Recently purchased a lightly used older (1986) Ruger Single Six 32. It has a problem accepting cartridges , rims hanging up on the ratchet column. Lots of Google searching and searches on various forums led to this Cast Boolits thread, the only hit:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...linder-problem
Cases that hang up on the ratchet are new, empty, virgin Starline 32 Magnum, reloaded R-P 32 Long, as well as my various reloaded Starline cases that I've shot in S&Ws and a H&R. All cases that hang up can be removed, rotated some and then they will load with a different spot on the rims oriented against the ratchet.
Careful measurement of the cases show variation in concentricity of rim to case body, much greater than I expected. Marking the points of interference on the rim perimeter and mounting in a lathe usually shows the high spot elsewhere. I dont yet understand this so I'm moving away from the cases themselves.......they work in other guns.
Chambers are tighter on this Ruger than my S&W model 16-4, but the chambers are very close to the ratchet column with no relief cut there to give clearance.
In the link above referring to an earlier similar problem in Larry Gibson's gun, a machinist apparently milled clearance cuts for the six rims. Larry, can you post a pic of the ratchet area of that gun, if you still have it. The variation in the cases I've examined is so widely varied I am not sure how much , or how little , I can mill to allow chambering without fear of causing a problem with hand operation.
Someone on that thread acknowledged that some or several early 32 H&R Single Sixes had that problem. Does anyone know how Ruger handled it. Apparently Single Sevens have a small diameter ratchet but the cylinder does not have to rotate as far between shots.
A far easier fix would be to reduce the entire diameter of the column. A risk I do not want to take without hearing of someone else already doing it that way. My particular column diameter is .562" .
My greatest concern about the alternative milling operation, that of cutting six part-of-a-circle cuts at each chamber, is the possibility of hitting the rear face of the cylinder while trying not to leave a step near the ratchet.