Properly installing a barrelled action

Song Dog Assasin

Song Dog Assasin

New member
I have a question for you gunners out there. I have an older Ruger M77 in .270. I removed the action with barrel attached to do a duracoat application and was just wondering what the correct procedure is for putting it back on. I notice that if I tighten the screw in the forearm first the barrell sits tight against the inside of the stock. If I screw down the two screws in the trigger guard first the barrell actually free floats, even when I turn the forearm screw tight. What is the order of operation, and to what should I be torquing each screw? Does it even matter? I'm sure it does, because it seriously afects how the action and barrell fit. I did reassembel it by just hand tightening the screws until they felt snug, starting with the trigger guard screws, and it shoots just fine. It's about as accurate as it was before I took it apart. Probably 1.5" to 1.75" +/- with factory ammo. Good enough to go deer hunting anyway. Thanks.
 
Rugers have a lot of slop in the recoil area, i also have one of the old 77s with tang saftey, i removed the pressure point at the tip of forearm, use a piece of thick paper in barrel channel to keep barrel centered, tighten front action screw as tight as you can without ruining screw, tighten rear screw tight[ not as tight as front] tighten center screw just tight enough to keep from shooting loose. My 22-250 set this way will shoot 1/2 to 3/4 groups depending on me on the given day. ed
 
Quote:That rifle is in serious need of a good bedding job.

Yeah, with what you're describing, I'd bed it and get rid of that teetering problem. I doubt you'll ever get it to shoot well with that kind of stress.
 
Mine also has the tang safety, I will try your procudere. I'm not looking to build a tack driver, or stick even one more dollar into this gun. It's my deer rifle, and that's all I'm ever going to use it for. A 300 yard shot for me would be the absolute max. 100 yards is probably longer than average. Sub MOA groups are just not neccessary. With that said, I would like to get her shooting a fair bit better. Thanks guys.
 
If you would like it to shoot better it needs bedded. Thats way too much stress on the action. Always start with the center screw. Wood stocks only need 45-50 inch lbs. If you torque it as much as possible it will induce even more stress than its already creating. I know I said center screw but I meant front screw. sorry for the mixup. center screw should only be snug
 
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Originally Posted By: tuneredRugers have a lot of slop in the recoil area, i also have one of the old 77s with tang saftey, i removed the pressure point at the tip of forearm, use a piece of thick paper in barrel channel to keep barrel centered, tighten front action screw as tight as you can without ruining screw, tighten rear screw tight[ not as tight as front] tighten center screw just tight enough to keep from shooting loose. My 22-250 set this way will shoot 1/2 to 3/4 groups depending on me on the given day. ed

+1... Ruger has that angled front guard screw that needs to be tightened first to get the recoil lug seated and snugged down. Then the rearmost action screw snugs the action down in the back and should be tight, but not quite as tight as the front screw. The center screw should be tight enough to not fall out and that is about it. Get the center screw too tight and the action is torqued and stressed. A good bedding job never hurts, but on factory set-ups this has always been the most consistent way to snug a Ruger 77 into the stock for me personally.
 


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