SP101 locked up!

[Kamicosmos]

Weird, I know. But, yesterday at the range, my SP101 DAO locked up tight! I put one cylinder full through it. Mild loads, what I call my light magnums. Nothing unusual, brass came free nice and easy like it always does. I loaded up a second cylinder. Took aim, pulled trigger. Click! I think, dang it, I didn't seat that primer deep enough, oh well. Attempted to pull the trigger again...won't move! The hammer lifts up maybe 1/8" of an inch, cylinder just barely starts to move.

I try to open the cylinder. It will barely move either, moves out maybe 1/4 of an inch, not enough for a round to slip out of the chamber. I took the grip off, thinking something got hung up in the springs, but remembered, 'Oh Yeah, this is a Ruger, not a S&W'.

Now, I can't see anything hung up. Cartridges still slide around a bit when you shake the gun. And of course, there are 5 live rounds in the gun at this point. I didn't get a light to make sure there is not a bullet in the forcing cone, cause I figured nothing had gone off yet, that's not it. But, a chance that maybe there is a bullet in there from the last of the first cylinder full, or maybe my no shot was an incredibly light squib. I will check the gap when I get home tonight to see if that is the case. If so, how to I get that resolved? I don't think pounding on a live round is a smart thing to do...

So, my question is:
Have any of you gunsmiths seen a SP101 lockup this tight before? And, how do I get it open without damaging it? I will also post some pics tonight when I'm working on it.

I am also concerned because this is my primary CCW gun. If this is a squib or just a freak thing, I think I'll still trust the gun. I don't remember ever reading about Rugers jamming up or getting out of time before...

 

[motorep]

I'm not at all familiar with Ruger revolvers but if it was a Smith & Wesson I'd say the ejector rod had loosened and backed out. Smiths have a reverse thread, give it a try.

 

[slopemeno]

I think you had a squib load. The primer pushed the bullet just far enough foreward to tie up the gun. You need to carefully check (partially loaded gun, remember...) with a dowel slid down the bore. If the bullet is actually there, tying up the cylinder, find the most solid object around (tree, concrete wall, etc) and use the dowel to push the bullet back until the cylinder opens. Hold the gun in a firing grip, finger OUT of the trigger guard, and push the gun away from you with the rod up the bore, against the wall. Use a dowel thats close to bore size. I've done this with a .45 that had a squib an inch or so up the bore and it came out fairly easy.

 

[TooTech]

I'm not at all familiar with Ruger revolvers but if it was a Smith & Wesson I'd say the ejector rod had loosened and backed out. Smiths have a reverse thread, give it a try.

Hmmmm. Might keep the gun from opening, but would it keep the cylinder from rotating in the locked position?

Squib load strikes me as a real possibility.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

What can cause such a weak squib load that it doesn't clear the cylinder? Primer-only, forgot powder?

 

[slopemeno]

Primer only is my guess. The Ruger SP-101 and GP-100's dont have an ejector rod that threads in like a Smith or a Security Six. Lets see what he says. I smithed for years and Ive seen it lots of times. The tip off to look for: cylinder partially opens so something is keeping it tied up, ie the bullet lodged between the forcing cone and cylinder. No sound on firing. Why no sound? the gas wasnt there, i.e no powder. Reloaded ammo. I know everyone here makes ammo better than the factory, right? but I've seen some nice guns damaged by commercially or home reloaded ammo. Squibs backed up by live rounds, double charges, too long oal resulting in bullet staying behind in the rifling, the list goes on and on.

 

[Kamicosmos]

Just got home from work. Put a flashlight on the other side of the gun, looked at the gap.

It's got something in there. Must have been a squib. Trying to carefully squeeze it back into the case now....

edited to add:

Got it out! Bullet had pulled free just enough to bind it up.

Pulled the round apart with my puller hammer.

Cause of mystery? The Reloading Press Operator neglected to put gunpowder in the case! He will be delt with and given his walking papers!! Damn cheap contract labor anyhow.

So, chalk this one up to even though you've been reloading for ten years, and you're loading on a turret press, and you think you've got it all down and practically load on auto-pilot?

You Can Still Screw It Up!!

Perhaps I do need to have the computer in a seperate room from the reloading bench, I must have gotten distracted and missed that charge! I am glad it wasn't the gun though! And more glad I didn't mess up the other way and had an overcharge or the wrong powder entirely or something like that.

 

[N3AUA]

SP-101 diagram

glad your out of trouble, this may be of some help in the future
http://lapetoire.free.fr/public/mod poing/R/Ruger SP101.jpg

 

[MillCreek]

In this situation, I have heard other people recommend spraying the other cartridge bases in the cylinder with WD-40 to deactivate the primers to reduce the chance of an accidental discharge while working on the revolver.

Is this one of those 'can't hurt' precautions, or it only gives a false sense of security? I have heard for years about WD-40 deactivating primers, but have not the faintest idea how long it takes or how reliable it is. In any event, I would still be very careful about muzzle discipline lest it go 'bang'.

 

[Old Fuff]

Spraying WD-40 on the primers may (or may not) deaden them, but in any case it usually takes time. Spray away if you want, but don't depend on it working.

I occasionally carry my own reloaded ammunition in a weapon, but those particular rounds are loaded in a single-stage press, and the powder-charged cases are inspected in a loading block before the bullets are seated.

I never had a squib in over a half century.

Sometimes the fastest way isn't the best way too go.

 

[Delmar]

Amen, Fuff!

 

[mete]

Squib ? A friend had a bad batch of primers .An occasional primer would have enough energy to push the bullet into the barrel but NOT ignite the powder !!!

 

[Kamicosmos]

Well, this is my first reloading mistake. As I mentioned, I'll just have to re-evaluate my loading practices and turn off the computer so I'm not tempted to get interrupted.

I'm surprised I missed the charge though. I was running my turret press as a single stage. I was using a thrower for the charges, and weighing every 5th charge, cause I'm paranoid about messing up. Then, I visually check each case before I put the bullet on for seating. Yet, I somehow missed this one!

But, this also shows why I carry factory ammo in my carry and home-defense firearms. I don't care about the 'legal-liability' myth, but I was concerned about potential mess-ups with the ammo. And now that concern has come to pass. Good thing I was at the range, eh?

Course, then again, I have had factory ammo problems in the past too. I've had dead primers (can't remember the brand), lighter and heavier charges in the same box of 50 (Winchester), and once, I even found a bullet UPSIDE DOWN seated in a cartridge. (Fiocchi .40 ammo)

 

[orionengnr]

are you saying that if you get a squib load

you only hear a "click" like a dry fire?

'Cause I have never had one (yet), but always thought that a primer alone would make a muffled "pop"--it is a small explosion, right? There has to be some force to move the bullet into a position to bind up the works...

At least that is what I listen for. Am I totally off base?

 

[slopemeno]

"Did anyone hear a click?!..."

Thats about the size of it. In a range with others firing, plus youre wearing muff and/or plugs, you'll be lucky to catch it. In a revolver sometimes you'll hear a "poot" and in an auto, most likely you wont hear anything. It seems like bystanders and R/O's notice the difference more, in my experience, having caught a couple of squibs as an R/O.

 

[orionengnr]

okay, if it's an auto, there will not be enough to cycle the action, correct?

there will not be enough to cycle the action, correct?
So when I rack the slide (assuming I heard nothing but a click) and see an empty case pop out, first thing I should think is Hmmm...time to investigate.

And with a revo, if I get a (click) I should not assume a dud round and just squeeze the trigger again.

Correct? Just trying to get my thoughts in order and be aware in the future.