Ruger Vaquero barrel removal

Leland Davis

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
523
Location
Wells KS
I have a pair of stainless vaqueros to engrave and I have always removed the barrels for cutting. A gunsmith I trust told me you are never to remove barrels from ruger revolvers. What do you all do?
Thanks,Leland
 

Roger Bleile

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
2,988
Location
Northern Kentucky
I don't know what that gunsmith is thinking. I have removed and replaced many Vaquero barrels. My friend Jeff Flannery also removes the barrels and he has engraved over 130 of them. Just make sure that you make an index mark where the barrel meets the frame, under the ejector rod housing before you pull the barrel.
 

JJ Roberts

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
3,456
Location
Manassas, VA
I never removed a barrel from any of the Vaquero's I'v engraved or any other revolvers,they can be removed.Barrels removed only from rifles & shotguns. J.J.
 
Last edited:

Leland Davis

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
523
Location
Wells KS
Thanks, Roger and JJ , I have done several of the vaqueros and have always removed the barrel and have never had a problem. Talking to him yesterday he freaked out, I used to trust him.I always remove the barrel and put it my holding jig.It makes it a lot easier for me.
Thanks again,Leland
 

Dave London

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Messages
1,764
Location
Colorado
Just for info, some of the new Ruger and S&W revolvers use a two piece system, the barrel and a shroud that covers the barrel. Double action stuff
 

Mike Dubber

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
424
Location
Evansville, IN
I've removed the barrel from every revolver I have engraved for the past 20 years or so - Single Actions, Vaqueros, Pythons, etc. I wont engrave a revolver without removing the barrel first.
 

Sandy

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
683
Location
Kansas
Howdy Leland
Did he give you a reason for his opinion? Like several folks who have posted I have been taking barrels off all sorts of revolvers to include Roger V’s.
Sandy
 

Leland Davis

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
523
Location
Wells KS
He told me Ruger uses a hydraulic barrel wrench that stretches the threads at known rate and can't be repeated when reinstalling the barrel. Like I said I trust the guy and he is a graduate of Trinidad and has 30 years experience so he knows more than me. If you use a match mark I don't see the problem. I have never had a problem so I asked the real experts.
Sandy, I hope to get over to see your shop this spring I'll give you a call.
Thanks,Leland
 

Sandy

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
683
Location
Kansas
Howdy Leland
Looking forward to the visit.
To some extent all threads stretch when they are torqued into place. I am of the opinion if you use a witness mark on barrel and frame it should be fine.
Sandy
 

SamW

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
2,426
Location
Castle Valley, UT in the Red Rock country
That stretching to a known amount sounds more like rod bolts on a race engine where they are stretched to a known amount as opposed to tightening to a certain torque value.
 

Leland Davis

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
523
Location
Wells KS
Thanks all for the responses it confirmed what I intended to do keep removing barrels for engraving.
 

Latest posts

Sponsors

Top