Old Ruger broke and they are taking care of me

[Doyle]

My newest acquisition - a beautiful Ruger Security 6 4" stainless didn't turn out so well. After the 1st shot, the cylinder didn't want to turn as freely. I noticed that the cylinder gap was gone. HMMM. I cocked and rotated the cylinder (single action) and fired again. Same thing. On the 3rd shot, I found out what the problem was as the barrel flew off and landed about 10 ft down the lane. This is what I found.

By the rusting, I'm guessing that the barrel has been cracked for some time and finally gave way. Knowing that Ruger has a good reputation for taking care of their customers, I called them and then sent them these pics. Both of us figured it started out as a manufacturing defect in the metal. They sent me a pre-paid shipping label and I shipped it out to them.

They called today. They no longer stock replacement parts for this model so they offered me either an SP101 or a GP100 as a replacement - no charge except for an FFL transfer fee on my end. I'm choosing a 4" SP101. I know the GP100 is worth a little more but it is more than 12 oz heavier. I had bought this gun as a combination "walking around the woods" and plinking gun so I don't need another heavy framed revolver. I've already got a S&W 629 .44 mag if I REALLY want to carry something heavy and powerful.

I can't say enough about Ruger's customer service. They did me right. They said it would take 2 to 3 weeks for my order to work its way through production and shipping.

 

[HighValleyRanch]

Wow, now that's a company standing behind it's products.
Great to hear nowadays, not like apple who won't even support its own products that are four years old! Don't get me started!

Way to go ruger.
too bad you couldn't have gotten a new barrel for that security six!
Love mine. Like a mini redhawk!

 

[Skeets]

The way Ruger treated you is exactly why they have the reputation they do today! Happy for you.

 

[Slopemeno]

You don't see many Security Six failures- much less something like that.

I'd take the GP-100 replacement.

 

[Independent George]

That's impressive, because that really looks like a failure of the owner (not you - the original owner) rather than a failure of the gun. Any gun will break if it's allowed to rust/degrade like that. That goes well above and beyond standing by their product. Bravo.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Ruger's repair center could communicate a little better about what's going on and how long repairs are going to take, but they've done me right in the past.

Most notably, I sent in a thoroughly worn out Super Blackhawk.
Ruger returned it as, essentially, a brand new revolver built on my frames, with everything refinished to match.
I haven't shot it anywhere near as much, since I got it back. It's too pretty now.

 

[Salmoneye]

That's impressive, because that really looks like a failure of the owner (not you - the original owner) rather than a failure of the gun.

Not sure how an internal (invisible) crack can possibly be laid on the previous owner...

 

[ZEBRARANGER]

As stated earlier, definitely an unusual failure for a Security Six.

I can't say enough about Ruger's customer service. They did me right.

Just one of the reasons I'm a big Ruger fan. They've taken care of me when I needed it in similar ways in the past. A few years back I called them to see if they had replacement sights to replace my dinged up ones on one of my Security Sixes, fully expecting to buy them if available, they sent them to me at no charge.

 

[jtmckinney]

After the 1st shot, the cylinder didn't want to turn as freely. I noticed that the cylinder gap was gone. HMMM.

I was wondering how the defect in the barrel is connected to the problem described with the cylinder and no cylinder gap and then realized the forcing cone must have been screwing itself toward the cylinder as the crack widened. or at least that's my theory.

I've always liked Ruger products and they dominate my safe. Never had to send one back myself but my son did when he was foolish enough to completely disassemble a Mark III for cleaning.

 

[Doyle]

I was wondering how the defect in the barrel is connected to the problem described with the cylinder and no cylinder gap and then realized the forcing cone must have been screwing itself toward the cylinder as the crack widened. or at least that's my theory.

That appears to be what happened. I don't think it screwed itself back so much as the metal stretched (compressed backwards?) just enough to close the gap.

 

[Real Gun]

You didn't mention caliber, but I suspect you gave up a round in capacity. The GP100 is not that different from the Security Six, but the extra heft makes it a better 357 platform. Now, if you picked the 4" SP101 in 327 Federal Magnum six shooter, you would be on to something.

 

[Doyle]

Real gun, I'm just not into the .327. Yes, I'm giving up one in capacity. The GP100 is almost 6 oz heavier than the Security Six (40oz vs 34oz). By comparison, the SP101 is the same overall length as the GP100 but weighs in at a svelte 29.5 oz. Since the purpose of this particular gun is the same as what I bought the original Security Six for, the extra weight would have been counter productive.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

Unless you want to shoot heavy loads out of the GP100 for hunting or something, the SP101 is better IMO. I have owned 2 GP100s, both were great, but if I bought again I would get an SP101.

 

[Real Gun]

You will find that the SP101 is a very different gun than the Security Six. Plan on getting some grips that are up to the task of handling 357 without getting beat up.

 

[Jim Watson]

It would have been fun to have the old one built into a Cougar, if the receiver ring and threads weren't damaged. Of course that would have taken cubic money and a search for a gunsmith still willing to do a Forgotten Job.

Easier just to let them replace it.

 

[Slimjim9]

Cubic money?

 

[HighValleyRanch]

My brother has one of those cougars that was built by Bill Davis back in the 70's. Beautiful deep blue finish with the 6 inch python barrel that he said he paid about 200.00 to 300.00 for!
Had it in my safe for a while and that was one nice shooting gun!
Apparently, the python barrel has a better twist than the ruger? he said.

 

[lee n. field]

They called today. They no longer stock replacement parts for this model so they offered me either an SP101 or a GP100 as a replacement - no charge except for an FFL transfer fee on my end.

Cool.

Usually when I hear of something like this from Ruger, they're offering to replace an unrepairable gun with whatever the current equivalent is, at cost (instead of free).

 

[Sevens]

There was a run of .44 Magnum Redhawk revolvers that had a VERY specific and known issue where the barrel did the same thing. Circa '87 production I think.

I can only assume this is different, even though it sure looks similar. The Redhawk problem was a known issue -- some assembly goo that was supposed to be applied and immediately assembled was mistakenly applied and left over a weekend to dry and ended up corrupting a short run of Redhawk revolvers.

Most tales we hear from Ruger CS are awfully good, this one seems to be also. Appreciate you sharing the tale!

 

[Doyle]

Sevens, yes I've heard about the Redhawks. The lube dried and resulted in the barrels being torqued past what the threads could handle without cracking. I'm thinking something similar happened here.