New SRH with crooked front sight

[Judgnot]

After searching for a while I recently bought a 45 colt super redhawk in 7.5. I was searching and searching for one that didn't have the warning roll marks on the barrel and I finally located and purchased one that was built this year. I'm impressed with the overall build quality except for one thing...

My front sight is not aligned correctly. It sits noticeable crooked on the barrel. Can anyone tell me how the front sight post is attached to the barrel? I'd really like to get it straightened out and am unsure how to go about it. I'd rather avoid sending it back to Ruger but I have to have a true front sight.

Thanks for any help.

 

[powder smoke]

Yup I hear ya. But on a brand new Redhawk I'd send it back. If a Smith or you work on it and something goes south on you well you own it. If Ruger works on it you will have it right with no risk! JMO ps

 

[Lefty SRH]

Yep, had the samething happen to my .44mag. Send it back to Ruger they will make it right! This thing happens a lot.

 

[Judgnot]

Thanks guys. Yup're right, makes the most sense to send it to them. Does Ruger provide shipping labels?

 

[edfardos]

my srh front site is off by maybe 2 degrees. I should think a small barrel Rotation would fix it. The barrel is just a threaded pipe right? I don't worry about it, but my rear sight is noticeably not centered as a result of this and the fact I naturally pull to the left. I wouldn't attempt to rotate it unless I had a small leather 'oil filter wrench' or similar.

edfardos

ps, yes ruger will send you a next day air ups label

 

[exnavarm]

Is the front sight itself not straight in it's slot, or is the barrel "canted" to one side?
I had both problems with my new Redhawk .45 colt. I used Midway's "level, level, level" to check it. Placed one level on topstrap, centered it perfectly, placed other on the bbl. and saw bubble edge past centering lines. So bbl. was not indexed correctly.
Called Ruger and they sent UPS to my home to P/UP Redhawk and hopefully get it back next week.
I would check yours that way if you can. Call Ruger, they are great to deal with.

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

I'd remove the front sight insert and closely inspect and measure. I think there have been instances where that was malformed and the owner thought his barrel was clocked.

Might save your gun a trip if that's the case.

If the barrel is clocked, the repair would likely not be to move the front sight on the barrel. It's soldered on there, I think. I'd expect some lathe work on the threads and shoulder so when it's snugged up, it's properly indexed.

 

[Judgnot]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I think mine is a combination of several factors. One, the sight appears to be clocked on the barrel.. meaning if the barrel was rotated another 1/64th (or whatever) of a turn that would help bring the front sight into alignment.

To me it looks like more than that though. The front mounting post doesn't seem to be attached squarely to the barrel. There is a bigger gap on one side.

Also, and I may be seeing things but the front mount doesn't even appear to be machined square. One side of it looks taller than the other by .5 mil or so.

Lastly the front sight insert itself appears to have a bit of lean or curve to the blade as well.

I think there are several problems with the sight assembly both in machining and mounting.

At any rate Ruger sent the UPS truck to my house yesterday and the SRH is on it's way in for fixing. I'll update this thread with results.

 

[Judgnot]

Just giving an update. Ruger has had my gun since the 23rd of November, over 40 days. I received a letter saying that my gun is beyond repair and that they would like to replace it for me.

Not bad.. except that they are asking me to pay transfer and background fees which I don't really feel is fair. Here I am without my new gun for this long and now they expect me to end up with the yugo end of the stick again... I don't think so guys.

Another item of concern I've expressed to them and am waiting for an answer back on before a decision is made is the fact that I shopped long and hard for a barrel that was free of markings. I specifically pointed out that the replacement gun would need to be identical to the one I sent them. Seems simple enough to me.

Will continue to update..

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Another item of concern I've expressed to them and am waiting for an answer back on before a decision is made is the fact that I shopped long and hard for a barrel that was free of markings. I specifically pointed out that the replacement gun would need to be identical to the one I sent them. Seems simple enough to me.

Will continue to update..

If you found a gun from Ruger without the warning on the barrel then that was a mistake from the factory. They won't have another one like that. They have been putting the warning on the bottom of the barrel as of late but they have not produced barrels without a warning that I am aware of.

...As far as the transfer fee goes, they probably don't have a choice about that when they replace your gun. The way they look at it is, regardless of the repair on a new gun, they can give you parts and labor but you will have to pay for the federal paperwork. 8) 8)

...Jimbo

 

[Judgnot]

Well the warning to read the owner's manual was prinited on the frame of the gun so It doesn't seem likely that it was a mistake. Also I've seen others like this, just not very many.

As for the fee, I think I'll just need to find a way to be compensated for paying it.

