Most here will agree that a Ruger SA handgun is not a fragile item. But it is a man made mechanical object,,, that has many parts. Some of these parts are small, and as such, not as robust & overbuilt as other parts. To make them as such, the guns wouldn't work.
First,,,, did you read the manual about disassembly? The mainspring requires a pin to capture it for removal. That is it's design, and remember,,, it is designed differently than a S&W or a Colt. In those guns,,, they use a flat spring,,, that was often prone to breakage,,, so Bill designed his gun using coil springs. Making them stronger,,, not more fragile. The manual explains how to properly disassemble the gun, by putting a pin in the hammer strut, when the gun is cocked, to capture the mainspring.
Screws are ALL fragile in ALL guns, when a fine thread is used. Proper care should be used in removing or installing them,,, with of course,,, a proper fitting screwdriver.
Threads in screw holes can be damaged as well as the screws when improperly tightened, or misaligned. Again, in all guns,,, not just Ruger. (I currently have a S&W 646 I bought new, that has factory related action issues,,, that is going back to them, where the mainspring screw backs out on it's own under cycling the action or firing.)
Holes in the grip frame or the main frame for pins with springs. If you are forcing something, or using an improper method of removal or installation, you are the reason a hole gets buggered, not the design.
While it may seem I'm being critical of you,,, I'm TRYING to point out that it's not the gun, it's parts, or the design,,, it's the methods you are using. Not wanting to be critical,,, but hopefully pointing out that your methods may be wrong.
First,,, the owners manual,,, describes how to remove & disassemble the gun for basic maintenance. Next,,, if your desires are to do more work, on any firearm,, you should get the necessary books on disassembly, & re-assembly. Gun Digest publishes some EXCELLENT books on this subject, with pictures,,, full details,,, with warnings of potential issues to prevent damages. The purchase price of the book on Revolvers by them is more than worth to cost of the book,,, even if you only use it once. I have the set, and it has proven more times than I care to think about that it was money well spent.
Remember,,, Bill designed & built these guns to work, not for most folks to work on. Just like the folks who tinker on cars,, or full blown mechanics, you have to have knowledge before you attempt any job. An average guy can read the manual, and take the gun apart for general maintenance, & do just fine. But a mechanic will go to school, study, work on junk, & all before attempting any major work. Or, if self taught, will screw up stuff before he learns how to do things. Fords are different than Chevys, which are different than Dodges,,, and all 3 are way different than the Japanese, or Korean designs. Yes,, all are autos,,, but they are built differently.
Lastly, remember that the factory has all the proper tools, and trained folks who do this daily. A home mechanic will not have the same luxury. And how they do it may often be different than what we do at home. Just ask any shade tree mechanic how he does something,, and you will often see a different method.
Your Ruger is different than a Colt, a S&W, or any others.
Now, please understand I'm not trying to be critical,,, but rather,,, by your posts,,, it APPEARS you didn't understand how to properly disassemble & re-assemble a Ruger, and you didn't read the manual.
