Security six cylinder jam

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Rich 10mm

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I have my fathers security six that he carried on the PA State Police in the 70's. I will never get rid of it as it has sentimental value. However, the cylinder gets jammed in the frame and won't swing out or rotate. The trigger can't be pulled either. I fixed it once with a wooden mallet to break it free and stripped, cleaned, and oiled it. It worked fine for about 7 rounds then locked up again. Any suggestions as to what is wrong and how to fix it would be greatly appreciated
 
Possibly the cylinder rod has partially unscrewed (assuming that Ruger Sec. Sixes have similar construction to a Smith). Is the crane bent? Is the cylinder rod bent?
 
" I fixed it once with a wooden mallet to break it free"

I'd send it to Ruger and have them fix it. Pistols usually have tight tolerances and any hammering on them is not a recommended practice.
 
Use the tip of a thin tool to push against the nub that retains the ejector rod in the frame and see if the cylinder can then be freed. If it can, twist the ejector rod to see if it spins while holding the cylinder still. I don't know if the rod is threaded in like on a Smith or Taurus; I just tried it with my Service Six (same gun with fixed sights, and it rode with my dad when he was a deputy in Colorado) and I could not turn it.

If yours turns while holding the cylinder still, tighten it completely and dry-fire. If this ends up being the problem and it keeps recurring, you may need to remove the ejector rod and apply some Loc-Tite to the threads.
 
I'd send it to Ruger and have them fix it. Pistols usually have tight tolerances and any hammering on them is not a recommended practice.
Click to expand...
Definitely check the ejector stem, and also that the star is fully seating. Rugers customer service is top notch, but keep in mind that If you send it in to Ruger, and it needs parts, they no longer have most parts for the Six series guns. They will attempt to keep it. They will offer you a discount on something more current. The reason is because of liability, they don't want non functioning guns that they made out in the market place. If you do send it in, you will have to be very insistent that either way, you will want that gun back for the reasons that you stated, repaired or not. Of course unless you want another gun.
 
If you send it to Ruger you might want to leave out the part about where you "fixed it" by beating it open with a mallet. :banghead:
 
I wouldnt send it to Ruger. You might not get it back without a lot of hassle. Lots of parts guns out there .
 
RON in PA said:
Possibly the cylinder rod has partially unscrewed (assuming that Ruger Sec. Sixes have similar construction to a Smith). Is the crane bent? Is the cylinder rod bent?
Click to expand...
^^^THIS^^^

Happens frequently to my Security Six, so I check the rod often.

35W
 
I fixed it once with a wooden mallet to break it....
Click to expand...
(yeah, I intentionally stopped the copy/paste right there) :)

Don't send it to Ruger. They do not service the Six series any more.

It almost sounds like a broken center pin or, thumb latch. If its stopping the action AND the cylinder won't open.

I'm afraid to ask...where did you apply the mallet to open it? When you did, did it also free the action or, release the cylinder?
 
Mine did it while shooting Perfecta 357 ammo, primers were backing out and locking gun up.
The only way to open cylinder was to pull trigger and push cylinder release at same time. There was a sweet spot for how far trigger needed to be pulled back so cylinder would come loose.
 
Sell it for parts and get a GP100.

Much stronger, more reliable, modern design. Same stopping power and accuracy.
 
Could have a burr on cylinder or forcing cone, after checking ejector I would start there. Get some feeler gauges from auto parts and check gap. .004 -.008 in spec.
 
When you're just not sure what's wrong or how it's supposed to go,
Rule #1 is,
Don't force it!

I hate to think of all the times I've said, "#%*+! Shouldn't've done that"
 
The Ruger Security Six was my first center fire handgun I bought in the mid 70''s. It was also the first revolver to fail on me. The cylinder quite rotating and jammed up. Took it to a gunsmith in town and he found that lead deposits on the face of the forcing cone had built up to the point it was binding against the cylinder face. He took a file to remove the lead from the cylinder face and adjusted the cylinder gap. The gun worked great after that.

Have it checked out by a gunsmith or Ruger before you do anything drastic like selling it for parts or trading it in.
 
Steve C said:
The Ruger Security Six was my first center fire handgun I bought in the mid 70''s. It was also the first revolver to fail on me. The cylinder quite rotating and jammed up. Took it to a gunsmith in town and he found that lead deposits on the face of the forcing cone had built up to the point it was binding against the cylinder face. He took a file to remove the lead from the cylinder face and adjusted the cylinder gap. The gun worked great after that.

Have it checked out by a gunsmith or Ruger before you do anything drastic like selling it for parts or trading it in.
Click to expand...


I got mine in '76 to carry as a police officer. Same problem (cylinder binding with a diet of 38 wadcutters), same solution.
 
Well I got the cylinder open and removed it from the crane. In doing that I found that the ejector rod had backed out of its threads a little. It was also filthy with carbon and old lube. Soaked everything in CLP and scrubed it clean. Reassembled (making sure ejector star was spotless and ejector rod was fully tightened). Dry fires with no problem. Real test will be at range. As far as cylinder gap goes there is no light showing when held up to VERY bright light. I think if it jams up again I will file a hair off the forcing cone. Thanks to everyone for the support. Especially the "don't force it comment" I'm only using wood mallets at crab bashes from now on!
 
"Sell it for parts and get a GP100.

Much stronger, more reliable, modern design. Same stopping power and accuracy."

That's absurd
 
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