Tearing Down a Security Six Cylinder

I second using a spray cleaner like GunScrubber or BrakeKleen rather than further attempt to disassemble those parts. A $4 can of cleaner will be cheap compared to messing up even a single small part.
 
I tried soaking it with carb cleaner, and the cylinder spun beautifully for a few minutes. Then it went back to normal. I can soak it all day long, but the crud is still going to be sitting in there.
 
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soaking it isn't the answer - you use the pressure from the spray can combined with the solvent of the brake cleaner to blast the gunk out of there
 
Do Security Six cylinders actually spin freely?

I know mine doesn't. I assumed it was the way the gun was designed, but maybe I'm wrong about that.

I'm just curious whether you actually have a problem at all. I'd love feedback from other Ruger *-Six owners.
 
Crazy88fingers - if you can't buy the tool, then get yourself a block of hardwood. Drill it just a shade smaller than the ejector rod and then cut the wood in half on a bandsaw. Congratulations! You just made a block to hold the rod. Write Ruger SS on each half so you'll never get it confused with any other block that you'll make. Now, take your homemade tool and clamp them in a vise with the rod secured between them. Then like our dear friend DeafSmith suggested, put three (or even six) spent shells into the cylinder. Then twist.

I'm sure you're soaking the cylinder first before you try this. You need to loosen up the grease that has solidified. It probably is due for a cleaning and afterward will spin freely.

If you have free time, google Deaf Smith. He's one of the heroes of the Texas Revolution.
 
Tight cylinder also

<Quote> I know mine doesn't. I assumed it was the way the gun was designed, but maybe I'm wrong about that.
I'm just curious whether you actually have a problem at all. I'd love feedback from other Ruger *-Six owners.

Just picked up my new to me security six from my FFL, who is also my gunsmith. His comment: gun is in good condition overall but the cylinder is pretty tight. He did not follow up with anything like, "this is normal for this model," so I understood him to mean that the cylinder needed a good cleaning in order to spin (more?) freely. I didn't think to have him do it while I was there - I was planning on using the spray cleaner. So, my experience so far: very tight cylinder on an otherwise gently used weapon.
 
I've owned my Security Six since the late 70's. I've never taken the cylinder apart. My suggestion is to 1) Stop now before you break something, or 2) find a smith, or send it to Ruger.
 
Breaking things is the way of the world. We who fix understand this, and often fix more than we intended to, but by God, it gets fixed.

Follow 4V50Gary's sage advice, and all will be well.

I have an old Security Six, and the cylinder spins like it's on greased glass.
 
35 years ago the cylinder on my Service Six gummed up with lead and bullet lube from cast bullets. Ruger had me return it for repair and fixed the problem by recutting forcing cone and chamferring rear of barrel. Of course, cleaning was done.

Avoid the big hammer and monkey wrench approach because this mechanism is set-up differently.
 
VERY LATE UPDATE:

Okay, I finally got around to sitting down and going full-blown vendetta on that cylinder. Some PB Blaster and that wood trick 4V50 Gary suggested (thank you sir) got it to come loose.

Turns out one of the knuckleheads who had the gun before me packed that thing full of grease, and that's why it was dragging. :eek:

So I've got a shiny new ejector rod from Ruger and some cleaning supplies. Time to clean it, oil it, and have her back to good-as-new. I just wanted to post the finale and extend my thanks for all the help.
 
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