Recent Quality Experiences

[Boatbuilder]

I'm a 44 Special fan and several years ago acquired a blue flat top 4-5/8" Bisley back when Lipsey's first offered them. It had the canted barrel problem, which was promptly corrected by Ruger. In fact, the gun came back better in every way - lockup, gap, trigger - everything. It's just about my favorite handgun now and a fine shooter.

When the 5-shot GP100 came out I immediately got one from a forum member. It had the same issues reported by others - inconsistent chamber size and the ridiculous gap under the front sight. Ruger took it back and I received the fixed version a couple of weeks ago. They replaced the barrel and cylinder and overall it is an excellent revolver that shoots very well with factory Double Tap loads - under two inches DA at 7 yards. I haven't tried any of my Skeeter handloads yet. It's my first GP so I don't have a good comparison, but overall it seems like a great gun, though the forcing cone looks thin compared to my Ruger single actions.

The stainless flat top Bisley 44 Spl caught me off guard. Had I known it was coming out, I would have skipped the GP100, but in any case one found a home with me. This one has a very tight loading gate problem and unfinished metal next to the trigger guard on the bottom of the frame. It shoots really well with Skeeter loads and I'm not sure I want to send it back to fix the other problems, but I hate to pay for what looks like an unfinished gun when you turn it over.

During the same 6-7 year period when I bought the above, I also picked up a brand new SS Birdshead 44 mag and a SS 45 Colt Bisley that are both basically flawless in fit, finish, and function. Each shoots extremely well - the short Birdshead is scary accurate with 11.0 grains of Unique pushing a 255 Keith SWC and the big Bisley likes Hawk 260 HPs ahead of a sizeable dose of W296 or H110.

I guess that makes my experience 40% positive out of the box, but with service returns it's 100% if the hassle of the return and disappointment with the initial quality isn't counted. That's over the last 7 years. Prior to that, I purchased at least 5 other revolvers and a slew of No. 1s and other rifles since 1985 with nary an issue. Now I'm considering a 327 Single Seven. I don't like the quality problems at Ruger, but as long as the service department keeps up the good work, I'm tempted to keep buying them. I suppose Ruger has figured out that not everyone will return them, and that at least a decent percentage of their products are fine out of the box, so I doubt we'll see any change.

Jon

 

[cmonti77]

I bought a Kodiak Backpacker in 41 magnum back in January, which was a Davidsons exclusive. The gun had a couple cosmetic flaws out of the box, but mechanically it functions perfectly fine, and is as accurate as I can realistically ask of a short-barrelled magnum.

 

[kooz]

My experience has been about the same as the original poster . I have gotten some very nice ones thru the years , but the last 3 were pure trash . My .44 gp100 was a mess, all of the problems that others had PLUS half of the rifling was missing......yes that's right half of the barrel was smooth . Also had a .44 spl stainless BH that you could barley open the loading gate it was so heavy and the headspace was so far off that you could not rotate the cyl after loading a round . I will probably not order another ruger sight unseen, I want to inspect it first .

 

[Jimbo357mag]

...because Ruger makes guns in batches it seems they don't get the bugs out before they move on to another gun. Quality suffers and it is hit or miss. Service is good for those guns that have to go back.

I would like to know the % of guns that are not up to standard when shipped out. What is your guess? 1%, 10%, 40% or worse? I haven't bought a new Ruger gun in about 5 years but I enjoy the ones I already have. ...of course I like all the guns I own regardless of manf.

 

[22/45 Fan]

Both my brand new MkIV stainless target and my year old 4.2" GP-100 have been trouble free and cosmetically good from the start.

 

[Captain America]

I the last 18 months or so I've bought...

.38 Special LCR
.22lr LCR
GP100 Match Champion
.22lr SP101
10/22 Carbine
Mini 14 Tactical
Mark IV Target

...I must be living right, lucky, or not fussy enough, because every one of those guns looks and functions exactly how I expected them to.

 

[Mus408]

Simple solution.... Put the excellent "Return for Quality Repair workers on the assembly/inspection line!

 

[waterboy452]

As documented here, I had to send back my new SS .44 Special Flattop Bisley. Mine had several problems, most likely due to it being rushed out the door. Although not perfect, its much nicer now. So far, it seems to shoot very well. They replaced the hammer, cylinder, loading gate, polished the frame and smoothed up the action. My loading gate was very hard to open before, but it is much better now. Ruger customer service is just as good as their reputation. If you have problems, I'd for sure call them. They'll take care of it in a prompt manner. My gun was gone a total of 20 days, including shipping to them, and return shipping back to me. There was also 1 work day they were shut down due to a big snow storm. That's pretty quick considering the amount of work that they did to my gun.

