I have a few Italian replicas: Rem. '58, Rem. Navy, Colt Navy, Colt '60 Army.
And I have a ROA in stainless. I find--after tuning and getting good nipples--they all have similar reliability. The ROA is consistently more accurate than all but the '60 Pietta, which holds its own. For some reason I like shooting the replicas more.
I had never completely torn down the Ruger because it seemed too complicated and never seemed to need it. I just washed it out real good and blew out the moisture with compressed air.
But a couple weeks ago, the cylnder stopped turning and I had to take it apart to find what I thought was a broken part. I learned that the technology in the Ruger is both more sturdy but also more unforgiving than the copies. A tiny plunger/coil spring in the hammer that forces the cylinder tab down at half cock was jammed with grit.
I soaked it in solvent and got it loose. I also discovered that a coil spring and plunger that forces the cylinder paw forward was put in backwards by the previous owner. (thank you Ruger for an excellent exploded diagram).
Neither assembly exists on the Rems/Colts.
The SS Ruger is obviously made of better material and to closer tolerances than the copies, but those sloppy tolerances are also what allows my Colts and Rems to keep going when they're fouled.
They're also easier to reassemble that the ^%$# Ruger.
And I have a ROA in stainless. I find--after tuning and getting good nipples--they all have similar reliability. The ROA is consistently more accurate than all but the '60 Pietta, which holds its own. For some reason I like shooting the replicas more.
I had never completely torn down the Ruger because it seemed too complicated and never seemed to need it. I just washed it out real good and blew out the moisture with compressed air.
But a couple weeks ago, the cylnder stopped turning and I had to take it apart to find what I thought was a broken part. I learned that the technology in the Ruger is both more sturdy but also more unforgiving than the copies. A tiny plunger/coil spring in the hammer that forces the cylinder tab down at half cock was jammed with grit.
I soaked it in solvent and got it loose. I also discovered that a coil spring and plunger that forces the cylinder paw forward was put in backwards by the previous owner. (thank you Ruger for an excellent exploded diagram).
Neither assembly exists on the Rems/Colts.
The SS Ruger is obviously made of better material and to closer tolerances than the copies, but those sloppy tolerances are also what allows my Colts and Rems to keep going when they're fouled.
They're also easier to reassemble that the ^%$# Ruger.