Does anyone know if the tang safety M-77 Ruger 458 has a manuel ejector or the plunger and spring ejector?...Thanks Jerry

there's one for sale in the classifieds .. and if i recall correctly, its a plunger+spring ejector, plus claw extractor

Thank You very much, that being the case, how was the reliability compared to a manuel ejector? Jerry

the m77 is a push feed, plunger ejector .. claw extracter .. they are great guns .. compared to a manual ejector? no clue

10-4 Thanks, Jerry

The assistant PH I had in Zimbabwe used an older push feed Ruger M-77 458 and it used a plunger ejector. He seemed happy with it.

458Win, I guess I dont understand. I thought anything w/ a claw extractor could not be a push-feed as the rim of the case slips behind the claw on chambering (doesn't it?)...Jerry

I have a M77 tang safety .458 and it literally shoots Barnes 450gn X's into cloverleafs at 100 yds!!! It is one of my most accurate and consistent rifles.

I would not trade mine away. Very accurate and great ergonomics!

K20350, Did you bed it and work the trigger? or is it bone stock?....and Thanks Buckeyeshooter.

quote:

Originally posted by jerry mcdonald:
458Win, I guess I dont understand. I thought anything w/ a claw extractor could not be a push-feed as the rim of the case slips behind the claw on chambering (doesn't it?)...Jerry

No, the older RUGER M77's are NOT CRF guns. The extractor claw snaps over the rim when the bolt is closed, NOT when the case comes up out of the magazine.....

El Deguello, Thanks for clearing that up, so with that particular design would you risk your hide using that rifle in 458 win as a back-up cape buffalo rig?....Jerry

snapping over the rim (or not) doesn't define it being a CRF .. the ruger boltface, less extractor, looks ALOT like a remington .. its a push feed, the round is not on the boltface and under control.

think remington with a sako/m16 extractor .. except much bigger.

the m77 mkII early ones are also pushfeed, but the later ones are CRF AND pushfeed .. you can just throw a round on top and close the bolt .. and a mauser CAN be made to work the same way. Most gunsmiths know how to do this, and it's not "Weakening" the extractor.

Damn I was wrong again, I thought repeat snap-overs would ruin any claw type extractor. I dont think I'll be able to break a lifelong habit of taking the rounds fully engaged in the magazine....Jerry

As to your question of trusting your life to it, Lou Hallamore, well known Zim PH, uses one in 458 win as a back up rifle. it is his go to gun if he expects a longer than normal shot. He has used it for many years and rumour has it that he took out several terrs with it during the bush war.

465H&H

465H&H, Helluva deal, I believe that takes care of the reliability issue...Thank You...Jerry

Jerry my Ruger is not bedded but it needs to be. I was shooting it a couple weeks ago and the floorplate kept popping open. The angled screw in the stock had loosened. I am glad I did not break the stock 'cause I don't shoot any "light" loads out of it. As far as the trigger it is pretty good which leaves me to believe that someone in the past had some work done. I have not found one single bullet that does not shoot 1.5 MOA and most going less. But with mine beware not to shoot more than 20-30 rounds at a whack or you will be scrubbing copper for almost as long as you spent shooting.
Barnes 500gn Solids ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT feed from the magazine. But they are the only bullets that I have found that won't feed. I can't wait to fill my whitetail doe permit this year w/ it. It really loves those Barnes 450's so I believe thats what I will use !!! I love mine and it makes me smile when I open the door on the safe!!!!