 

[Mus408]

I wonder what the total amount of returns is in a month or year?
Back when I was in the office furniture manufacturing business we had quarterly member meetings
and quality return issue were always discussed.
When somebody lays out 600-900 bucks for a new gun they want to look at it and shoot it...not have to pack it up and send it back.

 

[Montelores]

Not a comment on the QC issue, but Ruger seems to be keeping some people happy:

http://finance.yahoo.com/quote/rgr?ltr=1

Ultimately, management makes its decisions for the shareholders and the board of directors.

Monty

 

[Captain America]

I wonder what the total amount of returns is in a month or year?...

I'm sure as a percentage of guns sold it's very small, I would also imagine the number of guns that actually fail to function is miniscule. I'm always taken aback when a gun is returned without ever being fired. If I took all the measurements on a revolver and wasn't happy with them I would want to shoot it first so I could do a before and after comparison when the gun is returned. What I do wonder is how many guns are returned after nothing more than cleaning out the factory preservative(cosmoline, sticky goo, whatever it is), lube the gun, give it a function check, and the customer is happy with the returned gun.

 

[Rclark]

My .45 Colt/.45 ACP stainless flattop had a loading gate problem too. I had to grind the face down, so that a cartridge would rotate over it. Made me wonder how they test...

 

[jerryp5878]

I just purchased a GP100 Match Champion. The trigger pull SA is over 5# which is higher that I expected. Also, looking at the bore looks like a micro-groove Marlin in some places. This is my 19th Ruger and I have never called them but thinking I will on this one.

 

[BPGuy]

I'm sure as a percentage of guns sold it's very small, I would also imagine the number of guns that actually fail to function is miniscule. I'm always taken aback when a gun is returned without ever being fired. If I took all the measurements on a revolver and wasn't happy with them I would want to shoot it first so I could do a before and after comparison when the gun is returned. What I do wonder is how many guns are returned after nothing more than cleaning out the factory preservative(cosmoline, sticky goo, whatever it is), lube the gun, give it a function check, and the customer is happy with the returned gun.

You can bet mine wasn't one of them. Mine arrived directly from Ruger with a broken rear sight and after some dry-fire the trigger locked up to the point it couldn't be pulled. I returned it unfired so Ruger couldn't try to blame it on me. They didn't, it they did replace the rear sight blade and the trigger group. It has worked just fine since then.

 

[RSIno1]

All the QC problems cited on various web sites have made me institute a rule - I don't buy Rugers built after Bill died. I did break my rule once last year and bought a nice once fired 50th aniv 10-22 (blue/walnut) for $120 ($155 w CA fees). A guy bought it wanting to get into shooting but decided it wasn't for him. I was happy to buy it from him so he could go back to video games. Only downside no magazine, box or papers but a cheapo cloth case.

 

[dpayne]

My .45 Colt/.45 ACP stainless flattop had a loading gate problem too. I had to grind the face down, so that a cartridge would rotate over it. Made me wonder how they test...

Had the same problem with my GP 100. I asked them about grinding it down but they said send it in. It will be back in my hands tomorrow - hopefully better than new.

 

[Rumrunner]

It's not just Ruger. When Remington took over Marlin it was a horrible transition.

My LGS recently received a Smith Victory with no rifling.

Last month I won a Remington 870 tactical shotgun. First outing found out it would only extract shells but not eject them. I called Rem and they sent me a mailing slip for it to a shop here in IL. UPS picked it up Tuesday, and it was returned 3 days later with new extractor.

Think of those who buy a tactical gun for home protection, load it and store it w/o ever firing it. In this case if ever needed, especially if more than one bad guy, and that's a big OH SHITE

 

[dpayne]

That's what I was thinking about my GP when the cylinder wouldn't turn. Revolvers aren't perfect either although I still love them. Got mine back today and they fixed the burr as well as the slight endshake.

 

[lolbell]

Like Cap'n A, I guess I'm living right also, I've got 25 or so wheel guns, 1/2 dozen autos and a long gun or two. It's never crossed my mind that any of them needed to go back for any reason. Cosmetic or function and I'm picky about function. Cosmetic has always been plenty good. If I wanted perfect I'd throw in the extra $2,000 for a Freedom Arms or a custom.

