Ruger M77 build

shrek

shrek

New member
Hey guys I finally tracked down my last parts for this gun. I bought a Ruger M77 that had been taken apart and some parts were lost. It was built in 1978 and is a 22-250 with the heavy barrel. I had to order the last screws from Ruger along with the safety link, then I ordered the trigger gaurd (Last OE I could find) from Gun Parts online, and finally the missing piece I found right here in Idaho. The Tang Safety Button! Moyers Gun Repair has them! So I have parts coming from everywhere and can't wait to put it all back together. The Timney trigger is in, the 6-18x50mm scope is mounted, shells are loaded and I'm iching for my parts. Now the question is leave it original or paint this bad boy? You guys have any older Rugers that you have worked over?
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleCKCraig at DownRange Gunsmithing did his "Accurizing Majic" on this Old Ruger M77V Flatbolt.

Swift.jpg


Check out the results.

SwiftGroup.jpg




Hey that looks just like mine. Hope mine shoots like that.
 
Originally Posted By: galootDon't shoot it!!!! Send it to me. You lucky devil.

I have owned 2 other 22-250's and I still miss both of them. Wish I would have never got rid of them since then, I made a deal with my wife that we could never sell a gun. We can only buy them. Hehe #26 goes in the safe.
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Very nice ! I love a great looking and shooting Ruger. I love building them even more than shooting them, just so I can prove the haters wrong !!

Stan the other Ruger nut
 
Nice looking Ruger and it shoots as well.
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I shoot all Ruger's and really enjoy accurizing them as well. My favorite yote-getter is a Ruger M77 MK2 chambered in 6MM Remington. Does a great job on those longer range coyotes. For those shorter range coyotes I use a .22/250 light barrel Ruger.

Good luck with your project.
 
I have had 2 of these exact same rifles in 22-250. Absolutely love them. The first one I had I picked up at a pawn show. Looked brand new, didn't have a scratch on it. It was my go to gun. It ended up getting stolen out of my truck along with another gun. I was heart broken. I then came across another one about a year later. An old rancher had it and was gonna let it go. I got it from him. But it is in much rougher condition. I have thought about getting it hydro-dipped, still might some day.

DoubleCK, what does your guy charge to accurize these guns?
Do you know what all he does to them?
 
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Hey daisy2007, what is hydro-dipped???

All of my Ruger's have had the triggers lightened, stocks are pillared and bedded. Every single rifle was pressure bedded, so they got an ample free-float. The lugs have been lapped and the race-ways smoothed up for a smooth action. All the work was done by myself, except the 6MM. That rifle was re-barreled and chambered by Terry Clifton..
 
Originally Posted By: daisy2007
DoubleCK, what does your guy charge to accurize these guns?
Do you know what all he does to them?

Funny you should ask. Just this afternoon I picked up the latest "Project." The Sako/Marlin 322 with the .17 Lilja barrel and accuracy job. Looks great. Very anxious to get to the the range, get her broke in, sighted in then get after a BobCat or two.

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Craig is really good about examining a rifle and addressing what that specifics it needs. The swift received, trigger work, re-crown, some chamber work and a little relief work here and there on the stock, and wa-lah. Along with the Lilja barrel the 322 got significant bedding work, trigger work and a little relief work around the bolt handle. We will see.

No, not cheap. But from my take, a top price for top quality is the best bargain. For me it's all about results! The only downside is..."Just like a great restaurant, the line is always long, but it is worth the wait. I try to just shut up and get in line."
 
I too have an M77 22-250 from around that same time period. It has in its serial number a 74 or75(I think) and I think thats the year of production. I traded electrical work for it in the late 1990s. A man and his wife owned a small resturant in a strip mall that need its electrical pannel changed out. I'm an electrican and did it for the rifle. It had a 3-9x Weaver on it, I gave that to a friend that won a 270 at a DU dinner, and put a Leupold VX3 6-20. I did a little load development at the time, but not seriously. I also shot California Ground Squirels with it back then. About 2 years ago I got serious. I glass bedded it my self useing a Bedrock kit, free floated the barrel, and sent it to Timoney for their trigger at 2.5 lbs. I have not acurized the action, lapped the lugs, squared the bolt face, ect. I do keep the rifeling really clean though. Then I restarted load development. Got a load that would go 1/4" to 3/8". Then I met a guy who lives close to me who is an expierienced coyote hunter. He took me one day and thats when I found out that my OCL (overal cartrige lenth) (at 10 thousanths off the lands) was too long and the rounds would not fit the magazine!! So it was back to load development. I measured the inside length of the magazine reduced that about 1/8" and rounded it to a rond number. Now it again shoots really tight. I went squirel shooting. Set up on a real nice spot next to my truck. Plastice folding table, Caldwell Rock JR front bench, 2 sand bags rear, lazer range finder, binoculars, and a cold drink. Very first squirel at 285 yards and nailed him. Killed like 35 that day.I have a ggod picture of the M77 I want to post, but I havent figured out how to. Alec
 
I love the Ruger action and like the thoughts of owing one.

Years ago I purchased a brand new 257 Roberts in a model 77 and was so excited with it, until I began to handload for it. I shot so many different bullets, weights and brands, powders, even replaced the stock, had it free-floated, glass bedded the action, sent it back to Ruger and had it recrowned, and still it wouldn't group worth a dime. I loved that rifle and didn't want to part with it, but I put more time and money into it than I should have to make it right. It finally found a new home and I've been Ruger shy ever since. But, I haven't forgot my love of the action.

Still, I know there are Rugers out there that are real shooters. I'd like to have one, but don't want to go through what I did before.

What is Craig's accurazing magic? I would like to know his secret.
 
Alec, you can remove the magazine block spacer at the rear of the magazine and get back out to your .01 off the lands seating depth. Some put in the full length cartridge carrier, I didn't. Just don't bend the box while you're at it like I did. I keep tweaking the box trying to get that last load to chamber, but one of these days I'm going to have to buy a new box for it.
 


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