Ruger single actions get a bad rap

Guns.com Vault
Gather App
gnappi

gnappi

Hunter
Joined
Jul 4, 2023
Messages
2,892
City & State/Province
Florida
I own and have owned several dozen of the various Ruger single action (SA) revolvers with a dozen or so made after the turn of the century to Y2K with the latest made in 2024. I'm getting really tired of reading the whining of owners who crab about "finish" in areas not seen without disassembling the gun, and those ill fitting grips that many plan on replacing anyway. Gads it's like there is a collective brand assassination movement afoot to steer buyers to Freedom Arms (FA) and Magnum Research (MR) BFR's.

I've had excellent experiences with all of my Ruger revolvers except one that I bought used (a 2017 super Blackhawk in 480) which had to go back to Ruger. That said I own a number FA and MR revolvers and yes they are better "fit" but in the case of MR's they are lead weight heavy and both brands cost way more than a "working man's" Ruger.

I sympathize with those who have actual functional and or way out of tolerance assembly line escapes and agree wholeheartedly that Ruger deserves to get a spanking, but those who put pin and feeler gauges to the gun and demand a return WITHOUT even shooting it are out of line.

I've read of shooters saying things like... "this was my last Ruger" and I say enjoy your MR and FA guns and don't let the door hit you on the posterior on the way out, maybe then Ruger owners who are happy with their revolvers don't have to hear how wrong they are to support and buy Ruger SA's.
 
There are issues with getting good employees at Ruger but before that, it was mostly just internet whining. Most of which could be avoided if people actually inspect the guns they buy before filling out the 4473. I've only gotten one Ruger that needed a trip back to the mothership and it was one I received as a gift, 20yrs ago. Other than that, I've never bought a bad one (over 80 and counting) but I also haven't bought every one I picked up either. There's no excuse for taking one home with a canted barrel.
 
hittman said:
Many ( most? ) never see their gun until UPS delivers it to their local FFL.

They win the auctions or hit Buy It Now and have instant gratification ……. Until …..
Click to expand...
You don't have to commit to it if something's wrong with it. Refuse the shipment, have them send it back. I've done that more than once.
 
It's kind of the times. For me in the "good ol days", like 1960-1990, mostly we just read gun magazines and reviews by various writers, and there might be a small page of letters to the editors, but that was it. If we were happy with a gun purchase we would brag to our friends, and if we weren't happy we might complain to a few friends, but that was it. Today, one comment written on a forum and countless people read it. It's just different.
 
I prefer the ones made before the mid 80's because they had more available talent back then, but some of the newer ones are just as good.
To me a good revolver is one with excellent tolerances, lockup and timing and accuracy.
A gun is a tool, but for most of us some level of idolatry kicks in. I'm partly guilty of that, but some go overboard.
As far as Ruger single actions go, most of the ones that look beat up are great shooters. This is especially true of Single Sixes. I tell people to buy the ugliest and cheapest one they can find because it will most likely still shoot like new and still have a 0.003" cylinder gap. They are a great value.
 
I buy Blackhawks because it the best way to get a reasonably light .45 Colt with adjustable sights. Freedom and Magnum research are way too heavy. All my Blackhawks are nice. I haven't got a bad one yet but I only owned 25 or so. I don't know anyone in person who has had a Ruger return, so I figure the loud ones on the Internet are a minority.
 
My .45 Colt Blackhawk Bisley is only about 4 1/2 ounces lighter than my FA (same 7 1/2" barrel length). Sure, the FA is a bit heavier but that helps with the "stick-of-dynamite" recoil of the 454.

Dan
 
I'm in the same boat as gnappi! I've enjoyed owning & using quite a few SA revolvers over the decades. Yet,, I see whining by people expecting a perfect finish, a perfect fit, and basically a hand built gun for minimum wage prices.
When Bill was alive & had employees who were actually gun people,, we got good stuff mostly. BUT,, we also got LONG wait times on new guns that were introduced because of low production CAUSED by the employees spending more time working on the building of them.
After Bill passed & production became one of the top priorities,, along with the hiring of "machine operators" or "parts assemblers" who were/are not really gun people,, we've seen issues pop up.
YET,, when you look at the actual production numbers of guns,, and the actual problems,, the percentages are not too far apart. We just have a a lot more of them produced to where we hear about the problems a lot more. Especially with the internet.

See a gun,, look it over,, and if it has minor flaws,, and that bothers you, DON'T buy it. But if you do buy it,, SHOOT the darn thing first,, before deciding it "needs fixing."

Yes,, if there is an obvious real flaw,, then by all means, send it back & give Ruger a chance to correct it.

I've seen AND shot Ruger SA handguns a lot. A few of them had canted barrels. to where the front sight was "off." Yet, the gun shoots very well. In fact,, I have a Vaquero in .45 Colt,, that when I got it,, it shot "low & left" enough to make me question myself. I got a good friend & great shooter to try it. he too got the same result. Yet the gun shot a one ragged hole group. He STILL wants that gun. I gently opened up the rear sight channel,, and it shoots centered (left & right) now. And I built a few loads that regulate to the height of the front sight. And yes,, it still shoots extremely well.
 
