Ruger Old Army hammer plunger

[Heavyhaul]

  My neighbor asked me to help him with a cylinder problem on his Old Army.  The cylinder latch would not allow the cylinder to rotate.  Upon disassembly, we found that the hammer plungeris stuck "up" in the hammer.  It has been soaking in kroil for two days and I can't get it to move.  I tried tapping the hammer to jar it, I used a dental pick, and a very small amount of heat.  I used a Bernz o matic butane torch and heated next to the pin till the oil boiled slightly, then removed the heat.  I held the hammer in my fingers to make sure that I didn't use too much heat.  The pin is in too far to even get persision needle nose plyers on.  He would like to have this done for Monday.  He wants to carry it the first day of rifle season.  We are at a loss,  please help.  Thanks guys.

[gunnut69]

Some times extreme cold will loosen tolerances enough to allow parts to move. Freeze the part in the deepfreeze section of the fridge for several hours. The steel will shrink and the diameter of the hole will actually get larger..while the diameter of the pin will also shrink and the net difference should allow movement.. The hammer plunger has a small protrusion on the bottom. Are you certain it didn't break off and what you are seeing is the main diameter shaft? Try pushing on the pin plunger and see if it will move. If it does then it's likely the plunger has broken and will have to be replaced. There is a small transverse pin that retains the plunger and it's spring. The diagram at the attached link should help.. Be careful that plunger can get lost if the pin is removed and it's allowed to eject!! 

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/schematics/schemmfg.aspx?schemid=21&m=13&mn=Ruger%c2%ae&model=Old+Army+

[Heavyhaul]

Thanks Gunnut.  I'll give it a try.  I looked in my Brownell's book, and by their diagram, the pin is intact.  It appears to have machine marks on its end.  I can get no movement of the plunger.  The gun its self is rather clean considering that it has had over 150 shots through it with out a disassembly and clean and oil.  I'll bad it and freeze it to see what happens.  I'll let you know.  Thanks again.

[Keith L]

"The gun its self is rather clean considering that it has had over 150 shots through it with out a disassembly and clean and oil. "

I have several cap and ball revolvers that I got a great deal on because someone shot it and didn't clean completely.  Lots of little parts that rust up/break.  Part of shooting cap and ball is to disassemble and clean after each outing.

[Heavyhaul]

I got the plunger out.  I attempted to weld a nail on the end,  but just welded it to the hammer.  Finally we got a glob of weld on the plunger, w/ the mig, that we could use a hammer and chisel to persuade it out.  It ended up being a small amount of rust.  I need to order a new plunger, part of the end got burnt off, but he is carrying the gun w/ him now.  Thanks.