Vaquero base pin problem

[mishtub]

A friend of my son has a blued Vaquero in .45 Colt that after firing a single round, the base pin comes out 1/16 to 1/8 inch and it jams the action so it will not cock with out pushing the base pin back in. One time the base pin backed out and the base pin latch jammed along with the base pin, locking the action up. Might this be an easy fix, or should I have him contact Ruger to possibly send it back? I was able to tap the base pin in with a little wood block which freed the action. I told him to not shoot it any more until it gets repaired.

 

[Hawk-in-Wi]

are you getting your base pin in all the way so the base pin latch catchs ?

watch this repair video and you should see what I mean just be the 4 minute mark

 

[nvbirdman]

Three solutions,
take the base pin latch apart and stretch the spring a little bit
take the base pin out and deepen the groove
buy a Belt Mountain locking base pin
I would reccommend the last one.

 

[mishtub]

Thank you for the information and video. I will pass it on to my son's friend.

 

[contender]

Is it possible someone took out the base pin latch, and re-installed it from the wrong side? Just a thought.

 

[mishtub]

The pin latch pushes in from from the left side.
I just had never had that kind of problem with a single action before. Every other one I've handled or had, the latches always held the pin in securely.
I figured either the latch or pin was worn and after some more research, I found it isn't that uncommon of a problem, but a easy fix.
I knew I could get good advise from you guys on this forum.

 

[Johnnu2]

Is it possible someone took out the base pin latch, and re-installed it from the wrong side? Just a thought.

Contender is right on the money (again , I've 'fixed' this exact problem three separate times over the years by simply guessing that a previous owner put the base pin "latch" thingie backwards (after taking the gun completely apart. Every time, the problem was solved.

J.