Well it isn't built "Ruger" tuff !

Bought my first Colt style Uberti/Taylors 6 gun about a month ago,the Running Iron, and have had
base pin removal problems twice after I have shot it.
Seems the base pin is being slammed forward during use and due to soft pin material,it developes a burr
around the pin relief edge. Actually all around as the pin turns more like getting peened by the harder
release pin.
You would think they would harden this pin to wear correctly with the cross pin.
May give Belt Mountain a call for a tougher Colt type base pin.
Yep not Ruger tough like my old New Vaquero... but I like the Colt type clickty click action and it is a great little 3.5 barreled shooter!

Heck..I might just make up one myself! My pin measures .250 dia. so I just need to search for a
.250 hard dowel pin close to the length I need and machine the lock notch in correct spot...grind several grooves at the end to get a grip and it should be fine....blue the exposed end of course!
I part time at a metal stamping company and work in the Tooling Repair shop.

"I part time at a metal stamping company and work in the Tooling Repair shop."....so it's not hard to guess where your 'spare time' goes.....

Well I always have some project going on in my shop be it a hot rod mod for somebody or now a little
gun repair,plus now into my reloading!

Your base pin shouldn't be turning in the frame, the cylinder bushing should be turning on the pin....but...that is one the drawbacks of the more-modern "quick release" latching system which replaced the original "screw passing though the frame" arrangement.
In other words, it depends on where the most "slop" is in a particular gun as to whether the pin rotates within the frame, the cylinder rotates on the bushing, or the bushing rotates on the pin. Of the three, only the latter is correct. Better that the pin and bushing should wear than the cylinder or frame....just sayin'.

Getting on to the problem at hand;
Yep, a harder base pin will prevent it from being peened by the latch. Question is though, will that cause the damage to simply transfer to the latch instead?....dunno.
If it does, you might give some thought to adding some sort of set screw arrangement to your new pin so it won't rotate and/or move fore 'n aft as easily.

Hope this helped.

DGW

Got the new pin finished up and made so it doesn't rotate....just a milled notch for the cross pin,plus a slight flat on the grip end for barrel clearance.
The original pin had a radiused groove machined all around which allowed it to rotate plus makes it weaker. It had already bent slightly at the head end from trying to remove it with care. Hardness checked out at 55 on the "C" scale where the original was like a 15...soft steel.
I could have just spent 30 bucks for a better pin but there is great satisfaction in making one.
Have to get the photo bucket thing going to post a pic!

Shot about 60 rounds through it today and no issue with a stuck base pin. My new pin,I machined up,seems to function fine!