Ruger Vaquero Instructions Manual
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INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR RUGER® VAQUERO® & BISLEY VAQUERO SINGLE ACTION REVOLVERS For Product Service on this Model Please Call: (603) 865-2442 (See p. 24) STURM, RUGER & Company, Inc. Southport, Connecticut 06890 U.S.A. THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL SHOULD ALWAYS ACCOMPANY THIS FIREARM AND BE TRANSFERRED WITH IT UPON CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP, OR WHEN THE FIREARM IS LOANED OR PRESENTED TO ANOTHER PERSON. MRN, KMRN & BMRN/1-03 C R3 READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS IN THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS FIREARM BLUED & STAINLESS STEEL CALIBERS .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .44/40 & .45LC !
State-By-State Warnings Certain states require by law that their own specified warning notices in larger-than-normal type be conspicuously included by the manufacturer, distributor, or retail dealer with firearms sold in that state. Sturm, Ruger sells its products in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Because our products may be sold in these states, we include the following: California: Connecticut: “UNLAWFUL STORAGE OF A LOADED FIREARM MAY RESULT IN IMPRISONMENT OR FINE.” Florida: “IT IS UNLAWFUL, AND PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT AND FINE, FOR ANY ADULT TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM IN ANY PLACE WITHIN THE REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE OR TO KNOWINGLY SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM TO A MINOR OR A PERSON OF UNSOUND MIND.” WARNING! “Children are attracted to and can operate firearms that can cause severe injuries or death. Prevent child access by always keeping guns locked away and unloaded when not in use. If you keep a loaded firearm where a child obtains and improperly uses it, you can be fined or sent to prison.” ADVERTENCIA! “A los niños los atraen las armas de fuego y las pueden hacer funcionar. Ellos pueden causarses lesions graves y la muerte. Evite que los niños tengan accesso a las armas de fuego guardándolas siempre con llave y descargadas cuando no las esté utilizando. Si usted tiene un arma de fuego cargada en un lugar en que un niño tiene acceso a ella y la usa indebidamente, le pueden dar una multa o enviarlo a la carcel.” 2
Maine: “ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD IS A CRIME. IF YOU LEAVE A FIREARM AND AMMUNITION WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF A CHILD, YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO FINE, IMPRISONMENT OR BOTH. KEEP FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION SEPARATE. KEEP FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION LOCKED UP. USE TRIGGER LOCKS.” Maryland: “WARNING: Children can operate firearms which may cause death or serious injury. It is a cr imeto store or leave a loaded firearm in any location where an individual knew or should have known that an unsupervised minor would gain access to the firearm. Store your firearm responsibly!” Massachusetts: “WARNING FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL: This handgun is not equipped with a device that fully blocks use by unauthorized users. More than 200,000 firearms like this one are stolen from their owners every year in the United States. In addition, there are more than a thousand suicides each year by younger children and teenagers who get access to firearms. Hundreds more die from accidental discharge. It is likely that many more children sustain serious wounds, or inflict such wounds accidentally on others. In order to limit the chance of such misuse, it is imperative that you keep this weapon locked in a secure place and take other steps necessary to limit the possibility of theft or accident. Failure to take reasonable preventive steps may result in innocent lives being lost, and in some circumstances may result in your liability for these deaths.” “IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR KEEP A FIREARM, RIFLE, SHOTGUN OR MACHINE GUN IN ANY PLACE UNLESS THAT WEAPON IS EQUIPPED WITH A TAMPER-RESISTANT SAFETY DEVICE OR IS STORED OR KEPT IN A SECURELY LOCKED CONTAINER.” 3