 

[Silent Sam]

If it didn't have the "Warning" rollmarked either on the side or bottom of the barrel and it was on the frame that definetely was a mistake. I have never heard of the "Warning" rollmark on the frame. Where was it located? When Ruger finds a factory "mistake" they don't let it back out of the factory.

 

[Judgnot]

Well how was it a mistake? Instead of the hideous deeply roll marked warning on the barrel my gun had a more laser etched looking warning on the left side of the frame.

I'm doubtful this was any kind of mistake as I've seen these guns sent out many different ways. Mine had the warning on the left side of the frame and "Ruger Super Redhawk" on the other side in two lines. How was that a mistake? The equipment set up to do the engraving is pretty specific I would imagine. Mine is how they should have looked all along. I've seen a combination of things including "Ruger" on the frame and "super redhawk" on the barrel etc.

Bottom line is I am not going to buy this gun with that bullcrap rollmarking on the barrel. It's horribly ugly. They need to wake up to this and I either need to get my gun back that I shopped all over hell and back for or they need to replace it with another one that had the engraving done in the same manner... which is much more shallow and on the frame.

 

[Judgnot]

Here fellas check out this link on Gunbroker.

Unfortunately I didn't photgraph mine before I sent it out for repair but this one is the same.

Look closely and you'll see an unmarked barrel and a warning on the left side frame and ruger super redhawk on the right side.

If this is a mistake it's a pretty good mistake. Seems to cover all the bases though so I don't think we need to catagorize it as a mistake.. a limited run perhaps, a mistake no, these marks don't just fall into place. Like I said they should have looked like this from day one. To my layman eyes it looks much more like a laser engraving rather than a stamped roll mark.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=268354856

 

[chris_]

Bottom line is I am not going to buy this gun with that bullcrap rollmarking on the barrel. It's horribly ugly. They need to wake up to this and I either need to get my gun back that I shopped all over hell and back for or they need to replace it with another one that had the engraving done in the same manner... which is much more shallow and on the frame.

You can get as upset as you want but it is likely Ruger will tell you to punt. Yes, it's frustrating but they will tell you your options are take the gun they are offering or leave it.

 

[Silent Sam]

That is marked on the barrel shroud like an Alaskan. I haven't seen any long barrel guns marked that way but I haven't been looking at any long barrel SRHs. If you get one with a roll mark on the barrel it's not hard to remove.

 

[Lefty SRH]

That is marked on the barrel shroud like an Alaskan. I haven't seen any long barrel guns marked that way but I haven't been looking at any long barrel SRHs. If you get one with a roll mark on the barrel it's not hard to remove.

Marks not hard to remove? How do you figure? They look pretty darn deep to me! Marks on both side of the barrel of my SRH .480

 

[Judgnot]

That is marked on the barrel shroud like an Alaskan. I haven't seen any long barrel guns marked that way but I haven't been looking at any long barrel SRHs. If you get one with a roll mark on the barrel it's not hard to remove.

Oh really? Humor me.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

If you found a gun from Ruger without the warning on the barrel then that was a mistake from the factory. They won't have another one like that.

Judgnot, please accept my apology. Obviously I was wrong about the roll marks on the Super Redhawks. They are different now than what I was familiar with. I learned something today. I hope you can get the gun you wanted the way you wanted it. I don't see why that should be a problem now. They should be able to give you an exact replacement. :shock: :shock:

...Jimbo

 

[Judgnot]

If you found a gun from Ruger without the warning on the barrel then that was a mistake from the factory. They won't have another one like that.

Judgnot, please accept my apology. Obviously I was wrong about the roll marks on the Super Redhawks. They are different now than what I was familiar with. I learned something today. I hope you can get the gun you wanted the way you wanted it. I don't see why that should be a problem now. They should be able to give you an exact replacement. :shock: :shock:

...Jimbo

Thanks Jimbo, no apology necessary and I appreciate your good nature. I think it's safe to say that there was at least a batch of SRHs made this way. Something I hadn't thought of that was pointed out is that my gun has markings consistent with what the Alaskan models have. Maybe there was a batch of long barrel guns built on frames originally intendid for the Alaskans. So the trick now is to wade through the layers of Ruger phone answerers to someone who can locate and secure a model like the one I sent in and put my name on it. Of course I fear that they don't have any left in which case I'm not sure what I'll do. I suppose I could try for a refund and then buy the one on Gunbroker for example. At the moment my biggest obstacle seems to be getting decent customer service from Ruger. Going on 50 days now and I'm still without my new gun and not had any phone calls returned by Ruger. I know how these deals work and until I get through with someone at Ruger who has some pull I feel I'm spinning my wheels with the conventional customer service. I'll update as things progress. Push is going to turn to shove come Monday.

