Transfer Bar Problem, PLEASE CHECK SOMETHING FOR ME***

[Bear Paw Jack]

I have been bad lately on gun broker. Of course the pictures tell you little if anything on most guns, but I bought what was said to be a very clean Ruger Security Six. I got it and it was obvious that it was reblued. Picked it up at my FFL and we were talking about it, looking it over but not enough.

When I got home I looked it over a little closer. (Obviously when you reblue a gun you have to take it apart) So I did what I frequently do, (gun was empty) I pulled the trigger and looked between the cylinder and the firewall and didn't see the firing pin sticking through. (ALWAYS CHECK FOR THIS) So I pulled the hammer back but not all the way and pushed on the transfer bar and the firing pin showed up where it's supposed to a little so, (I HOPE) that all the parts are there. I talked to the dealer, he offered to refund the money including shipping back to him, or I could have it fixed and he would pay for it. Very nice. My FFL is pretty handy so I'm going to take it to him, (RUGER WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT, THEY HAVE NO PARTS) and I was wondering if anyone has a youtube video showing how to do this. I do have an extra transfer bar, and an extra hammer but it turns out I don't have an extra firing pin. I may need one of those. But the Youtube video is the important thing at this point. If someone can give me a link for that I would be much appreciated, or maybe explain it so I can pass it on to my FFL. I know people talk about using shims and such but I don't really understand that part. Let me know what you can EXPLICITLY PLEASE. Thank you.

 

[338reddog]

This wont tell you a while lot about how far the pin projects. You could drop a pencil down the barrel and dry fire it. You should see if the pencil moves. Also you could seat a primer and shoot it.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I do that sometimes but when the firing pin doesn't protrude at all, it's a problem. The pencil isn't necessary to determine that.

 

[hittman]

You should talk to member RoninPA.

Just Bing Security Six disassembly and you'll get several videos.

I'm confident RoninPA can walk you through this easily.

I wonder if the owners manual also shows an illustration?

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I've seen several disassembly videos, most aren't very good, but none of them really even show the transfer bar or explains how it can be adjusted if necessary. I've got an OLD manual and it doesn't show a lot either on that.

I'll see if I can get ahold of RoninPA. Good idea.

 

[Hondo44]

Hi Marlin,

1. Since it has no serial #, take the seller's offer to return it. It's a federal offense to posses it. Look on the side of the frame or on the bottom of the grip to see if you can spot any signs where a serial number may have been removed.

2. To test the transfer bar: Pull the trigger and hold down after the hammer falls. If you can't see the firing pin sticking thru the recoil shield very much, there may be a problem. However, the firing pin is spring loaded, so it flies farther forward when hit by the hammer than just with the hammer down. You really need to shoot it to be sure it's not working.

3. If it won't fire, that would indicate the firing pin could be snapped off; while holding trigger back as in #2 above, look for a jagged tip instead of the rounded tip.
To remove firing pin, you knock out the recoil plate pin #E49 shown in your owner's manual parts list and diagram. Push the firing pin forward tp push out the recoil plate, spring, and F pin. Check eBay for a F pin or just Google.

4. If the pin looks OK, the transfer bar is too short, they're not adjustable. See if your extra bar is longer. The transfer bar can come out and easy to just put back.

5. Here's a good SSix take down video, it shows where the release button is for the trigger group. It also dicusses removal of the transfer bar and firing pin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96lc7XGZIxE

Here's a couple Ruger videos if interested (but not as helpful as the above) for disassembly of their other DAs, they no longer have a security six video. But they're very similar; the SSix button to remove the trigger group is just a little harder to get to inside the frame:
https://www.ruger.com/videos.html?vid=131271069&cat=3769277
https://www.ruger.com/videos.html?vid=131271119&cat=3769277

WARNINGS:

Although the design is a little different from the GP you still have to be careful not to launch the pawl spring. Don't pull the trigger all the way back once the housing is removed or you could send plungers/pins across the room. If you pull the trigger slightly after the trigger assembly is removed from the frame the pawl will rotate forward and can release the spring. I suggest if you must disassemble the trigger assembly, that the first time you do it in a clear plastic bag that way any springs that are inadvertently released don't go flying across the room.

There is a trigger return spring in the trigger group that is absolutely impossible to get back in without a jig of sorts apparently, so that's one reason that Ruger doesn't discuss TAKING THE TRIGGER GROUP APART after after removing it from the frame!

Notice and remember what direction the mainspring is facing/installed in (front to back). It can be assembled in both direction, though the correct direction is somewhat apparent.

Hope that helps,

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Hi Marlin,

1. Since it has no serial #, take the seller's offer to return it. It's a federal offense to posses it. Look on the side of the frame or on the bottom of the grip to see if you can spot any signs where a serial number may have been removed.

Where does it say there's no serial number??

:?

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

It does have a serial number. Not sure how that came up. It's a very late first year gun, and a low back.

 

[98Redline]

It sounds like you have not actually fired this revolver yet. Am I correct in that assessment?

I think before I went off and returned what may be a perfectly serviceable gun you could at least pop off a couple of primer only cases and see if you do get enough dynamic FP extension to reliably touch off the primers.

