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Work order — Ruger Vaquero

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 1 of 3

New Model coil-spring lockwork with fixed sights (51 pieces); described as not difficult. Extra small traps are the cylinder rotation-stop detent and spring set by a tiny screw in the hammer channel, plus the usual pawl plunger, grip-frame springs and loading gate. 50 parts (Current (New) Vaquero, 2005 on; the original large-frame Vaquero is not covered (50 line items)). Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~25 min, rebuild ~40 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• Fitted hollow-ground screwdrivers — Grip-frame, ejector housing and base pin latch screws
• Jaw-protected pliers — Holding the base pin latch nut while the latch is unscrewed (Ruger manual)
• Pin, nail or paper clip — Capturing the mainspring on its strut
• Small pin punches — Hammer, trigger and spring pivot pins

Watch for:

• Owners describe the New Vaquero strip as not difficult, done with knowledge of the parts. (both; Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS City) forum)
• The pawl spring and plunger must go back in the right way round, plunger in and spring out. (reassembly; Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS City) forum)
• The latch spring has to be compressed off the trigger pin and the loading-gate spring pops out of place on reassembly. (both; Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS City) forum)
• The New Vaquero adds a spring-loaded cylinder rotation-stop detent held by a small set screw in the hammer channel. (both; Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS City) forum)
• Aligning the grip frame to the cylinder frame without displacing the two springs that sit between them is touchy. (reassembly; Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS City) forum)

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Open the loading gate on the right side of the frame. On a New Model this frees the cylinder to rotate.
3. Rotate the cylinder to bring the first chamber in line with the loading gate and push the ejector rod rearward to eject the cartridge or case.
4. Repeat for every chamber, rotating and ejecting one at a time.
5. Rotate the cylinder through a full revolution and look into every chamber to confirm each is empty.
   Warning: Every chamber, verified individually. There is no way to see them all at once.
6. Confirm the bore is clear and remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Manufacturer's video: Ruger® Single Action Revolver Disassembly Tech Tip (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOsqz4nQxkA
Ruger® Single Action Revolver Cylinder Removal Tech Tip (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0DCJw33rJ0

Field Strip — Cylinder Removal

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure.
2. Open the loading gate.
   Tip: The cylinder will not come out with the gate closed.
3. Press in the base pin latch on the left side of the frame ahead of the cylinder and hold it.
4. Pull the base pin forward and out of the frame.
   Warning: A small part the revolver will not function without. Set it where it cannot roll away.
5. Roll the cylinder out through the loading gate opening on the right side of the frame.
6. Close the loading gate once the cylinder is out. This is as far as you need to go for routine cleaning.
7. Clean the chambers, bore, cylinder face, and forcing cone.

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 (50 parts) is on the reference page.

4. Reassemble

Manufacturer's video: Ruger® Single Action Revolver Reassembly Tech Tip (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbFwlGTJy_4

Reassembly

1. Open the loading gate and roll the cylinder back into the frame from the right side.
2. Align the cylinder with the base pin hole and slide the base pin in from the front.
   Tip: If the pin will not go fully home, the cylinder is not aligned. Rotate it slightly rather than forcing the pin.
3. Push the base pin fully home until the latch snaps into its groove.
   Warning: Confirm the latch has engaged by pulling forward on the base pin. A base pin that walks forward under recoil will tie up the revolver.
4. Close the loading gate and perform the function check.

5. Torque

No manufacturer torque values are recorded for this firearm.

Notes: The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: "NOTE: The ejector housing screw is installed with a thread-locking adhesive. If the screw is removed it is recommended that a non-permanent thread-locking adhesive be reapplied to the screw." (Instruction Manual for the Ruger Vaquero Revolver (PM170), PDF p. 20)

Fit or check on rebuild

• Cylinder rotates and locks in each chamber, trigger returns, loading gate opens and closes normally — Ruger’s own post-reassembly check for the single actions.
• Transfer bar moves freely and the hammer cannot reach the firing pin with the trigger forward — A pinched transfer bar stops trigger return; this is the New Model safety.
• Base pin fully seated and latched; base pin latch nut tight — A pin that is not home walks forward under recoil (entry commonIssues).
• Ejector housing screw re-threadlocked (non-permanent) — Ruger installs it with thread locker and asks for it to be reapplied.

6. Function check

• Verify every chamber is empty before each check.
• Cock the hammer and confirm the cylinder indexes and locks at each chamber.
• With the hammer cocked, confirm the cylinder is locked with minimal rotational play.
• Press the trigger and confirm a clean hammer fall.
• With the hammer down, press forward on the hammer. On a New Model the transfer bar should prevent the firing pin from being struck.
• Open the loading gate and confirm the cylinder rotates freely and the hammer cannot be cocked.
• Confirm the base pin is fully seated and latched.

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

Sources

1. Ruger Instruction Manuals — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger.com/dataProcess/serialHistory/manuals.php
2. Instruction Manual for Ruger New Model Blackhawk Single-Action Revolvers — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/blackhawk.pdf
3. Instruction Manual for Ruger Wrangler Single-Action Revolvers — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/wrangler.pdf
4. Instruction Manual for the Ruger Vaquero Revolver (PM170) — Sturm, Ruger & Co. primary
   https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/newVaquero.pdf
5. Ruger Vaquero Blued Single-Action Revolver — Specifications (model 5101) — Sturm, Ruger & Co. primary
   https://ruger.com/products/vaquero/specSheets/5101.html
6. Ruger Patents — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
   https://ruger.com/micros/Patents/index.html
7. Ruger New Vaquero Disassembly — Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS City) forum anecdotal
   https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=19598.0
8. No clicks heard when rotating cylinder on brand new NMV — Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS City) forum anecdotal
   https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=49794.0
9. Blackhawk Trigger Return Issue Help? — 24hourcampfire anecdotal
   https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/15795388/2/blackhawk-trigger-return-issue-help

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.