New Jersey: “IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE TO LEAVE A LOADED FIREARM WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR.” New York City: “THE USE OF A LOCKING DEVICE OR SAFETY LOCK IS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF RESPONSIBLE WEAPONS STORAGE. ALL WEAPONS SHOULD BE STORED UNLOADED AND LOCKED IN A LOCATION THAT IS BOTH SEPARATE FROM THEIR AMMUNITION AND INACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN AND ANY OTHER UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS.” North Carolina: “IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM THAT CAN BE DISCHARGED IN A MANNER THAT A REASONABLE PERSON SHOULD KNOW IS ACCESSIBLE TO A MINOR.” Texas: “IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE, TRANSPORT, OR ABANDON AN UNSECURED FIREARM IN A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO BE AND CAN OBTAIN ACCESS TO THE FIREARM.” Wisconsin: “IF YOU LEAVE A LOADED FIREARM WITHIN THE REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A CHILD YOU MAY BE FINED OR IMPRISONED OR BOTH IF THE CHILD IMPROPERLY DISCHARGES, POSSESSES, OR EXHIBITS THE FIREARM.” ****************** ***** Please check with your licensed retailer or state police for additional warnings which may be required by local law or regulation. Such regulations change constantly, and local authorities are in the best position to advise you on such legal matters. 4
WHY ARE WE INCLUDING A FIRED CARTRIDGE CASE WITH EVERY RUGER PISTOL AND REVOLVER? Certain states and jurisdictions now require that all newly manufactured pistols and revolvers must be accompanied by a cartridge case, which has been test fired from that gun at the factory. The case must be placed in a sealed container bearing certain information concerning this test cartridge. At the time of retail sale in those jurisdictions, firearms dealers must forward such test cartridge to a designated destination such as their State Police Laboratory. As independent Ruger Distributors have nationwide markets without territorial restrictions, we have decided to include a fired cartridge case with all new Ruger pistols and revolvers, to minimize the possibility of inadvertent non- compliance with these laws. Retail customers located in other states, where laws or regulations do not require the dealer to so act, may be assured that the fired cartridge case they receive with the firearm at the time of retail purchase is proof that your new Ruger firearm has undergone our normal test firing procedures during manufacture. 5 This firearm was originally sold with a key-operated locking device. While it can help provide secure storage for your unloaded firearm, any locking device can fail. All guns are designed to fire if they are loaded and the trigger is pulled. Therefore, never install the locking device inside the trigger guard or in any way that it can possibly pull the trigger!Do not leave the keys in the lock. The ultimate responsibility for secure storage of any firearm must depend upon its owner and his or her individual circumstances. Guns should be securely stored unloaded, in a secure location, separate from their ammunition. See “Storage Warning” section of the manual, p. 22 NEVER INSTALL LOCKING DEVICE INSIDE TRIGGER GUARD !WARNING – LOCKING DEVICES DO NOT INSTALL INSIDE TRIGGER GUARD INSTALL LOCK AS SHOWN HERE
6 FIREARMS SAFETY-YOUR RESPONSIBILITY SAFETY MUST BE THE FIRST AND CONSTANT CONSIDERATION OF EVERY PERSON WHO HANDLES FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION. This Instruction Manual is designed to assist you in learning how to use and care for your RUGER®VAQUERO®or BISLEY VAQUEROrevolver properly. Please contact us if you have any questions about it. Only when you are certain you fully understand the Manual and can properly carry out its instructions should you practice loading, unloading, etc. with live ammunition. If you have any doubts about your ability to handle or use a particular type of gun safely, then you should seek supervised instruction. Such personalized instruction is often available from gun dealers, gun clubs or police departments. If none of these sources can help you, write to the National Rifle Association, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-7400. They will assist you. The person with a gun in their possession has a full-time job. You cannot guess; you cannot forget. You must know how to use your firearm safely.Do not use any firearm without having a complete understanding of its particular characteristics and safe use. Remember: There is no such thing as a foolproof gun. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page General Information and Mechanical Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 To Load and Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 To Uncock (Decock) The Revolver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 To Unload or Eject Cartridge Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 To Remove or Replace Cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Reassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Care and Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Care of Stainless Steel Revolvers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Care of “Color Case Finished” Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fixed Sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Service and Parts Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Parts Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 & 34 The Basic Rules of Safe Firearms Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 “Ruger”, “Blackhawk” and “Vaquero” are registered U.S. trademarks.