 

[Silent Sam]

Many have removed the "Warning" from Ruger barrels, especially before they started putting it on the bottom vice a billboard on the side. Do a search, humor yourself. I was trying to help.

 

[Hondo44]

Judgnot

I can truly identify with your irritation on this! And most of all, I agree you should not be out-of-pocket for additional DROS and background check fees. Ruger should pick that up! If they just used the same serial number on the new replacement gun it would solve the problem. But I don't know if it's legal to re-use a serial #.

If you get a refund you'll still have to buy another gun and be out additional fees, so I'd hold tight for a replacement gun and refund of fees.

And then I wonder, now that the original gun is registered to you, how does that get removed from your name? Maybe there's a form you can send in.

If you go to the Ruger website you can send an e-mail to the CEO and I've heard that works quite well.

Best of luck on your mission!

 

[Judgnot]

Many have removed the "Warning" from Ruger barrels, especially before they started putting it on the bottom vice a billboard on the side. Do a search, humor yourself. I was trying to help.

Maybe so Silent Sam but if you could see the ridiculousness of your suggestion from my perspective you would understand how out of the question it is. You're suggesting that I could spend a considerable amount of my money to go have material removed from my barrel all in an effort to duplicate what I already spent my time and money acquiring once.

You responded to my thread saying that my gun was "definitely" a mistake. I quickly showed you that you were definitely wrong. Your most recent input is equally worthless to me. Ya I realize you can have work done to guns, having a gun defarbed isn't exactly news to me. But it's hardly the point.

This is about getting what I payed for without exceeding the level of inconvenience that I've already been put through and certainly the amount of money I've already spent.

 

[Judgnot]

Judgnot

I can truly identify with your irritation on this! And most of all, I agree you should not be out-of-pocket for additional DROS and background check fees. Ruger should pick that up! If they just used the same serial number on the new replacement gun it would solve the problem. But I don't know if it's legal to re-use a serial #.

If you get a refund you'll still have to buy another gun and be out additional fees, so I'd hold tight for a replacement gun and refund of fees.

And then I wonder, now that the original gun is registered to you, how does that get removed from your name? Maybe there's a form you can send in.

If you go to the Ruger website you can send an e-mail to the CEO and I've heard that works quite well.

Best of luck on your mission!

I appreciate your acknowledgment of the real issues at hand here, it comes as nice support.

In the letter Ruger stated that when a replacement is sent my original gun would be decommissioned and it's record wiped from my name.

I agree and am going to follow your advice about pressuring Ruger to do what's right here before I think about doing anything independently.

And BTW, thanks for the tip on emailing the CEO, that's a great piece of information.

 

[Silent Sam]

I'm so sorry my attempt to help you out is "worthless". At least this time you got what you paid for.

Perhaps if the billboard was such a big issue to you, you should have investigated it beforehand. You knew that rollmarked barrels were prevalent as you "searched and searched" to find what you wanted. It's not hard to remove. If you do a search you'll likely find out what it takes and it's not a "considerable amount" of money. Perhaps you should have taken some time to notice the skewed front sight as "It sits noticeable crooked on the barrel." while you "searched and searched", before you paid for it.

"I quickly showed you that you were definitely wrong." You got that part right. I won't repeat my mistake though.

 

[Judgnot]

Perhaps you should have taken some time to notice the skewed front sight as "It sits noticeable crooked on the barrel." while you "searched and searched", before you paid for it.

And you got that part right.. and I won't repeat my mistake either.

All in all, thanks for trying to help.

 

[Snyd]

After searching for a while I recently bought a 45 colt super redhawk in 7.5.

Is this a typo? They don't make a Super Redhawk in 45 Colt, only 44 mag, 454 or 480. Redhawks have been made in 45 Colt 4, 4.2, 5.5 and 7.5 Hunter (scope rings on barrel).

 

[Judgnot]

It's the 454 / 45 colt model. I referred to it as 45 because I doubt I'll ever shoot any Casull through it.

 

[Snyd]

It's the 454 / 45 colt model. I referred to it as 45 because I doubt I'll ever shoot any Casull through it.

ahhh. makes sense now. Sorry to hear about all this. Hopefully Ruger will make it right for you. Kinda puts a bad taste in your mouth though...

 

[Judgnot]

I spoke with Ruger today again after days of back and forth phone calls. From what I gather, current production guns are still being made with the barrel rollmarks. However, they have located a gun identical to the one I orignally bought and will be replacing mine with one free of rollmarks. I'm guessing there was a limited run of these made and they still have a select few left in inventory. The warning label and the maker/model is laser etched on the frame as opposed to the rollmarks on the barrel.

Needless to say I'm pleased with this development.