Ruger Old Army malfunction

[Dude]

I'm interested in getting an old ROA that has an issue. Hoping you guys might have advice on how to fix or what might be wrong.

When the hammer is pulled back, the cylinder is supposed to roll free at half cock. It doesn't. The hammer needs to be pulled a little bit past the half cock position for the cylinder to free up.

Is this a worn part or a simple adjustment?

I've heard parts are scarce for these old guns - is that true?

 

[TreeMan]

Mine does the same thing. Mine had a really good trigger job done on it way before I purchased it so I contributed the issue maybe to that. I’ve never tried to mess with mine because I was afraid of messing up the trigger job. I stick a toothpick in there when loading to hold the hammer back just a tad so it will rotate. Otherwise it doesn’t effect the function of my gun.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Check the cylinder stop may be just a build up of old lube.

 

[FishDFly]

Check the cylinder stop may be just a build up of old lube.

After reading the above, all it might need is taking it apart and a through cleaning.

 

[Dude]

A lot of times a good cleaning is all that's needed. But since I don't know the inner workings of the ROA, I hate not knowing what the worst case might be. It's like buying a car with a knock - maybe it's a rod bearing, or maybe it's something simple, but it's best planning for the worst.

The seller said the same thing - it works fine, just have to pull the hammer beyond the first stop, then let it back and it's fine. For some reason the stop isn't retracting as soon as it should. That kind of sounds like a worn pawl to me.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Could be, I would put my money on a good cleaning. let us know when you figure it out.

 

[M. De Land]

I'm interested in getting an old ROA that has an issue. Hoping you guys might have advice on how to fix or what might be wrong.

When the hammer is pulled back, the cylinder is supposed to roll free at half cock. It doesn't. The hammer needs to be pulled a little bit past the half cock position for the cylinder to free up.

Is this a worn part or a simple adjustment?

I've heard parts are scarce for these old guns - is that true?

Mine does the same thing. It must have come from the factory that way as I have never messed with it. It is always a good idea to polish the bolt top on any revolver and break any sharp edges around the bolt top perimeter without changing the dimensions. You just want to stone any sharp corners smooth.

 

[bisleyjohn]

I found my ROA fairly easy to take apart, as the man says, bit of lube, build up of grunge. I found a small piece of cap had ‘glued’ itself between the hammer and the frame which I didn’t see until I took it apart. Just use decent screwdrivers and you should be fine.

 

[Dude]

The owner figured out the problem was the hand and decided not to sell it. He ordered a new hand from a place in NY, but when I go there, everything is out of stock. He must have gotten the last hand.

M De. Land - what is the bolt stop? I get the idea you're talking about the part that comes up from the bottom locking the cylinder in position? I think it's called the cylinder lock?

 

[appalichian hunter]

The small fixture in the bottom of frame that engages the cylinder stop notches is called a cylinder stop

 

[M. De Land]

Yes, cylinder stop is probably a better descriptive term although I have always referred to it as a cylinder bolt. I was saying bolt top not stop meaning the round top needs the corners smoothed and the dome polished for smoothest operation. I picked most of this stuff I've posted out of repair and tuning manuals I have in my shop for single and double action modern revolvers which crosses over nicely to percussion as well in a lot of areas . I also have quite a lot of experience of working over my own percussion and flint pistols to get the most out of them machining, heat treating and fitting new sears, triggers, springs ,sight blades and barrel key.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Great, myself have been a certified armorer for Smith & Wesson both revolvers and semi and Ruger for there mini 14 rifle for around 20 years, with the revolvers all I ever heard this part referred to is a cylinder stop.

 

[M. De Land]

Getting factory certified is a good place to start just like gunsmith school is but then experience allows one to learn their own style, methodology and new-once in parts machining, heat treating and fitting. I've found occasionally, in repair and tuning work, factory methods are not the best approach at all.

 

[TFoley]

I bought my ROA as a birthday gift to me on March 2nd, 1986. Since then it has had an easy 25,000 rounds down the barrel - gets around a hundred or more at every guest day - 12 a year - plus all the fun shooting that I do usually once a week. The action is slicker than weasel snot and a joy to shoot.

No internal parts have worn - at all.

It gets an annual tear-down and deep clean, but it DOES get cleaned every time I use it - just removing the cylinder and nipples and a good hot bath followed up by copious oiling and wiping down.

 

[M. De Land]

I picked up a centenial model in blued steel and they, (like all Rugers) are made like a brick out house for strength. It needed a trigger job but other than that has been perfect in all respects. It was accurate right out of the box but I have to say my tuned up Pietta 58 will beat it in competition accuracy which was a surprise to me.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Getting factory certified is a good place to start just like gunsmith school is but then experience allows one to learn their own style, methodology and new-once in parts machining, heat treating and fitting. I've found occasionally, in repair and tuning work, factory methods are not the best approach at all.

As I said 20 years experience, ones own style is fine if your working on your own guns, After all besides a bit of occasional fitting of new replacement parts and polishing a bit the factory tolerances we done for a reason. I have seen and fixed too many home brewed fixes to see it otherwise, I will take my dog home now and leave you to your own style and methodology. Have a great day.

 

[M. De Land]

Well gunsmith school got me started but it's the experience working on factory fails that teach new ways to approach things and in some cases better materials to make the parts from. In most cases the guns would not be fiddled with at all had they worked right in the first place from the factory!
Folks like Linebaush, Gallegar and Bowen have taken factory guns as a basis and made whole new levels of precision shooting instruments out of them using very few factory prescribed parts and methods.

 

[Harry K]

It gets an annual tear-down and deep clean, but it DOES get cleaned every time I use it - just removing the cylinder and nipples and a good hot bath followed up by copious oiling and wiping down.

Do you remove the grips every time or only once a year?

 

[TFoley]

Do you remove the grips every time or only once a year?

Well, I actually do that every time - so, after a shoot. That BP crud really does get everywhere.

 

[TFoley]

BTW, 'gunsmith school' here in UK is a seven-year apprenticeship with a gun-making company that ends up with you presenting a gun that you have made to the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers for their examination and judging. If they like it, they 'pass' you as a gunsmith/maker, and then you can take on your own apprentices...all of the major gunmakers here in UK use the apprenticeship scheme to fill their ranks - you can see how they go about it on Youtube if you are interested. Germany, Austria, France, Italy and Spain do the same kind of thing. A old friend of mine in Germany, a Meisterbuchsenmacher [master gunsmith] used to talk of his apprenticeship days with great nostalgia. He recalls his first 'homework'. He was given a cube of brass and a ball of the same material. Using only files and calipers, he was expected to turn the cube into a ball and vice versa. He managed, he said, by sheer perseverance, but half the class failed.

And THAT was just for starters. His Meisterstueck - masterpiece - was a double rifle in 8x57cal which he ended up presenting to the city mayor as a retirement gift from the town council.

These are the Arms of the British Company

They've been doing that since 1637. Seems to work just fine.