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Work order — Ruger LCR

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.

Shop difficulty: Tier 2 of 3

Few parts (46) with the lockwork carried in a polymer fire-control housing, so less loose lockwork than a sideplate gun; but Ruger stops owner takedown at the grip, warns that the hammer pivot pin must not be fully removed, and marks the hammer strut, mainspring, pawl, transfer bar, firing pin and crane factory-fit. 46 parts (LCR base list incl. 9 mm moon clip; LCR/LCRx supplemental lists excluded (46 line items)). Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~20 min, rebuild ~30 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• 1/8" or smaller punch — Pushing the hammer pivot pin about 0.10" (Ruger lubrication procedure) and the front sight cross pin
• Inch-pound torque driver — Crane pivot screw 23-27 lb-in and fire-control housing retaining screw 6-9 lb-in (Ruger figures)

Watch for:

• Ruger stops owner disassembly at the grip; anything beyond is for trained factory service personnel. (both; Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
• The hammer pivot pin is only to be pushed part way out; removing it completely leaves the revolver not working until it is correctly reassembled. (both; Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
• Most lockwork parts are factory-fit, so a shop strip has to avoid disturbing them. (reassembly; Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
• The crane pivot screw and fire-control housing retaining screw have specified torques on reassembly. (reassembly; Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)

Tools

• Properly fitting screwdriver — The grip retaining screw at the bottom of the grip.

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Press the cylinder latch and swing the cylinder out.
3. Press the ejector rod firmly to eject all cartridges or cases from the chambers.
   Tip: Point the muzzle up and strike the rod briskly so the cases clear fully.
4. Look through every chamber, one at a time, and confirm each is empty.
   Warning: Every chamber, counted. A revolver with one loaded chamber looks identical to an empty one from most angles.
5. Confirm the bore is clear of obstruction.
6. Remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Manufacturer's video: Ruger LCR® Disassembly Tech Tip (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AGrA0SpLWY

Field Strip

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and be certain the revolver is unloaded.
2. Using a properly fitting screwdriver, remove the grip retaining screw from the bottom of the grip.
3. Slide the grip down off the fire control housing.
4. Clean the chambers, bore, cylinder face, and forcing cone.
5. Stop here. The manual states that further disassembly is not required for normal cleaning purposes and should only be undertaken by trained factory service personnel.
   Warning: Do not attempt to remove the cylinder, crane, or fire control components. This is not a GP100.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

The manufacturer's full parts list (46 parts) is on the reference page.

4. Reassemble

Manufacturer's video: Ruger LCR® Reassembly Tech Tip (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsVTyKr0ZCk

Reassembly

1. Before starting, be certain all components and the inside of the frame are thoroughly clean.
2. Slip the grip over the grip post, insert the grip screw into the bottom of the grip, and tighten it.
3. Perform the function check.

5. Torque

Notes: From Ruger's LCR instruction manual (p. 25), which writes the unit as "lb/in" — pound-inches, the same as in-lb. Both values are given as checks after lubrication, to be applied only if the screw has loosened.

Fit or check on rebuild

• Pawl and transfer bar positioned so the trigger guard swings home without resistance; trigger rotates and locks the cyli — Ruger’s own reassembly check.
• Timing / carry-up and cylinder lockup in single and double action; dry fire both ways — Ruger asks for single- and double-action dry fire after reassembly; worn pawl or cylinder stop gives the "does not lock up" fault (entry commonIssues).
• Hammer and trigger side play (shims) where fitted — SP101 manual reassembly puts hammer shims either side of the hammer; Shooting Times measures side play with a feeler gauge.
• Crane, front latch and cylinder latch lock the cylinder closed; cylinder spins free with no drag — Ruger’s function check (cylinder must spin freely; hammer must not cock with the cylinder open).
• Crane pivot screw 23-27 lb-in; fire-control housing retaining screw 6-9 lb-in — Ruger gives these torques in the LCR manual.

6. Function check

• Again, be certain the revolver is unloaded before any check.
• Visually inspect the revolver to ensure no components are damaged, missing, loose, bent, cracked, chipped, or peened.
• Open and close the cylinder and confirm it latches securely.
• Cock the hammer if the model allows it and confirm the cylinder indexes and locks at each chamber.
• Dry fire through every chamber in double action to confirm the action works properly.
• Confirm the grip screw is tight.
• If you observe excessive wear, stop using the revolver and contact customer service.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Sources

1. Instruction Manual for Ruger LCR Revolvers — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/lcr.pdf
2. Ruger Instruction Manuals — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger.com/dataProcess/serialHistory/manuals.php
3. Ruger LCR Double-Action Revolver — Specifications (model 5401, .38 Spl +P) — Sturm, Ruger & Co. primary
   https://ruger.com/products/lcr/specSheets/5401.html
4. Ruger Patents — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger.com/micros/Patents/index.html
5. Instruction Manual for Ruger GP100 Double-Action Revolvers — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/gp100.pdf
6. Instruction Manual for Ruger SP101 Double-Action Revolvers — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/sp101.pdf

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.