So I think I might be kind of screwed here, but here it goes. I was checking my 500c before taking it out to shoot and noticed that the shutter was firing randomly after the release is pressed--anywhere from right after to a few seconds after. I talked to a friend who thought it could be something with the V mode--but when I tried that the shutter didn't fire at all and now the lever is stuck over in V. This is the point where I gave up on trying to figure it out. Is there anything that can be done short of a repair?
Backup question to that, where would be a good place to get it worked on? It was probably due for a service anyway...
Thanks
You haven't said which lens is fitted. But you have a 500C. So I'm going to assume it is a C with Synchro Compur shutter. And you've said that the shutter is stuck after the timer has been set. So I'm also assuming you can't take the lens off the camera because the body mechanism has fired. As others have said getting the camera serviced sounds like a good idea. But you would probably like to be able to take the lens off the body first because at least you would then be able to inspect the lens and body individually. Which means you need to get the shutter to run off.
There are a few things that can help get the timer to run down. Firstly you can try gently wiggling the arming lever for the timer, flicking it with a fingernail gently, tapping the lens around the area of the shutter with a knuckle etc. The timer escapement won't be broken but it will be bogged down in old lube. Usually some vibration and/or gentle tickling of the escapement via the lever will get it to run off. But the idea isn't to pull the arming lever back again as you want the gears to keep running off not wind them back to the start again.
You can also try moving the shutter speed selector ring. For basically the same reasons as above this may well help to nudge the escapement enough to run the timer off and fire the shutter so that you can at least wind the camera/lens and remove the lens.
The last point is to remember to check the T switch around the release. If you've set it, it will hold the rear shutter open, and the body will appear to be jammed until it is released.
I've dealt with many, many Synchro Compur shutters that had stuck timers, including reflex versions fitted to Contaflexes (its reflex version of the Synchro Compur shutter was adapted for use in the Hasselblad C lenses) and I have never had one that could not, eventually, be persuaded to run off. Just don't force anything.