I'm starting to lose a little confidence in Ruger

My .45 ACP Talo birdshead New Vaquero came from the factory with some chambers too tight/headspacing ledge too shallow so that some rounds would bind up the revolver on those chambers. I sent it back to Ruger and they returned it with the same problem. I sent it back again, explaining that it was my EDC and I required function over appearance. When they returned it to me the cylinder no longer bound. The face of the cylinder looked like hell but I accepted that I stated function over beauty. I've read here and other places that when the transfer bar drags it is more likely to break at some point. Some claimed that it wouldn't cause premature breakage. This Vaquero had transfer bar drag. Not having the immediate skills or funds to address the issue, I decided to wait until spring to perhaps get another transfer bar and address the potential issue. Well, my transfer bar just broke.

Tomorrow I will be contacting Ruger for at least the third time (perhaps 5th time) about this particular revolver. I'm losing at least a little confidence in Ruger... just a little.

My suggestion is to call Ruger CS and nicely tell them you have been very patient but you think it is time for a replacement. You may be pleasantly surprised. I have dealt with them a few times and it always seems that they want their customers to be satisfied and will go the extra mile to reach that end. Good luck.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not planning on asking for a replacement revolver as I don't think that there is anything particularly wrong with this one. (Also, this EDC and I have already been through a few things and I've grown fond of it.) I'm just somewhat disappointed in Ruger's quality control/fit & finish and customer service. There's a gun rights rally coming up and I am going to be missing this revolver if it isn't back by then or if they won't just send me a transfer bar. (I didn't rush them on previous returns but this one I might request it.)

I just got off of the telephone with Ruger CS. It was another dry experience. I wasn't expecting them to kiss my behind or anything but it wouldn't kill them to say something like, "Sorry you had that experience." Nope, just sending out transfer bar... now get lost. CS across the board in this country has gone to the dogs. It's not just Ruger but it's unfortunate to see that even they have lost the ability.

I went through 2 'customer service seminars' recently as part of a Sales & Customer interfacing business short-course I'm taking for Continuing Education Units of my license.

Part of that training was instruction that being overly apologetic leaves customers expecting handouts, and placing MORE BLAME on the company/product. Doing so is also perceived to be accepting of liability for the issue, which can and has been misconstrued to legal negligence. Handing out excessive freebies and "going above and beyond" sets a tone with some customers that you're trying to shut them up, or pay them off for your mistake - which is admitting to making a mistake and assuming liabilities for it. We were also cautioned to NEVER say "we've been getting a lot of complaints about XXX" or "We are aware of that issue with XXX product"... The instruction we received was to focus on reaching the solution and minimizing acceptable liability for the issue. A common thread among both seminars was also that "we used to do it that way, but here's how that backfired, so now we do it THIS way..."

I have no doubt that Ruger, as a professional corporation, has put their employees through some sort of training for customer service response, and I would not be surprised if they received the same messaging that we did.

So it might not be that they're trying to blow you off, or that the PEOPLE on the other end of the phone are inconsiderate, it might be how they were trained to respond.

I respectfully disagree. The tone of these conversations is generally that they don't give a damn. Their performance on previous repairs confirm that, in general, they don't.

That said JmE, I would shoot a note to the CEO using the "Tell the CEO" under the News and Resources tab on the Ruger website. Granted, you should not have to resort to that to get something akin to "traditional" Ruger customer service. Hope this turns out well, for all our sakes. Good luck.

It aint a big secret that despite all of the chest-thumping relative to their new CNC machinery, buying a new Ruger is becoming a crap shoot. That said though, dealing with Ruger's CS has allways been a positive experience for me. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that were it not for their CS Dept, I'd have already bought my last one.

DGW

JmE, I bought a Williams Supply convertible that has the same problem with the 45acp cylinder...mine simply will not work. I am sure that this cylinder was never checked for function before this gun left the factory. I have never returned it for service as I did not buy it for the acp cylinder...but it should work, although, I will never return it for service.

I sent my 5.5" 327 back to be rebarreled... .015 gap on the top tapered to .010 gap on the bottom of the bbl. Oh, they must have rushed to get them out the door, no problem, I'll send it back.

When it came back... I could slide 010" feeler gage halfway in from one side. .006" from the other side.....and the end shake is at least .005", it may be more, but the cylinder hits the barrel.

Thinking I got a lemon, I bought a 7.5" bbl...but this was a case of good money after bad. It has a bbl gap of .011"; it too is tapered down to .007". BTW, spec is .012".

