Ruger M77 action-why don’t you see custom builds?

[oldfortyfiveauto]

Cast action, short magazine boxes, virtually no aftermarket support, very few aftermarket stocks, very few aftermarket triggers, proprietary rings (unless you have a smith drill and tap the receiver, etc...

I like the old school M77 MKII rifles, but this is why you don't see many customs built off of them.

Someday maybe Ruger will make their rings for the 77 that actually are aligned. I've seen them out 1/32" vertically.

 

[Timnterra]

It's best to have the receiver drilled and tapped for a flat bottom picatinny rail and use good rings.

 

[Sergeant82d]

Ref: MachV's post with two R77 pictures -

I don't want to disrupt the thread, but how are those Boyd's stocks working out for you? I'm thinking about their Pro-Varmint for my budget 300 Win mag project. Thanks!

 

[MachV]

The Boyd stock was more work than I wanted but then I r welder not woodworker. Fact be known the 22-250 still is not finished, too many projects and not enough time.

 

[Hired Gun]

There is a big difference between cast iron like you find exhaust manifolds made out of and investment cast steel or stainless steel. Ruger handguns and Ruger rifle actions are known to be some of the toughest firearms made. Investment castings can be much stronger than a forging because they can use better alloys that don't lend themselves well to forging or because they are so difficult to machine. In Rugers literature I noted alloys capable of 225,000 psi in tensile strength.

In 1963, Ruger started a separate company named Pine Tree Castings. http://www.ruger-firearms.com/casting/index.html They make parts for a wide range of industries from automotive to medical implants.

I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the strength of the Ruger 77 actions. When I was much to you to be hand loading I went from loading all my own shotgun shells straight to loading 7 Rem Mag for my M77. No chronographs back then but I sure knew that the more powder you put in the less drop I had. Check out the loads in the od Speer #7 manual when the 7 Mag really was a magnum. Now add 10 or more grains to that. I went for a least a year using a 2 pound mallet for opening the bolt on my Ruger on every shot. I loaded up till it blew primers and then backed off a bit. It had huge ejector plunger marks but it was my load. I had half the drop at 400 yards than factory ammo. If you subjected almost any other rifle to that abuse it would have broke the handle off and for sure went through a pile of extractors.

I'm all grown up now and work on guns full time. Even though a Ruger doesn't really need it I will certainly true a Ruger action and I would much rather install a barrel on a Ruger than a Browning any day. I have been doing trigger jobs on Ruger bolt action rifles since 1977. Easy money for a 13 year old aspiring gunsmith.

 

[MudRunner2005]

The Boyd stock was more work than I wanted but then I r welder not woodworker. Fact be known the 22-250 still is not finished, too many projects and not enough time.

Good to see another fabricator on here.

 

[waltercrouse]

I have a Ruger M77 Mark II stainless with composite stock, chambered 7mm rem mag. It's been sitting in the safe for a decade and I was considering rebarreling it into something for competition use. Why do you never see custom builds off this action? Am I better off selling it as is and starting with a R700?

I purchased a Ruger M77 MKII in stainlees in 243 win. I had bought it to have it rebarreled in 308 win , but it shot so well I kept in 243 win. The stock is laminated and glass bedded . It is one of my best hunting rifles.

 

[AZShooter]

Never ever shoot a donor rifle. <grin>