Ruger Red Label Repair Help

[CHWine]

I've got a 40 year old 12 gauge Red Label. The ejector on the top barrel won't eject a fired round now. If dry fired it snaps just fine. I've tried oiling it, but beyond that I think I'm stumped. I emailed River and they said due to its age, they're not interested in helping with parts or repairs. Any help?

 

[Macintosh]

Surprised ruger wont help, I have a few friends that have sent guns in for repair and they were very helpful. If they wont, ejectors are basic shotgun smithing 101, any decent shotgun smith should be able to help without having to learn on the fly. Where are you located?

 

[CHWine]

Hey thanks for the response. I'm in Pinetop AZ

 

[Cherokeeguide]

If you have the Owner's Manual, that used to tell you how to remove the ejectors for detailed cleaning. Oiling them can just make the problem worse if there is gunk in the ejector slots. Remove the ejectors, clean them and the slots they ride in, then lube and re-assemble and the problem should go away.

Unfortunately, I don't remember exactly how those ejectors come out. I know they don't just "snap in / snap out" like I think they do on the new Gen III Red Label and the so-called "Brescia Action" guns like those made by F.A.I.R. or built like them, as the Yildiz SPZ ME / Legacy HP guns.

If you don't have the Owner's Manual, I think that Ruger could at least supply you with another one.

You could just have an "ammo problem." The old gen-one Red Label I had would fail to eject the top barrel when shooting that super-shitty Winchester "Universal" ammo sold at Walmart and other big-box retailers; nearly as bad with the old and near equally crappy Remington "Gun Club" shells. With Winchester AA, or other quality ammo, the issue magically disappeared.

Another issue that can cause misfire and ejection problems in the original Red Label is stock bolt interference with the inertia block. The least invasive way to solve that problem is to take the stock bolt out, slide a washer down it until it contacts the bolt head, and re-install.

 

[Macintosh]

Hey thanks for the response. I'm in Pinetop AZ

Ruger made that action in Arizona most likely. I know my friend who sent a red label in for a rib repair some years ago sent it to their arizona facility. I'd be surprised if you cant find a local gunsmith who could easily help you--maybe get ahold of the AZ facility directly and ask if they can recommend someone local?

Sounds like some good info above^^. Chances are its got gummed up oil in the ejector mechanism. Can you hear the ejector "click" when ejecting with a shell, or is it simply not doing anything? Are you comfortable disassembling the ejector mechanism on the barrel and foreend without buggering any screws? If not I'd go gunsmith. If so, a complete teardown of the ejectors, a turbo-clean to get rid of any solidified oil, a light re-lube and reasemble should fix it if its ejecting when empty. Also you may have cheap shells sticking on some bore pitting (?) so one thing to check is to make sure the chamber is also squeaky clean and smooth. All this is verbatim the above post

Its also possible that it is "ejecting" but the parts have worn slightly so its out of time, and the ejector seers are tripping the ejector before the shell has cleared the breech face. If so its probably a gunsmith fix again. Or that the shell is slipping behind the ejector rim. etc.

Red label owners manuals are here: https://www.ruger.com/dataProcess/serialHistory/manuals.php

 

[Cherokeeguide]

Ruger made that action in Arizona most likely.

Least likely. Prescott's original focus was revolvers and pistols. The first thing made there was the crappy P-85 9mm pistol.

Red Label production started in Southport, Connecticut and moved to Newport, New Hampshire The current Red Label isn't even made by Ruger. It is being produced for Ruger by Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company (CSMC).

 

[Macintosh]

Huh, ok, I thought all the casting was done in Az, all the original red labels were cast actions. I stand corrected, thanks for that.
Csmc probably better quality anyway, glad to hear its anything other than made in turkey!

 

[Cherokeeguide]

Huh, ok, I thought all the casting was done in Az, all the original red labels were cast actions. I stand corrected, thanks for that.
Csmc probably better quality anyway, glad to hear its anything other than made in turkey!

Sturm, Ruger, and Co. has had a subsidiary called Pine Tree Castings in Newport, New Hampshire since 1963 that has done their investment cast parts, investment cast parts for other firearms makers (Thompson-Center, Savage, etc), and investment castings for automotive, aerospace, medical equipment, and consumer goods companies unrelated to the firearms trade. Pine Tree did and does the investment cast components of Ruger's long guns that utilize them.

They do have Ruger Precision Castings in Prescott, AZ, and if memory serves, that came a couple of years after the firearms assembly plant there opened. RPC does investment castings for other companies, like Pine Tree does, but do almost exclusively handgun parts for Ruger.

CSMC does indeed turn out top-quality guns. My dad has one of their Savage-Fox side-by-sides and it is first-class all the way. Considering it cost over $9,000.00, it should be as perfect as such a thing can be turned out.

As far as Turkish-made stuff goes, "Made in Turkey" doesn't stop me from totally enjoying my 28 gauge Yildiz Legacy HP in the field and on the sporting course.