I have only been a Ruger fan since 1985 when I bought my first revolver, a used Security Six that I still have and love. My next revolver a year or so later was a used Ruger Super Blackhawk, which sadly I don't have any longer. I lost all but two of my pretty extensive collection was lost to a nasty long drawn out divorce in 1999. It took awhile but I was able to rebuild over the years. I started by buying mostly Rugers new and used. I've never come across a bad Ruger. Maybe abused but very shootable and not bad. I have bought several new Ruger revolvers in the past couple years (GP100s and a couple Blackhawks) and never received one with the issues a lot of folks are talking about. I never heard any complaining about Rugers until I joined this forum. Most of the complainers seem to join just to state their complaint and that's it they quickly disappear. I worked in a gun shop for a bit and one brand you never saw brought back was Ruger.

I still have some Blackhawks and Redhawks on my bucket list. If I find used ones that are a good deal great. But I have faith if I order a new one it will be just fine. If I come across one that has a quirk I have faith Ruger will make it right without issue.
 
I have a few Ruger SA, from new:

1757629506170.png

1757629583715.png
1757629613621.png

1757629643049.png



To Old:
1757629544971.png


While I do prefer the OM Actions, I do not have issues with the new. Nor do I get some of the rancor.

But, I will happily take that crappy SA off of your hands, at a discount of course, it is obviously a POS.
 
I purchase Ruger stock but seldom purchase their new models. I am one of the purchasers that seldom buys a new model, but when I do I expect to have to have some modifications performed. It's not just the Single Actions. There is no comparison from the original M77 to the new M77 Hawkeyes. I'm better off buying an OM Blackhawk, or Single-Six, as I'm going to get a better-quality firearm than I will if I purchase the new version. There is a reason the OM guns bring a premium.
 
.45 Mag? Do you mean .45 Colt or is it a custom?

Nice collection! I'm still working on mine :-)
 
GYJ44 said:
You don't have to commit to it if something's wrong with it. Refuse the shipment, have them send it back. I've done that more than once.
Click to expand...
You saying you've done this more than once, only validates that they are shipping junk.

I've experienced issues with a few brand new Rugers. I've recounted that all somewhere here.

My solution is to only buy older examples of the guns I want. BHs and SBHs made up until the mid 90s or so have been great.

I disagree with the "suck it up and like it" mentality when it comes to fit and finish issues and grip fit. The cost wouldn't be significantly higher to do these things right.

Addressing things like thread choke, proper barrel orientation, correct cylinder throat dimensions are low hanging fruit too.

Do it right the first time.
 
I have in my possession a pretty good number of Ruger SAs and have only ever sent one back, and honestly I probably could have done it myself but I wanted to make sure that they were no other issues that I didn't see. It was one I got used and fairly cheap that "just didn't work." I have never once had a Ruger SA come through my shop that I thought was junk.
But, then again, everyone has their own opinion.
 
I've had pretty good luck with mine. Only one .327 I didn't accept (that check over before you buy) and had Lipsey send another due to a loose front sight problem. Had to send back a Mark II (after years of owning it) when the bolt pull back broke off. They replaced with a one piece bolt. Oh, and my .357 flattop had the front sight fly off. I had my son drill and tap it. Not coming off now. If I have any complaint, it is with the out of the box trigger pull -- heavy and creepy. But solved with a trigger action jobs on all my shooters. Oh, and the .45 Colt revolvers have all had their throats reamed to .452. In my mind, Rugers are working man guns, no show guns, so minor flaws are not a big deal.
 
Just remember that that you will never change a naysayers mind if they are fixated on thinking that Rugers are poorly made. They do not want to have to admit that they may be incorrect in their thinking.

As was said, the complaints get published but people typically do not post just to praise their Rugers. If they did the forum probably would be overloaded. :eek: :)
 
thinckley said:
.17hmr (not convertible), .22 convertible, .41 Mag, .45 Colt, .44 Mag.... so all of them except the .17 convertible. I don't like bisley's. Grip feels wrong and aim is naturally higher than with the plows.
Click to expand...
Nice!

There's something about the Hunter model that checks a box for me that's elusive and I too have them all except a .17. I have the 17 covered in a Freedom Arms 97. I wonder if there has there been a Hunter only page somewhere?
 
I fully intend to use one of the centerfire Hunters on Whitetail in Montana here in a few years.
 
"I fully intend to use one of the centerfire Hunters on Whitetail in Montana here in a few years."

What's wrong with this year??? :unsure:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Bad news from Ruger
2 3
Replies
77
Views
3K
Star43
S
M
Guns magazine article about Ruger Single Actions
Replies
13
Views
588
Robb Barnes
Robb Barnes
Randominator
Ruger Single Seven - Updated
Replies
17
Views
833
contender
contender
LDB
Single Action Suggestions?
2
Replies
58
Views
2K
LDB
LDB
JackBull
Are Single Actions Still Popular?
2 3
Replies
63
Views
2K
Badubet69
B

Latest posts

Back
Top