.45 Montado suddenly all locked up?

I bought the revolver several years ago. I think I have fired 12 rounds out of it, otherwise in the safe. I've pulled it out a few times here and there to wipe it down or dry fire a few times. Always seemed to be fine.

Got it out of the safe today and started cycling the action a few times. Wasn't even dry firing. Just working the action, getting the feel, thinking about taking it shooting. Then all at once it wouldn't cock. Hammer down and stuck. Hmm. Pulled the cylinder out. It cocks just fine with no cylinder. Put the cylinder back, it won't cock. Open the loading gate and hand rotate the cylinder, feels fine, not sticking or binding or anything.

I have taken OM's apart to put the pre-conversion parts back in them. And I've taken apart NM's a few times... but it has been several years. I'm sure I can handle taking it apart... but what should I be looking for?

Thanks,

Gregg

Sounds like the cylinder pin is not seating all the way. Point the gun UP and see if it will cock the hammer. If it cocks then look at the Cyl. pin and latch.
Eric

I pulled the pin part way out several times. Pushed it back in until it clicked in place. Tried to hold the button down and push it even further in. It seems to be locking in normally... but the gun still won't cock.

Check the tip of the cylinder pin. It may be stuck.

"The tip may be stuck." I'm guessing you mean the little plunger on the end? I pulled the cylinder out and pushed the rod forward. (One of these you can't remove without taking off the ERH.) The plunger moves freely. I lubed everything there and inside the gun where it seats. Put it all back together. Nothing.. still totally jammed.

As an extra data point, I pushed the cylinder pin back to its lock position... without the cylinder. So everything the way it should be to fire... except no cylinder. In that condition, the hammer cocked easily.

So it can't turn the cylinder. Ahh, when I look at the bottom of the cylinder frame cutout and try to pull the hammer back, the stop that pops up into the cylinder lock notches isn't dropping down. It stays in the fully up and locked position. No wonder the cylinder won't rotate. OK, why would that happen? What is likely to be the cause? I'll budget some time to take it apart but what should I expect to find?

That " thingy" that pops up into the little cutouts in the cylinder is called the cylinder latch. It is caused to lower by interaction with a plunger and spring that is part of the hammer assembly. That is where I suspect you will find the problem. Either there or a problem with the loading gate spring. A teardown is in order.
Please report what you find.
I had the same issue with a NM flat top. My problem was with the gate spring that jumped off of the gate cam surface and locked it up good.

In my defense... I didn't use the term "thingy." .... I'm 55 going on 90... my brain sometimes can't come up with the terminology. I debated getting up to get a book or doing a goggle search but I figured people would know what I was talking about!

I'll schedule a teardown sometime in the next week or so. I'm heavily involved re-wiring my 1947 house right now. Crawling around in the attic and in the crawl space under the house... hitting my head so many times... a bike helmet or hard hat would stick out too far in the tight quarters... what I need is like a 1920's motorcycle skull cap or one of those leather things the early football players used before real helmets came along. I don't need impact protection, just the slow motion smack into my bare scalp that just keeps happening! Not to mention the nails that stick all the way through the roof decking and into the attic... those will make you bleed.

Sorry friend , using quote marks was my bad.

If it has been sitting up for several years it probably has some dried up gunk in it. You can try spraying it down with a solvent and working the action followed by oiling or taking it apart and cleaning everything.

The cylinder latch spring and latch spring plunger is under the front part of gripframe where the trigger guard is. I have had this spring and plunger get rusty and need cleaning and oiling. It is also easy to bend the spring or plunger if you are not careful when replacing the gripframe (don't ask). If you loosen the gripframe screws and open that front part of the gripfrane away from the frame you can shoot some solvent in there otherwise it is hard to get at.

Part #25 and #26

https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/newVaquero.pdf

Hi tulsamal,

No need to take the gun apart. Remove the cyl, cock the hammer, and verify that the cyl bolt in the bottom of the frame window goes down and back up when the hammer is cocked. I'm sure it will but that should be checked first.

The problem is the hand that turns the cyl. I've seen this several times, especially on stainless guns like the Montado. When new they work fine for awhile and then the hand sticks on the ratchet teeth after a short time. The stainless galls easily and the sharp corners on the hand catch on the ratchet teeth.

All you need to do is remove cyl, cock the hammer which wiil extend the hand fully from the recoil shield, and prop it forward with the pointy end of a lead pencil or something similar.

Now using a small file, knock off the the top, front right corner of the hand about 1/32". The hand will no longer dig into and catch on the ratchet teeth. It will slide along the tooth as the cyl starts to rotate like it was designed to do.

Note: if you want the cyl to free-wheel (turn both directions) for ease of aligning the chambers with the loading port, knock off 1/16".

Next time you rest after smacking your head (I know the feeling), try the above. It will take you less time than it took to read this.

Also check the hammer plunger. If there is a burr and it is sticking, the same thing can occur.

I had set that gun on a bookshelf. I picked it up yesterday and wondered why it was out. Checked it wasn't loaded, then tried to cock it. Jammed hammer down... oh yeah, now I remember.

I'll try to check it out tomorrow and see if one of the suggestions will work. I'll get back to you.

Mine acted like that just before the pawl broke.

No need to take the gun apart. Remove the cyl, cock the hammer, and verify that the cyl bolt in the bottom of the frame window goes down and back up when the hammer is cocked. I'm sure it will but that should be checked first.

Click to expand...

That's as far as I got. With the cylinder out, the action seems to cycle normally. But then I looked at the cylinder bolt. It just sits there in the up position. No wonder the cylinder won't turn and the hammer can't cock!

OK, that's weird. This morning I pulled it back out, removed the cylinder, pushed the bolt up and down a few times, cocked it a few times, the bolt started going up and down. Put the cylinder in, it turns just fine.

I'm happy it works but now I don't feel like I can really trust it! I figured I would dry fire it a few thousand times and maybe whatever the problem is will work itself out. Darn like new guns!

Time for a good cleaning. Remove the hammer plunger and spring. Dried grease can cause problems. Don't forget the Cyl. latch spring and plunger.
Glad its working. Eric