Recently the extractor of my series 180 Mini-14 broke off. I mean it broke in two, not just came loose. Don't know where the main part of it went, but it left about half the case head unsupported. I fired a couple of shots wondering why they were failing to extract fully before I realized it. Ruger didn't have the part. Had to buy one for about $60 from some dude who advertises in Shotgun News having repro parts for them. The Ruger folks recommended him, in fact.

I thought they came that way....

I've owned a few (tang safety 77's and a bunch of their handguns), and the only broken piece I've experienced on the rifles was a 257 Roberts that had a crack in the bottom metal, got a great deal on that one, did a lttle repair and haven't had a problem since. All the one's I've had certainly shot well enough for a hunting rifle, and a few were outstanding. I prefer the tang safety, I only wish it was a three position tang safety (which is where safties are supposed to be), that would be a great modification. FWIW - Dan

I've been shooting Rugers for 30 years and have done some pretty stupid stuff with them. Nothing has ever broken dispite having to use a hammer and a block of wood under the bolt handle to open the bolt on some experimental 7Mag varmint loads I cooked up. That gun still shoots fine after surviving my learning years. I currently have 7 Rugers. M77 7Mag, 2 M77V's in 22-250, a M77 Mark II in 25-06AI, Mark II 77/22mag, my never die 10/22, Mark II 5" bull barreled .22 pistol.

Can't say the same of my different hunting partners Remingtons and Winchesters. I have seen everything from broken extractors to bolt handles coming off on more than a few occasions.