There is a user that used to go by the name Iowegan that posted some very good tips on tuning up the hammer/transfer bar/firing pin interface and how you can avoid light strikes. I think I would go that route before I resorted to trying a longer firing pin.
Google: "redhawk light strikes iowegan" and you should find a link to his post.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

This might be it . . .

https://rugerforum.net/ruger-double-action/115187-redhawk-light-strikes.html

 

[woodsy]

Hi Marlin,

1. Since it has no serial #, take the seller's offer to return it. It's a federal offense to posses it. Look on the side of the frame or on the bottom of the grip to see if you can spot any signs where a serial number may have been removed.

Where does it say there's no serial number??

:?

Yeah, where is that mentioned by the OP, exactly?

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

98Redline, that would be correct I didn't shoot the gun to be sure, it would have to be a REBOUNDING FIRING PIN, and I've never even heard of one. Now, having said that I just checked to confirm, on 7 other Ruger sixes, 5 Security Sixes and two Speed Sixes, which are all I have here at home right now and EVERYONE of them, when you pull the trigger you can see the firing pin sticking past the firewall, as long as the trigger is back. I have NEVER seen one that didn't do that and I've had many of these. So when I called my FFL he said it's just fine, I just shot it. 6 times. I was SHOCKED.

Ok guys, please check your guns, and tell me, when you pull the trigger and hold it, can you see the firing pin between the cylinder and the firewall. I gotts to know (as the bad guy said to Clint Eastwood on how many rounds he fired)

 

[hittman]

On mine, as you described above, when I pull the hammer back the firing pin disappears. Of course then when the hammer falls, the firing pin reappears.

I checked on a low back snubbie, a newer Sec Six with scalloped recoil shield and an older 6 inch without the scalloped recoil shield. So ..... a variety of ages checked.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

My FFL shot the gun in Single action only, I'm going to give it a try in D/A. At this point I'm mystified about this whole thing. I guess if it works, it works, but I'm going to put a few more rounds down range 6 just isn't enough, plus I'm using different ammo and different primer. Over the years I've had a lot of the Ruger Six Series guns, and they were all the same, as far as the firing pin showing through when the trigger is held back.
This one doesn't do that but if you push on the hammer you do see some firing pin. Just not as much as I'm used to. I think I mentioned this gun has been refinished but is very well done and is a first year production low back. Very nice looking gun.

 

[98Redline]

...This one doesn't do that but if you push on the hammer you do see some firing pin. Just not as much as I'm used to.

So you are saying that if you pull the trigger and drop the hammer, keeping the trigger pulled, you can push on the hammer and get additional firing pin extension? (i.e. the nose of the hammer is not resting on the frame)

If that is the case I would think that a weak or lower weight mainspring is your issue, and not so much wrong with the firing pin.
On every one of my Rugers, when I drop the hammer it hits the frame and stays there. The firing pin return spring does not have enough force to push the hammer off.


BTW, what do the FP dents in the primers look like? Nice and deep or a bit on the shallow side?

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

98Redline {So you are saying that if you pull the trigger and drop the hammer, keeping the trigger pulled, you can push on the hammer and get some firing pin extension?}

I have 7 Ruger Sixes here at the house, and one of them do what this one does. ALL the others when you pull the trigger and hold it back, the firing pin stands out past the firing wall. No need to push on the hammer to see something. The hammer hits the frame. I've had quite a number of these guns and this is the first that has responded this way.
The FP dents are adequate by any standard. Not sure of the brand brass didn't look typical.
Anyway I'm going to go out and shoot it double action to see how it performs. If it performs adequately, I will not ask the dealer to take the gun back, but I will probably sell it anyway. I'm not a collector so it doesn't matter whether I have one of those or not in my stable.

 

[hittman]

Marlin,

Is it a SIX inch low back?

 

[98Redline]

Unless whoever reassembled the revolver put in a heavier weight firing pin return spring I can't see how the hammer being pushed back off the frame after firing is anything but a mainspring related problem.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Marlin,

Is it a SIX inch low back?

4"

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I went out to a range, quite a ways out of town, anyway I only shot 24 rounds, all Double action, 3 out of 24 failed to fire. I can't abide that. My FFL seems to think it needs a stronger hammer spring. I can't see that. One of my Speed Sixes is very light and I've never had a problem with it.
I don't think this gun has a serious problem, just at odds with my guy as to what the problem is. Double action is fairly stiff already.

 

[98Redline]

I think you have been given the correct advice regarding the hammer spring.
A replacement spring will run you around $5.00 and seems like a very inexpensive way to test the theory. Heck if you have multiple six series revolvers, strip one down and swap mainspring assemblies and see if it clears up the issue. That is a zero cost option and costs you what, 10 minutes time?

BTW: Did you happen to remove the spring from the hammer strut and measure it's length, compared to one of the ones on your other guns? How about counting the coils? Maybe someone cut a couple of coils off the spring as a poor means of adjusting the spring weight, and ultimately went too far.

The rest of the trigger mechanism is easily cleaned up with some gentile polishing here and there.

Ultimately the gun is yours to do whatever you want, but I always hate to see a gun sent down the road over an issue that is nothing more serious than a $5 part that is easily replaced.