sheepdog

...sintered is melted-together powdered steel, right???

Machinist

Yes. Powdered metal with a bonding agent. The parts can be made very accurately to eliminate hand fitting and they don't need heat treatment to harden them but they are brittle and they can't really be fitted or shaped and I don't think they will take a real smooth surface so action jobs are a problem. Newer designs try to limit fitting to one or two parts with the others being interchangeable. The early Ruger DAs like the Service and Speed Six had almost all fitting done to the hand. This is why they were acceptable to some military services that had dropped revolvers. It made quite a stir when the Indian Military ordered the DA Rugers.

I think Colt was the first major maker to use sintered parts on the Mk V or earlier in the 1970s.

sheepdog

...are GPs and SPs not hand fitted???

tx gun runner

The NV have been breaking pawl since there been made . On the Ruger forum there was some bitching about them because the factory wanted the gun back to fit the pawl . I was suprised when Snuff said they mailed him one . Ruger should have the fix for them by now . There is only 2 things that can brake the top off the pawl . Timing or firing pin not retracking . Maybe that new free spin is a problem since the Vaquero's never broke a pawl .

Machinist

I assume they use the same system the earlier ones did but I don't know. There must be some fitting to work as well as they do. The earlier ones tried to limit it to the hand (Hey! "Hand" fitting! I'm here all week!).

Snuffy

The first one they did send me the pawl this time the gun had to go back. Both time they broke the gun was empty. As soon as I hear from them I will post what they say. If this keeps up they won't be in the running long, I am not the only one pissed at them. The list is growing.

Bountyhunter

I thought I had read that the pawls sometimes broke in the 50th BH models as well. That sucks, Snuffy.

XLCH

The 50th is the same works as what Snuffy has, that’s why I want to know what Ruger has to say as I have like five of the small frame guns.

sheepdog

...I find the whole thing apawling...

tx gun runner

Empty gun that helps Since Ruger cast there own parts , I would guess the old and new Vaquero are made from the same medal and tempered the same . The only differenct between the old and new is the key lock , which can't break pawl . That leaves there free spin system which works on there cylinder lockup and timing system . My guess that is where the problem is . I've been using Ron Power pawls free spin in all my Ruger SA for over 10 yrs without a problem . I would post on Ruger and SASS/CAS forums and see if anyone has a fix on the NV guns

sheepdog

...maybe snap caps for dry firing do have a purpose??? never used 'em...

Snuffy

Wasn't dry firing when either of the guns broke. None of the guns free spin. The star in the new vaquero's is deeper cut than the old ones. Shawn your right it does suck. If any of these guns go down on the big match I am going to really mean mouth Ruger. Not that I am not now. There was nothing wrong with the old ones to start with. Mine don't have the lock on them that your talking about TGR.