Ruger Single Six .22lr

[jzzr83]

This weekend I was able to shoot my brother's father-in-laws Ruger Single Six .22lr. I am unsure about the year it was made but the manual says revised in 1959. I was getting a lot of failure to fires and figured it was a light hammer problem seeing that the same box of ammo was shooting fine in the other .22s we were shooting. I then realized that the cylinder did not seem to be lining up with the barrel. It looked as if the hammer was hitting in between the chambers. When the gun was fully cocked I was then lining up the cylinder w/ the hammer and everything would go boom as it should. Only after shooting about 15 rounds the hammer was not able to be pulled back to the loading notch. Now I am left with a firearm that I can not take apart and is loaded. I tried taking the cylinder out, but without being able to half cock it the pin will not free up. I know most out there will tell me to take it to a gunsmith, but what should I expect him to tell me?

[jzzr83]

After playing with it a bit more I was able to get the cylinder out of it and get it unloaded. I will have to follow the dismantle instructions and see if I can find any broken parts. With the cylinder out the hammer can be brought to the full cocked position just fine. At this point I will assume it needs a good cleaning and lube job.

[Norsesmithy]

Sounds like some part of your timing mechanism is out of time. It might require parts replacement, or perhaps just a slight tweaking of parts.

[1911fan]

Judging from the age it does not have the transfer bar safety. Call Ruger and get them to send you a return box. Mail it back to them and they will fix it all for nothing.

[infidel]

Judging from the age it does not have the transfer bar safety. Call Ruger and get them to send you a return box. Mail it back to them and they will fix it all for nothing.

+1

[sack peterson]

A Single Six is very difficult to break for long.

Inadequate cylinder rotation has got to be caused by bad hand action. I think Ruger calls the hand the pawl - its that finger next to the hammer. The hand is pressured forward into the ratchet teeth by a coil sping. This spring is in a channel on the left side of the hammer. It is accessed by taking the grip assembly off.

I'd pull that grip assembly off and see to it that the hand spring is not gunked up in place, and not pushing the hand to engage the cylinder teeth.