Repair of damaged Ruger SS 44Spl cylinder ratchet

[pws]

Somehow I managed to knock the corner off of one of the ratchet teeth on my NM 44Spl.

It clocks about 50% of the way on that chamber when going slow.

Any suggestions on who to send it to for some micro welding or ?

Thanks for the help.

[potatojudge]

Years ago, I had a local master jeweler repair some delicate hysteroscopic instruments for me with laser micro welding. Results were great. These were rods running inside something like a 2-3mm diameter sheath with a broken sheath needing welding without zapping the inner rods. Point is, some of these micro welders are phenomenal.

I imagine a similar approach then dressing down the part by hand would be something you could do locally, but shipping just a cylinder to someone like Harton for repair isn't too difficult either.

Alternatively, Ruger will probably fit a new cylinder for a reasonable price.

[aciera]

Mar 23, 2024 23:09:37 GMT -5 potatojudge said:

Years ago, I had a local master jeweler repair some delicate hysteroscopic instruments for me with laser micro welding. Results were great. These were rods running inside something like a 2-3mm diameter sheath with a broken sheath needing welding without zapping the inner rods. Point is, some of these micro welders are phenomenal.

I imagine a similar approach then dressing down the part by hand would be something you could do locally, but shipping just a cylinder to someone like Harton for repair isn't too difficult either.

Alternatively, Ruger will probably fit a new cylinder for a reasonable price.

Great idea on the Jeweler…….some amazing work.

[pws]

I’m remote in Alaska so sending just the cylinder is much preferred.

I’ll send Mr. Harton a note.



Also found recommendation for these guys in an American Handgunner article. They specifically mentioned rebuilding a Colt ratchet.

pullmanarms.com/gun_smithing_services/

I’ll touch base with them and report back.

[contender]

Why not just contact Ruger directly & ask them? Quite often,, they do a lot of stuff like this for a very reasonable fee. Let the mothership handle it!

[gnappi]

I second a call to Ruger.

[RoninPA]

I'll add my recommendation to call Ruger and talk to them first. It very well may be that they will ask to have the revolver sent to them and they will inspect/repair/replace it for nothing or very little. Talk to them nice, explain what happened and they may even send you a prepaid shipping label.

[gnappi]

Mar 27, 2024 9:35:48 GMT -5 RoninPA said:

I'll add my recommendation to call Ruger and talk to them first. It very well may be that they will ask to have the revolver sent to them and they will inspect/repair/replace it for nothing or very little. Talk to them nice, explain what happened and they may even send you a prepaid shipping label.

 "Talk to them nice" is good advice, I know some who feel that a confrontational attitude gets results... and it's not only in business. 

[revolvercranker]

Would be a lot nicer if you could just send the cylinder. I wouldn't be fond sending the whole revolver in.

[contender]

Ruger (or any gunsmith) will likely want the whole gun,, to assure a proper timing & all.

[bradshaw]

Mar 27, 2024 20:56:17 GMT -5 contender said:

Ruger (or any gunsmith) will likely want the whole gun,, to assure a proper timing & all.

*****

My guess, a guess only, Ruger customer service:
* won’t touch a damaged cylinder, won’t attempt to repair ratchet under any circumstances.
* will replace cylinder on returned revolver.
* will fit a new cylinder on revolver, and keep the old cylinder.
* will fit a new cylinder or revolver sent to factory without a cylinder.

My recommendation
* Have a known revolver smith repair damaged ratchet.
or....
* Talk to Ruger customer service in Newport NH; send revolver----sans cylinder

A note on why Sturm, Ruger stopped accepting walk-ins: a few persons brought a loaded firearm to the factory.
Some people haven’t got the brains God promised cockroaches.
David Bradshaw

[contender]

David is spot on,, about the Ruger customer service. Repairing a cylinder,, nope,, not gonna happen.
Replacing a cylinder,, their solution to fix it, and will trash the broken one.
Or,, if a gun is shipped in,, w/o a cylinder, they will fit a new one,, usually at the owners expense.

I'd send the entire gun.

Why? A chipped tooth on the ratchet may have been a weak spot,, and they will want to study it to see for sure. Not very likely,, but always a very small possibility.

[pws]

Thanks for the discussion, I’ve been taking advantage of the nice weather recently and haven’t had much time to check back.

Pullman did respond and said they currently are not doing welding repairs on firearms. There’s another outfit in Indiana I’ll try and report back:


microtechwelding.com/microtech-acquires-federal-firearms-license


No doubt Ruger would make things right but I live on Afognak Island north of Kodiak , get mail once a week, and get into town 3-4 times a year. Dealing with shipping the whole revolver would be a major and expensive PITA.

I’m almost tempted to weld it myself (I have access to a TIG and a moderate amount of skill) but the damage is a triangle of about .075” a side, right on the outer corner. With my skill, I can see me making a blob there instead of filling it in.

[bigbore5]

Any weld will require recutting it on a mill

[gnappi]

Mar 29, 2024 5:57:14 GMT -5 bigbore5 said:

Any weld will require recutting it on a mill

  Wait... you mean a Dremel and diamond files won't "cut" it? :-) 

 I venture a guess that more owner's guns have been ruined with a Dremel than by ham-fisted newbies at gun maker's factories!