Vaquero Initial Quality

Hey all,

I just picked up a 45 LC/ACP Vaquero from Davidsons. After I got it home and looked it over I noticed some initial quality issues I wondered if anyone else had issues with. The biggest being the fit of the ejector rod housing. It seems to pull away from the barrel as it moves towards the muzzle. Minor issues are some nicks near the muzzle and the loading gate could have been fitted better. I called Ruger and a very helpful representative has a new rod housing on its way to me.

I have stoned and worked with the current housing to where its fit has improved, but once the screw is installed it still seems to fit oddly. Almost like the screw hole is miss drilled location or angle wise.

Just wondering if anyone else has had these issues or if I'm being too picky. I've had 2 other vaqueros with no such concerns.

ledzep152 said:

. The biggest being the fit of the ejector rod housing. It seems to pull away from the barrel as it moves towards the muzzle.

Click to expand...

What do you mean by "moves towards the muzzle"?

When it 'moves", does it open up a gap between the rear end of the housing and the front or the frame? This should not happen, and would confirm you're correct, the hole sounds like it is threaded on an angle leaning towards the front.

If you install the housing screw w/o the housing, you can confirm if it's not at right angle to the barrel. A longer 8x40 screw or a tap in the hole will make it immediately obvious if that's the problem.

I've seen this before. A new housing won't help. You have 3 choices:

1. Clean up the angle by re-tapping/straightening the threads with a 8x40 bottoming tap (flat on the end) to correct the angle, by insuring the tap is straight up and down, and at right angle to the barrel. This works, I've done it.

2. Re-drill the ejector rod housing hole at a matching angle to the threads or slim down the head of the screw. I don't prefer either of those options, but a casual observer wouldn't notice it and you have a spare housing to use.

3. Return to Ruger by calling for a free shipping label from them. You'll get a new barrel and have it back in 12 days or less.

Hi Hondo,

I should clarify, the housing itself doesn't move. As you "look" at the ejector housing, towards the muzzle, the housing begins to pull away. Upon disassembly you could feel the housing was under tension/torsion inside the frame......as in you had to push the housing to the barrel but it would spring away when let go. I relieved some of the tension near the receiver end with an india stone but the problem still exists.

Almost like the radius of the ejector rod is off center or radius'd too deep. Guess i'll see what the new housing does or it goes back to Ruger.

Ok, gotcha'.

I've had to sand the underside of housing to get the curve to match the barrel. I wrap the barrel or a spare barrel with emery cloth and move the housing up and down the emery to match its curve to the barrel diameter.

Also, the barrel is tapered and the housing is straight. So when the housing is tightened down it gets pulled against the barrel. The reduced diameter back end of the housing the little ridge on the back end of the housing where it butts up against the frame has to be slightly angled to relieve the tension and for a good fit.

Hondo 44, good suggestions, you might have nailed it with your first one. Looking at the first pic it looks like a hole is drilled off angle, maybe in the barrel maybe in the housing.

Ledzep, there have been times when people can be too picky, but I don't think this is one of those times. I don't mind a scratch or 2, or a missed spot here & there in the finishing dept. I try to remember I didn't pay for perfect. But that gap with the ejector rod housing is not acceptable IMO. It's unsightly, & with the pressure you mention, it's just a stress riser that's inviting failure of the screw. Keep us posted & welcome to the forum.

After speaking with a very helpful David P. at Ruger he offered to send me a new ejector housing. It arrived today and as others have said it may take a little fitting to the taper of the barrel but it already looks much better than the one it shipped with installed. I spent two hours fitting the previous housing and it still wasn't this close.

Thanks again to all on this forum and Ruger. It's a nice shooting pistol!

Hope that resolves the problem. Your ejector housing looks like it fits just like mine now, so how's about a nice picture of the whole gun?

Here's my NV .357...

Just your plain jane stock Vaquero.

Nice - but I didn't know they still came with black checkered plastic grips.

They are the wood grips. Just dark in the pic!