I will never buy another new gun without the opprtunity to inspect it first.

Sad to say, this is nothing new. I had a hell of a time with them in '98 over a 45 Colt Blackhawk that had chambers off-center AND off axis. Sent it twice, no improvement so I shipped it back with a copy of the sales receipt and a note saying to just refund it, I wouldn't accept return shipment of it again.

mindustrial said:

I sent my 5.5" 327 back to be rebarreled... .015 gap on the top tapered to .010 gap on the bottom of the bbl. Oh, they must have rushed to get them out the door, no problem, I'll send it back.

When it came back... I could slide 010" feeler gage halfway in from one side. .006" from the other side.....and the end shake is at least .005", it may be more, but the cylinder hits the barrel.

Thinking I got a lemon, I bought a 7.5" bbl...but this was a case of good money after bad. It has a bbl gap of .011"; it too is tapered down to .007". BTW, spec is .012".

I will never buy another new gun without the opprtunity to inspect it first.

Click to expand...

Your not giving me any warm fuzzy feelings about mine that I had to send back... still waiting for it's return.

Sometimes it's less heartburn to just take the gun to a good smith and pay for the work to get it right. I'm not a big fan of CS for anything, and would rather get stuff done locally. Usually better results that are worth the few $$.

I have had nothing but great service from Ruger CS. Just saying, the few times I dealt with them or sent a gun in they have gone above and beyond expectations.

I agree Chuck. I have had nothing but good experiences with them. Ruger CS is an added reason I buy Ruger Firearms. I have no complaints.

original quote by JmE / "Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not planning on asking for a replacement revolver as I don't think that there is anything particularly wrong with this one. (Also, this EDC and I have already been through a few things and I've grown fond of it.) I'm just somewhat disappointed in Ruger's quality control/fit & finish and customer service. There's a gun rights rally coming up and I am going to be missing this revolver if it isn't back by then or if they won't just send me a transfer bar. (I didn't rush them on previous returns but this one I might request it.)" / end quote

Hmm. Maybe I am missing something here but I would say a broken transfer bar is definitely something particularly wrong. I am not trying to be an A hole here. I am just voicing my opinion. Hey, it's your gun handle it as you please but in my opinion complaining about a companies customer service and not seeing the repair process through is really not fair to the company. In my experience Ruger has always gone the extra mile to fix any issues I have had with their products but I had to be patient with their process. The only thing it has cost me is time and even that is usually only about a week. I had an SR45 that I purchased from Ruger and I sent it in for repairs three times at which point they offered to replace it and gave me the choice of what I wanted to replace it with.YMMV. I could have had a brand new SR1911. Call me crazy but I passed on that and chose a new SR45 because I really like the platform. I have over 2500 rounds through it now and I do not regret my choice one bit.

I've had 4 NM Vaquero's and they ALL were sent back with the same problem as JmE. I got disgusted and Ruger replaced the Vaq with a NM Stainless Blackhawk in 357 mag. You just never know what mood Ruger will be in. JMHO bhk

It's all about context, Passtime. You suggested a replacement revolver and I replied that I don't think that the revolver (as in the whole piece) has anything wrong with it; as in overall. Of course the transfer bar is broken but that doesn't mean that the whole firearm is defective and in need of replacement.

" in my opinion complaining about a companies customer service and not seeing the repair process through is really not fair to the company"

I have seen the repair process through each time. This complaining I'm doing is very much valid. I even accepted a nasty looking cylinder because it was functional and within functional limits. As this is my EDC, I really don't think about the cosmetics of the cylinder face except if I consider future resale. It really isn't a big issue to me but I know plenty of people who would not consider it acceptable for their firearm.

I have always been a huge Ruger fanboy. Lately, I've become slightly disenchanted with Ruger. Please read what I've posted in this thread and then your latest reply again.

On the replacement....

From a business perspective, you try to fix something several times and incurr the labor costs. At some point it is easier to throw in the towel and just bite the bullet and replace with a new one, as the labor you've spent on fixing may be more than what it takes to do new.

Plus the customer isn't happy based on track record. Sometimes the more times you try to fix things the end result is something that is lesser and lesser.

In my opinion what is important here is your firearm, your experience with Ruger and how you feel about it. I posted a possible solution and my opinion. Whatever route you take, good luck to you... :wink:

Received a new stainless Bearcat the other day...the right recoil shield has massive polishing ripples in the right recoil shield up to the hammer slot (looks like they took a grinder to it) and the edge on the loading gate is like a knife.
Chet1`5