Ruger revolvers - do any of them have an internal "lock"

The LCR has an internal lock. The keyhole is located underneath the grip. I couldn't imagine how the lock would be inadvertently engaged without the key however.

Yep but to date I have seen zero reports of the locks failing. All the New Vaqueros, the 50th anniversary Blackhawks, .44Spl Blackhawks, and all the late model blued Blackhawks and Single Sixes with the black plastic grips have internal locks. You have to drill a hole in the grip panel to access it. Easily forgotten about if you don't. I'd prefer a world without internal locks and other unnecessary and silly complications to a firearm's design but the Ruger lock is not too bad. As I said, easily ignored.

My new Blackhawk I picked up today does.

Probably never get used, but it's there.

They call it a lock in the LCR, but honestly all it does it locks the mainspring in the grip in place so the hammer cannot be pulled back/released. My Dan Wesson 14-2 , made many moons ago, has the same thing except it uses a sideplate screw to hold the plunger/spring in place. It helps disassembly.

The Ruger lock follows a design first introduced many decades ago by Harrington & Richardson (H&R). When rotated by a key to the "on" position it blocks the mainspring strut, not the mainspring itself, from moving downward. Thus the hammer cannot be rotated backward, and the hammer must be fully forward before the lock can be engaged.

If one wishes to use the lock (and so far I haven't come across anyone that does) they must first drill a hole through one grip panel so they can insert the key. The basic system has passed the test of time, and has an absolutely zero reputation for self-setting. When the stocks are in place it cannot be seen - out of sight, out of mind.

If someone was seriously concerned (and the Old Fuff isn't) the lock assembly could be removed and replaced with a conventional mainspring seat.

At this time Ruger seems to be incorporating the lock in new designs, but not retrofitting it in older ones. If you are not sure about a recently purchased Ruger revolver, simply remove the stocks and look. If it is there it will be at the bottom of the mainspring. In passing I will note that the system only works in revolvers that have coil, not flat mainsprings.

My New model Blackhawk has it. I was upset at first because I couldn't find a set of rubber grips that would fit it. It's not a big deal now though. I found some Pachmyers that fit it even with the internal lock.

Anybody have a good pic that shows the mechanics of it?

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W.E.G., my picture doesn't show the mechanics any better than the manual, but Old Fuff described the operation perfectly.
The lock was not a problem at all but I have since replaced the original grip frame with a brass one "sans lock", so it's no longer an issue.

SP101's have them also. But as stated above, you have to remove the grips to get to it. Smart on ruger's part.

"SP101's have them also" really? huh, i guess mine must not be that new, cause I certainly don't have one.

Brutz said:

"SP101's have them also" really? huh, i guess mine must not be that new, cause I certainly don't have one.

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Whoops actually you are right, mine doesnt have the lock on it either. Confused it with my Vaquerro. Out of sight out of mind lol

Hud

Slightly off topic, but where did you get those grips on your non-lock brass grip
frame? They look great!

bannockburn,

Thanks for the complement.
I made them from a piece of Oregon Myrtlewood I picked up while visiting my daughter in Coos Bay a couple of years ago.

My comments go a little farther than you intended concerning Rugers.

But - I have S&W's. The anti lock retoric is rampant on the net. I know folks who won't buy a Smith because of the lock. It's also butt ugly in most people's opinions.

I am convice (after excahanging a lot on the Smith forums and reading all the comments I can) that it is the "looks" that turn most folks off to the locks on the Smiths.

IMO if Smith and Wesson had adopted a less conspicuous lock access, as did Ruger and Taurus for instance, there would be very few objections on the net or otherwise.

People who didn't trust them would simply deactiviate theirs (the way I did).

But they are so "in your face" on the Smiths that folks just can't let it alone. I'm convinced that S&W has lost a lot of business over the years simply because or their, very stupidly IMO, going with such a cosmetic monstrosity.

I can't believe that Smith and Wesson missed it so badly.

I believe that other companies have gone with a less conspicuous method of lock activation because they have observed and benefitted from Smith and Wesson's stupidity (or their "purposeful" political activism perhaps - hard to tell which).

My 50th Anniversary .357 Blackhawk has the lock, but I ahve NOT drilled out the grip to access it.

Not gonna do that, either

vicdotcom said:

SP101's have them also. But as stated above, you have to remove the grips to get to it. Smart on ruger's part.

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I just bought a SP101 and it does not have a lock. And yes, I have taken mine apart.

Just picked up a LNIB speed six snubbie, absolutely no lock!

NotSoFast said:

I just bought a SP101 and it does not have a lock. And yes, I have taken mine apart.

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I know I made a mistake with my revolvers and got them confused. I corrected myself a in post #12