[JonM]

if there is one thing in the gun world that simply drives me totally bonkers insane it is internal gunlocks. they are the most ridiculous things ever devised. so i was quite dismayed to see one inside each of my new ruger vaqueros.

its been eating me to death trying to find a way to disable or remove the damn things. they are totally non-obtrusive and you dont even know they are there until you take the grip panel off and there it is. just like a wart on the ass of a supermodel. its there, no one knows it but it drives her insane with it being there.

so ive spent the last week or so trying to solve the issue. well this afternoon walking through the local menards (wisconsin version of lowes/home depot) i saw some 1/4" aluminum channel. it dawned on me to just make a mainspring seat like the older blackhawks and vaqueros have!!

after about an hour with a dremel tool some calipers a sharpie a drill press and a vice i finished a prototype.





it does take an extra tool to compress the spring enough to get the assembly out but it works.

i left just enough material on the sides to keep it from drifting side to side. i do need to open up the mainspring strut hole a touch more as its binding once in a while. but i think a little more grinding with the dremel to open the hole more will solve that.

is it necessary to remove the locks?? no, but much like mt everest to a climber i take it as a personal challenge to remove nanny locks

[JonM]

Took it apart again and without the spring assembly its still stickingon occasion. Looks like the transfer bar is hanging on the firing pin now and then. Gotta find a fix for that. Hope i dont have to send it to ruger.

*edit*

Ok now i feel stupid. They do this when the cylinder pin isnt in. I didnt bother fully assembling the gun. Duuuuuhhhhhhh. Its all working perfectly now

[shadecorp]

Great bit of work.

[danf_fl]

Good job Jon!
Thanks for the write up and pictures.

[JonM]

Thanks. Im going to try and add a takedown hole so i dont need to use a punch in the upper hole on the strut to compress the spring enough for removal.

[hiwall]

nice fix! good idea about adding that hole.

[JonM]

i took a better look this morning to add in the take down hole but the strut design doesnt allow for it. i would have to get a new longer strut or drill a hole in the existing one. the current hole lines up perfectly when cocked with the top of the spring seat.

i will probably just drill the current strut since its not a load bearing piece and the bottom part is only needed for takedown.

[JonM]

broke my drill bit trying to drill an access hole in the strut!! that is some HARD steel ruger is using. no wonder their guns dont kaboom!!

its going to take proffessional drill bit not junk from menards to do that job. its not a great stretch to use two punches instead of one to remove it. ill just leave it as is for now.