transfer Bar Pinch' was the culprit, you may well have had the gun back this week or next, fixed for free...

shafter · July 14, 2012, 11:10 AM

The transfer bar broke on my New Vaquero too. (after thousands upon thousands of dry fires). I took it apart and couldn't seem to get it working so I sent it to Ruger. Everything works fine now.

1911Tuner · July 15, 2012, 05:54 AM

Transfer Bar pinch. It surfaces in the occasional Ruger. I noticed it on my .357 Blackhawk convertible. There's a simple check and an easy fix.

Cock and lower the hammer, keeping the trigger held to the rear. Slowly release the trigger and watch the hammer closely. If it moves forward, it's pinching. Carefully remove a little material from the hammer where it hits the transfer bar until no hammer movement is seen. Careful. Go slow. Too much and you'll get misfires. Cut it on an angle, and you'll eventually get a broken hammer.

Eghad · July 15, 2012, 05:49 PM

I own a pair of New Vaqueros I have used in SASS shooting never had that problem. I have read about it happening. The one time recently I have usually had a problem with Ruger I went to the web site and sent a message. It wasn't on another model. They sent a prepaid shipping label for the pistol and I had it back in four weeks.

I prefer this to a phone call because I now have a written record.

http://www.ruger.com/footer/contact.html

In red it has submit a written request.

Magnum Wheel Man · July 16, 2012, 07:54 AM

BTW... mounted shooters don't even shoot bullets, they shoot a "basic case" star crimped with only black powder... these loads are used to pop balloons with the coarse black powder embers...

theres not alot of recoil

July 13, 2012, 06:08 PM	#1
Oldgoat03 Member Join Date: March 8, 2012 Location: Western Wa. Posts: 20	Trouble with Ruger Vaquero I'm new to the Firing Line an would like to ask other revlolver folks about their experience if any with the New Single action Ruger Vaquero. I bought a pair in 45 LC for my wife so she could compete in Cowboy Mounted Shooting Assoc (CMSA) events. I've been shooting for years and have always had great experience with Rugers so when she said Vaquero's were on her wish list the choice was easy. Fast forward about 9 months and she was at a mounted shoot and one of her revlover cylinders jammed an wouldn't rotate. I figured a primer had backed out and/or it had gotten dirty (loading black powder). When I looked closer I discovered that the Transfer bar had broken off and become stuck in the hammer mechanism preventing cocking and rotation of the cylinder. I managed to get the piece out and was prepared to fix it myself once I got a new part from Ruger. This pistol has not had much use and to have it break was a shock. Then to make matters worse I called Ruger the end of June and told them the story and even got a part number from the CS rep. She the told me they were shutting down for maintenance and wouldn't be able to help until the week after the 4th of July. Oh and would I just call back?!? It really didn't seem like the Ruger Cust supt I had always rec'd and heard about. Ok so I called back the week after the 4th and after telling her my story again she told me the part was out of stock sorry. Then silence. I asked when one might be available and was told they were back ordered and she didn't know. Crap!?! Again silence ... She eventually said she could put me on the back order list but didn't know when they'd be available. My wife is in the middle of her CMSA season and now doesn't have one of her guns. She is for all practicle purposes done for the year because Ruger doesn't have a part on hand for one of their current production guns. To say that I'm frustrated and unhappy with Ruger CS on is this an understatement. I've had only good experience prior so thought I'd check here to see if its only me or?? Anyone else have or heard of this problem with the transfer bar on a vaquero? Anyone else had similar experience with Ruger Cust support? I am not bashing Ruger so sorry if I've vented a bit along the way but this seems unreasonable. Thanks in advance for your responses.

July 14, 2012, 09:21 AM	#7
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	It only makes sense to keep spares around for the regularly used guns that see the most use. And for some cosmic reason, the parts that you will have spares for never seem to break. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

July 15, 2012, 05:54 AM	#11
1911Tuner Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2004 Location: NC Piedmont/Foothills Posts: 666	Busted Bar Transfer Bar pinch. It surfaces in the occasional Ruger. I noticed it on my .357 Blackhawk convertible. There's a simple check and an easy fix. Cock and lower the hammer, keeping the trigger held to the rear. Slowly release the trigger and watch the hammer closely. If it moves forward, it's pinching. Carefully remove a little material from the hammer where it hits the transfer bar until no hammer movement is seen. Careful. Go slow. Too much and you'll get misfires. Cut it on an angle, and you'll eventually get a broken hammer. __________________ If your front porch collapses and kills more than three dogs...You just might be a redneck

July 15, 2012, 05:49 PM	#12
Eghad Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 6,231	I own a pair of New Vaqueros I have used in SASS shooting never had that problem. I have read about it happening. The one time recently I have usually had a problem with Ruger I went to the web site and sent a message. It wasn't on another model. They sent a prepaid shipping label for the pistol and I had it back in four weeks. I prefer this to a phone call because I now have a written record. http://www.ruger.com/footer/contact.html In red it has submit a written request. __________________ Have a nice day at the range NRA Life Member

July 16, 2012, 07:54 AM	#13
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	BTW... mounted shooters don't even shoot bullets, they shoot a "basic case" star crimped with only black powder... these loads are used to pop balloons with the coarse black powder embers... theres not alot of recoil __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

July 13, 2012, 07:41 PM	#2
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	I broke the transfer in my .45 Colt "Super" Blackhawk. I ordered mine from Brownell's and replaced it myself. It happens, especially if the hammer nose is a little short and strikes the transfer bar fully instead of hitting the frame simultaneously. Bob Wright

July 13, 2012, 09:16 PM	#3
Crunchy Frog Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2008 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 591	If Midway, Brownell's etc. does not have a transfer bar in stock try putting out a call for help on the mounted cowboy websites or on the SASS Wire. Transfer bars occasionally break; some shooters keep a spare on hand. I'm sure a cowboy shooter will help you out.

July 14, 2012, 08:54 AM	#4
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,004	Most gun makers are using every part they can get on backordered guns. Ruger had over a million guns backordered and even stopped taking new orders in March. The customer service department isn't to blame, they don't make the parts.

July 14, 2012, 08:59 AM	#5
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	Guns that get heavy use with magnum velocity cartridges are going to suffer broken parts. The wise shooter keeps a few parts on hand for just such an occassion. I keep ejector rod housing screws, transfer bars, base pins, firing pins, and things like that on hand. Bob Wright

July 14, 2012, 09:10 AM	#6
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	Say what you want about Ruger, but Customer Service is great. I have a new Vaquero and it is really well made. Stuff happens and sometimes parts are out of stock, it happens. You are throwing the baby out with the bath water on this one.

July 14, 2012, 09:57 AM	#9
Salmoneye Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,076	This is a matter of Transfer Bar Pinch...Ruger is well aware of the issue, and if I were a betting man, I'd say that if you had returned the gun when this happened with a letter stating 'Transfer Bar Pinch' was the culprit, you may well have had the gun back this week or next, fixed for free...

July 14, 2012, 11:10 AM	#10
shafter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2009 Posts: 1,624	The transfer bar broke on my New Vaquero too. (after thousands upon thousands of dry fires). I took it apart and couldn't seem to get it working so I sent it to Ruger. Everything works fine now.