 

[PriseDeFer]

I have a sample of two, but this is an anecdotal thread so...one old Mk 1 Target, been used by kids, been loaned to a lady that seems to have stored it in her cat litter box, and refuses to have anything go wrong.
And one new Vaquero 45 (and if you start that again I'll start telling you about all my many and wonderful Kalashnikov clips) that seemed to beam a pure silver light into my eyes when the ShootStraight guy opened the lid. I don't think I ever saw anything looking so perfect. And it was, and is. Ruger means something in this house.

 

[Yetiman]

It seems like once they made a million gun a year goal finish quality dropped fast. For about a year every MKIII pistol I looked at was HORRIBLY finished. I couldn't believe they shipped them like that.

I generally look at Rugers as kit guns that will need finishing and 'personalizing' or at minimum a trigger/action job after the fact.

One exception has been my Birdshead 45 acp which has an exquisite build quality, a great trigger and very tight b/c gap.

My Wiley Clapp GP also has an excellent trigger and fit, but it had to be sent home as it alsway shot quite high. They re-crowned the barrel and it has been fine.

My Kodiak Backpacker Redhawk also went home tight away as the cylinder would lock up after firing magnum rounds (though not with lower power ammo). They replaced the entire trigger group, and it was fine after that... though it went to JRH for a trigger/action job recently and is much improved.

 

[Armybrat]

Since 2008 I have bought the following Rugers new:

LCP (1st Gen)
SR9
SR45
New Vaquero SS .357
Super Blackhawk SS .44 Magnum
New Vaquero SS Talo .357
LCP (2nd Gen - not the LCP II)

Bought my first Ruger, a Single Six, in 1959 and went on to purchase (new) a Service Six, three 10/22s, a Mini14 Ranch Rifle, a 3 screw Blackhawk .357, and an SP101 .357 (in 1993). Then there was the hiatus until 2008 when the introduction of the LCP got me started again on Rugers.

(1993 - 2007 I had bought a number of S&Ws & Colts)

I still have all of them except for the 10/22s, Mini14, SBH, & Service Six - gifted those to my children & grandkids.

The only Ruger ever I let go was a Standard .22 that had been gifted to me by my dad in 1956 - I traded it towards the Single Six in 1959.

Every one of them has excellent fit & finish - except the 1st LCP which has a slightly more "rough" bluing job than the newest one. They all have functioned perfectly & shoot just fine, but I haven't fired the last two yet. I haven't ever had to send one back for repair, and the quality of my recent purchases has not declined over the early ones.

I plan to buy several more Rugers and Colts before shuffling off this mortal coil...... without hesitation.

Maybe I'm just a lucky old fart.

 

[samxxix]

Rugers are semi finished guns.

 

[Yetiman]

Rugers are semi finished guns.

I am inclined to agree. Like people some are better than others, all can be improved on with some love and attention.

I would buy a lot more Rugers (and I have a bunch already), but every time I consider one I figure in the cost of upgrading the sights and sending it out for at least an action/trigger job.

 

[jerryp5878]

I did send in my GP100 Match Champion. They replaced the barrel and ejector, refinished and smoothed out action. The SA trigger pull is improved and DA smoother as well. Now to put it to the test on the range etc. Very prompt service from Ruger.

 

[Bob R]

I normally do not have to order a new model when it first gets into production. ( Brand New Offerings may be the real issue here)
I have owned several Ruger Revolvers with no issues at all. I have owned 3 each 44 magnum Super RedHawks, and 2 each in 480 Ruger. I guess that could be 3 each counting my 480 Alaskan. I am not sure how many GP100's I have owned I currently have a 3" adjustable sight SS, and a 6" Blued one, both look flawless to me. I have also owned 3 each SP101's, again all were all that I expected them to be. My LCR 22 and 357 while not works of art functioned fine. I shoot an ICORE Revolver Match every month with several guys who all own GP100's. They all work fine.
I had a 45 Colt Ruger Bisley Hunter, again looked perfect to me. My MK III Hunter I have played with a lot. It is closer to a MK IV than a MK III. The MK IV is a huge improvement over the older models, however the older models worked fine. Nothing was wrong with my MK III. It was a good project pistol for Rimfire 2 Gun. I plan to do a Trigger Job on all of my Rugers, just like I do on every S&W revolver I own. Everything mass produced can be improved to some degree, especially the action. I do not go over each and every detail looking for something that could have been finished better. I have never had a canted barrel, bad cylinder alignment, excess cylinder gap, etc. I may be lucky, but I have been perfectly happy with every Ruger Revolver I have ever owned.

Bob