K20350, I agree, I have a newer 416 Rigby that I have had bedded and have also added a rear stock cross-bolt. Matter of fact I have drilled larger holes (than factory) and added some nice engraved cross-bolts to the 416, they sure look better, for some reason those factory smooth slotted cross-bolts on Ruger's bug me, I just dont like them. If I wind up with the older 458 R-77 it will get the same treatment, including hand rubbed oil finish on the outside, and polyurethane seal on the inside. And yes a cracked stock would cause serious vacuum. I,m no expert but these simple steps should keep these old Ruger's breathing fire for many years to come...Jerry

Jerry,
on the Ruger tang safety models, you can adjust trigger pull but turning the allen screw seen by turning the gun over and looking for it in the trigger guard. I adjusted my weight to 3 pounds. I did not do any bedding work as the gun shoots great as is. I would suggest keeping the front slanted action screw as tight as possible. These tend to get loose after extended firing, when they do, the action moves back and the rear tang will gouge the stock in the rear (happened on my 338wm). On the 458 chamberings there is a front secondary lug by the sling swivel, that helps keep the stock from splitting. Mine shoots great and I have shot everything from cast 45/70 loads to full power 500 and 600 grain loads. I've never had a feeding or ejection issue and I often load one in the chamber and close the bolt. I don't put much stock in the CRF for DG stuff and would pick this gun over my winchester 70 in 470 capstick for DG.

Buckeyeshooter, 10-4 on the adjustable trij, and a little alcohol on the threads before a dose of blue loctite. I plan on a 450gn TSX @ about 2200 for everything. Very interesting choice over a CRF M-70 in 470 capstick. Thanks...Jerry

I've been shooting mine for about 20 years now and it has never missed a beat. Way back when I frequented these boards a lot more, we had a clown that really went off on how a non-CRF rifle would not feed any way other than upright. I took my M77 .458 Win and video taped it feeding on both sides and upside down, and it never missed a beat. I wish I still had that video. Any gun can be made to jam up, but IMO the M77, even the old push feed, is every bit as reliable as any CRF rifle out there. Does that mean I don't like the CRF feature on my M77 .416 Rigby? No, it doesn't. I like it just fine. But I do not feel handicapped in the least with the .458 and push feed.

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
As to your question of trusting your life to it, Lou Hallamore, well known Zim PH, uses one in 458 win as a back up rifle. it is his go to gun if he expects a longer than normal shot. He has used it for many years and rumour has it that he took out several terrs with it during the bush war.

465H&H

And Finn Aagaard used a Win 70 PF .458 as a PH for years and trusted it utterly...
CRF fanatics are mostly found on the internet...

Well all of the positive comments have done the trick, I traded for the ruger 458, its on its way, owner said it shot 450 a-frames very well. Hope I'm not dissapointed, outta be a damn fine summer time project. Thanks Men...Jerry

quote:

CRF fanatics are mostly found on the internet...

You will not be disapointed I believe!!!! This thread made me load 40 rounds today LOL. As far as the single loading and closing the bolt that is how I have shot mine 99.9% of the time. The likelyhood of taking mine to Africa is very small so I have to be happy going on "Safari" for small defenseless inadimate objects!!! In other words CRF is less than a worry for me any I have absolutely never had a fail to feed when I used the magazine. I would trust mine even if I were to take it for DG. Please post results!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The M77mkII has many improvements over the original Ruger M77........ The fixed ejector is one of the major ones ... The old Rugers sometimes wouldn,t eject a loaded round which could make for a pretty amazing jam ... If I got one I would have my gunsmith make it a CRF ....But it would still have a tang safety , which I don,t like ...

Just personal preference, but I think the mark II is a giant step back. I very much dislike the side safety, the tang safety is the only way to go in my book. As I have never had a jam or misfeed and I bought the gun new in 1981 --- I am very confident in its performance. I like the 'extra' round in the gun too without CRF!

Thanks Everyone, 458 should hit my door tuesday, got the big cross-bolts ordered and the stripper and tung oil are waiting...Jerry

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
Just personal preference, but I think the mark II is a giant step back. I very much dislike the side safety, the tang safety is the only way to go in my book. As I have never had a jam or misfeed and I bought the gun new in 1981 --- I am very confident in its performance. I like the 'extra' round in the gun too without CRF!

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. I,ve had lots of both . .The mk II is hands down better ... I,ve never known Ruger to Not Improve what they build .... The 77 mk II is proof of this ..