Ruger Disappointment

[Guy Miner]

Basic Handgun class this morning. Nice lady brings her brand new, nearly $700, Ruger SP 101 38 Special revolver.


I teach her how to shoot with one of my 22 semi-auto pistols. She's doing fine.


Grabs the Ruger, hits the target okay for a shot or two, then can't pull the trigger. After she struggles with it a bit, I ask to shoot it. Bang. Bang. No-Go. Cylinder wont' turn, can't pull the trigger. Bummer. Not what one wants in a self-defense type handgun, not at all!


So we finish up the training with her using my old S&W Model 19, which she really liked. Class is over now, I'm home, she's at the store where she bought it, trying to work something out. BTW, she got pretty doggone good with my 22 pistol.


Guy

 

[FOTIS]

That is really odd Guy!

 

[ethmoid1999]

It shot a friends new (old) Colt Python. The symptom was cylinder end shake. Shot good single action but would bind in double action. The old smith in Lubbock said the chambers were rough and polished them. After that it ran like a sewing machine. Might be the case with the Ruger. Irregardless no handgun should leave the factory in that condition.

 

[Guy Miner]

Ya, I'd bet that the store just wants her to send it to Ruger, but she's completely lost faith in the gun. It's her only handgun and she wanted/needed it for self defense. Bought it recently.

I'm hoping the store lets her trade it in for a new handgun. Sadly, she's soured on Ruger revolvers right now. Can't say I blame her. We all know Ruger usually builds a very rugged & dependable revolver. How this danged thing got out the door, I'll never understand. It didn't make it through the first five shots without a problem.

Guy

 

[ethmoid1999]

Sad deal. I equate Ruger with reliable and anvil tough.

 

[Thebear_78]

I’m sure ruger will make it right. They are always rough but usually very reliable. Luckily there are a TON of good concealed carry options out there right now and a lot selling for crazy low prices. Check out the screaming deals on SW shields.


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[Blkram]

No manufacturer can guarantee that 100% of their products will function 100% reliably all of the time. Even those with the best reputations have items that make it through quality control once in a while. This is a fact of life. And as stated they usually are very rugged and reliable.

I would recommend that she contact Ruger directly, if the store and/or distributor do not resolve her problem. Most manufacturers today are pretty good about standing behind their products and customer service.

If it is a problem that they can fix and provide her with a reliable product, the experience may restore her faith in the product and the company (or the retailer). Hopefully this will happen for her.

 

[Gun nut]

+1 Blkram. Ruger customer service is very good. They will make it right.
Duane

 

[Guy Miner]

Update:

Local shop where she bought the Ruger opened it up for her and found a lot of manufacturing debris inside, causing the revolver to lock up. It dry-fires just fine now, and we're going to take it out to the range to test fire it soon.

Guy

 

[JD338]

Hopefully a good once over and a thorough cleaning will reinstill the confidence she needs to shoot.
Lucky for her she has Guy for a coach.

JD338

 

[Vince]

Sorry to hear about the lady’s Ruger.
I had something similar happen but the shop sent it back to Ruger and they made it right. I’d have no reservations buying anything Ruger as they stand behind their products.

Vince


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[Guy Miner]

Ya, that revolver was a real shock to me, after having been quite happy with several Ruger revolvers over the years.

But... Once all that manufacturing debris was cleaned out, and the handgun properly lubed, it was an accurate and reliable firearm. Exactly what Ruger is known for.

Guy

 

[Anonymous]

It seems that in the modern era, revolvers either fail within a couple hundred rounds or the last for decades.

I've heard several such stories the last couple of years with new revolvers- manufacturing debris and defects in the fine parts that make revolvers work.. Enough so that I dry fired my S&W 329 a few thousand times the week I bought it.

I did have a Ruger Service Six tie up completely back in the early 90s. A local gunsmith was able to take it apart and fix it for an hour's labor.

 

[mjcmichigan]

Friend had a Kahr that would drop the magazine after one or two shots. Sent it back.. did it on return. The dealer who teaches CLP tried it, same thing... dealer let him trade it

Lost confidence in it.


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