Ruger issues safety bulletin on American Pistol over slide cracks

Sturm, Ruger & company announced that some Ruger American Pistols that have fired more than 10,000 rounds may exhibit premature wear that can result in a slide crack.

The bulletin, issued this week, cautions that the problem could surface on both duty and compact-sized models in 9mm with serial number prefixes “860” and “862” while stressing that other 9mm pistols such as the SR9 and LC9S are not affected. A sign that the gun may fall inside this range is a silver-colored, stainless steel barrel.

The root of the problem, which can be found during what Ruger stresses in routine maintenance, is premature wear of the locking surfaces between the slide and barrel. The company says that if such excessive wear is not observed, no action is necessary, but owners of such pistols can sign up for a free retrofit if they suspect such an issue could be developing.

Should the wear be ignored, it can result in a crack near the ejection port of the slide. “If cracking occurs, it will become visible long before an unsafe condition develops,” Ruger said. “However, if the crack is not addressed and the pistol remains in service, the pistol may eventually fail to function or become unsafe to shoot.”

Those participating in the retrofit will receive a prepaid USPS box to return the slide/barrel assembly to have new components installed as needed free of charge. Ruger said they will make “every effort” to return the assembly within a week of the day they receive it.

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