Thoughts on Ruger M77 Action Potential?

[BREAKCONTACT]

I’d be curious to know more about this from a technical/make the pieces fit perspective. Barrel tenon thread pitch, etc. Have any details of the ‘how’ we can nerd out on?

While I haven't done it, I think they share the same thread size, with the tikka having a longer tennon.

 

[Kenny Hart]

I screwed a Tikka 6.5 barrel on my M77 (first rifle) action, bedded it in a laminated stock, trigger job, and polished the action.

Not sure whether to call it a Rikka or a Tuger, but it shoot well and has killed a few deer.

What was the process for making this work? I assume it wasn't as easy as a prefit on a tikka?

Would it be cost effective to buy my next Tikka in whatever caliber I want for the Ruger (say 308 or 243) and swap over the barrel...then buy the 6 creed prefit barrel I want to screw on said Tikka action anyway?

The people need to know!

 

[BREAKCONTACT]

What was the process for making this work? I assume it wasn't as easy as a prefit on a tikka?

Would it be cost effective to buy my next Tikka in whatever caliber I want for the Ruger (say 308 or 243) and swap over the barrel...then buy the 6 creed prefit barrel I want to screw on said Tikka action anyway?

The people need to know!

It's been discussed on the ruger forms, they all use the same barrel threads, 1" x 16 tpi, which is the same as tikka. From my digging into this, tikka uses a longer tennon, so you could buy a tikka take off with a barrel nut to use as a prefit.

 

[Reddish]

What was the process for making this work? I assume it wasn't as easy as a prefit on a tikka?

Would it be cost effective to buy my next Tikka in whatever caliber I want for the Ruger (say 308 or 243) and swap over the barrel...then buy the 6 creed prefit barrel I want to screw on said Tikka action anyway?

The people need to know!

Tikka and Ruger use the same thread pattern on their actions. Gunsmith had to do a bit of work to get headspace correct, but said it was an easy swap. Rugers are not quite machined to the specs that Tikkas are.

I did it bc I ended up with an extra Tikka barrel on a trade and the old Ruger .243 barrel was way too picky with loads. So made the swap after talking with the smith.

 

[BCsteve]

I’m assuming he had to mill a slot for the claw extractor?

 

[BREAKCONTACT]

M77 doesn't have an extractor cut like an m70 does.

 

[BCsteve]

M77 doesn't have an extractor cut like an m70 does.

Interesting…..

 

[Reddish]

I’m assuming he had to mill a slot for the claw extractor?

Ruger doesn’t have one.

Edit — already answered above…

 

[Burnt Reynolds]

I have a stainless hawkeye, 30-06, 18” shilen select match barrel, HS Precision stock, timney trigger. Ruger rings holding a vx5 3-15. Gemtech Tracker can.

Fell into building it as it belonged to my late father. It was pretty rough and was about a 2moa gun. Now it's the right side of sub moa, probably better if a better shooter got a hold of it. Carries great, rugged, 3 pos safety - it's my "anything anywhere" gun.

Definitely not a lightweight, but it balances perfect and looks good too. I also have a winny fwt 270 that's wood/blued. A perfect pairing of legacy calibers imho. Last thing I'll be changing is the rings, going to go with the Warne rings.

Something like this that would otherwise sit in the back of the safe never getting any use is a perfect platform to build off of. Didn't encounter any difficulties except fitting the trigger. Now it's going to be something that's hopefully getting hunted by my great-grandchildren instead of someday just being traded off because nobody likes it.

 

[BCsteve]

Ruger doesn’t have one.

Edit — already answered above…

The wheels are turning. I might do the opposite. I have a Ruger with a custom barrel in .35 Whelen that is super accurate but the rifle is so damn heavy with a Nightforce SHV. I have a Tikka that may soon become redundant. If I can spin that .35 Whelen barrel on the Tikka without too much hassle that would shave a good amount of weight.

 

[BREAKCONTACT]

The wheels are turning. I might do the opposite. I have a Ruger with a custom barrel in .35 Whelen that is super accurate but the rifle is so damn heavy with a Nightforce SHV. I have a Tikka that may soon become redundant. If I can spin that .35 Whelen barrel on the Tikka without too much hassle that would shave a good amount of weight.

Rugers tennon is shorter from everything I've gathered. You'd need a smith to cut the tennon longer, and possibly redo the chamber, so it would end up costing you as much to chamber a new barrel onto it. Depending on what your smith would charge, getting a new stock for the ruger might be a wash for the price

 

[JAC8504]

If there was a carbon fiber stock option for the 77 … I’d find a carbon fiber barrel and build my ultimate Mauser style do-it-all rifle.

I’m old school in believing the Mauser >push feed

 

[BCsteve]

If there was a carbon fiber stock option for the 77 … I’d find a carbon fiber barrel and build my ultimate Mauser style do-it-all rifle.

I’m old school in believing the Mauser >push feed

I know Stocky is working on one but at the moment there's not much under 2lbs for Ruger M77's.

 

[BREAKCONTACT]

Wildcat composite does one for the tang safety rugers and I think brown precision will do one for the mkii, you'd have to email them.

 

[BCsteve]

Wildcat composite does one for the tang safety rugers and I think brown precision will do one for the mkii, you'd have to email them.

I checked with Wildcat earlier this year, only the tang Ruger unfortunately.
I'll be looking on the feasibility of swapping the barrel from my Ruger on my Tikka, I just assumed all claw extractor actions had an extractor cut in the barrel like the Winchester and Kimber but I had never actually checked on my two Rugers.

 

[rickyw]

I know Stocky is working on one but at the moment there's not much under 2lbs for Ruger M77's.

My bell and Carlson long action stock for the ruger Hawkeye is 30 ounces. Excellent for the price.
MPI makes a custom stock for the ruger that can be made lightweight (sub 20 oz) as well.

 

[BCsteve]

My bell and Carlson long action stock for the ruger Hawkeye is 30 ounces. Excellent for the price.
MPI makes a custom stock for the ruger that can be made lightweight (sub 20 oz) as well.

That's not bad. The B&C web site list them at approximately 2lb. have an older B&C on my Ruger MKII .35 Whelen at the moment and it weighs 36oz. The McMillan on my .375 Ruger Alaskan weighs 33oz.

 

[Deere90]

That's not bad. The B&C web site list them at approximately 2lb. have an older B&C on my Ruger MKII .35 Whelen at the moment and it weighs 36oz. The McMillan on my .375 Ruger Alaskan weighs 33oz.

Does McMillian still make a stock for Ruger or am I missing something on their website??

 

[BCsteve]

Does McMillian still make a stock for Ruger or am I missing something on their website??

No unfortunately, they discontinued it a few (several?) years ago.

 

[Jordan86]

Can the factory thin profile M77 tang barrels be threaded?

Also, has anyone tried doing a full length bedding and had good results with improved accuracy? I glass bedded just the action and first couple inches of the barrel on mine. It helped with accuracy, but I’ve heard bedding the entire barrel channel helps these guns a lot.