Locking Devices 5 Safe Carrying Position 14 Alterations 7 Disassembly 17 Lead Exposure 11 Lubrication 22 Ammunition 12 Storage 23 Handling 12 Parts Purchasers 26 Firing 13 Malfunctioning Parts 27 OTHER CAUTIONS AND WARNINGS APPEAR THROUGHOUT THE MANUAL. WARNING–ALTERATIONS This product was designed to function properly in its original condition. Alterations can make it unsafe. Do not alter any part or add or substitute parts or accessories not made by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. DO NOT ALTER ANY GUN ! 7 ! FIREARMS ARE DANGEROUS WEAPONS– READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS IN THIS MANUAL THOROUGHLY AND CAREFULLY BEFORE USING. GENERAL INFORMATION AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS The mechanisms of the RUGER®VAQUEROand BISLEY VAQUERO, like the other Ruger “New Model” single action revolvers, differ significantly from that of any other single action revolver. The information and instructions which follow apply only to the Vaquero and Bisley Vaquero revolvers. The RUGER ®VAQUERO®and BISLEY VAQUERO have fixed sights and either a “color case hardened” or polished stainless steel finish which evokes the classic single actions of yesteryear. The BISLEY VAQUERO uses the patented Ruger Bisley grip frame, grips, hammer and trigger, but is otherwise identical to the fixed sight RUGER ®VAQUERO®single action revolver. In this manual the wordsNEW MODEL refer to theVAQUERO ® and BISLEY VAQUERO revolvers which utilize the same Ruger New Model Blackhawk mechanism. WARNINGS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE ARE FOUND ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES:
The patented Ruger New Model single action revolver mechanism incorporates a transfer bar. The transfer bar – which is raised into firing position as the trigger is pulled to the rear – transmits the energy of the hammer blow to the firing pin. This transfer bar mechanism makes a “safety” notch unnecessary. The gate (loading gate) can be opened only when the hammer and trigger are fully forward. Opening the gate immobilizes the trigger, hammer, and transfer bar. When the gate is opened the cylinder is unlatched and can be turned for loading or ejection. When the gate is closed, the cylinder latch functions in the normal manner. The loading notch is therefore unnecessary in the New Model design. Unlike the earlier single action revolvers which have four hammer positions – “cocked,” “loading,” “safety” and “all the way forward” – the New Model has only two hammer positions – “cocked” and “all the way forward.” 8 Parts referred to frequently are indicated by arrows. NOMENCLATURE New Model Blackhawk Shown (Vaquero Has Fixed Sights; Otherwise Identical) IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE OWNERS OF ALL “OLD MODEL” (PRE-1973) RUGER SINGLE ACTION REVOLVERS, INCLUDING BEARCATS WITH SERIAL NUMBERS BELOW 93-00000, SHOULD WRITE FOR DETAILS CONCERNING OUR FREE SAFETY CONVERSION, WHICH CAN HELP PREVENT ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY A BLOW TO THE HAMMER IF THE USER HAS FAILED TO TAKE THE BASIC SAFETY PRECAUTION OF KEEPING AN EMPTY CHAMBER UNDER THE HAMMER. See Page 27.
9 NOMENCLATURE EJECTOR BASE PINBASE PIN LATCH CHAMBER GATE (Loading Gate) CYLINDER FRAME GRIP FRAMETRIGGER PIVOT TRIGGERHAMMER PIVOT HAMMER Bisley Adjustable Sight Model Shown (Bisley Vaquero Has Fixed Sights; Otherwise Identical)
10 TRANSFER BAR LOADING GATE LOADING GATE CAM TRIGGER SPRINGGATE DETENT SPRING CYLINDER LATCH SPRING & PLUNGEREJECTOR THUMBPIECE Mechanism shown at rest. Transfer bar is not in line between hammer and firing pin. This is the carrying position. TRIGGER SPRINGCYLINDER LATCH TRIGGER & CYLINDER LATCH PIVOTEJECTOR HOUSING HAMMER PIVOT TRIGGERBASE PIN EJECTOR RODFIRING PIN MAINSPRING STRUTTRANSFER BAR Mechanism shown with trigger pulled and hammer beginning to fall. Transfer bar is in firing position, between hammer and firing pin. The mechanism of theRUGER®VAQUERO &BISLEY VAQUERO provides maximum security against accidental discharge. As with any other firearm, however, the New Model must be used with strict attention to correct safety practices. In addition, the revolver should be inspected frequently to assure that it is working properly. The Ruger New Model revolver mechanism is illustrated below. The same basic mechanism is found in the entire line of Ruger New Model single action revolvers – Single-Six, Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Bisley, Vaquero and Bisley Vaquero Models.