Looks like I might have to consider replacing a Ruger 77...

It got damaged when a round out of some Black Hills ammo, must have been screwed at the factory as it blew the action up enough to crack the stock right down the forearm...

I sent the bolt and action back to Ruger and their service department wants to scrap the entire rifle instead of just fixing the bolt...

They offered to replace the firearm for $353.13....

But after taking a look at that, my mind went to thinking... Locally I can purchase a Stevens 200 in 223 for $279.00....Walmart can set me with a 223 and an accutrigger for $349.00....
And Bi Mart can set me up with a Howa 1500, ( or maybe the rifle is a Weatherby Vanguard) in 223 for $399.00....

So sending Ruger $353.00 for a replacement wood and blued Model 77 Mk 2, seems kinda dumb to me.....

For that amount of money, I'd rather get one of the other rifles...

I am sure a gunsmith can repair the Ruger bolt and then the Ruger will be fine for 223 work, if nothing else, being loaded at 221 Fireball or 218 Bee or 22 Hornet velocities...

Ruger is acting generous..." we understand the frustration that may be experienced in an incident such as this, and , as a gesture of good will, we are willing to replace the firearm for a charge of $355.13".....but I am not really that impressed.....

I am going to send a copy of their letter to me, to Black Hills Ammo, but I am sure they are going to just indicate that they appreciate it being brought to their attention and then give me a list of why they are sure that couldn't of happened because of all of their high level of QC...etc...

If one is in sales, canned answers like that are not hard to come up with...same old shit...

And with all of my handload experiences, this is the second time I have had factory ammo that has damaged a firearm..... I've only done it once...

cheer and thanks for the responses...
seafire

I have always found Ruger to be more than fair and generous in dealing withm people who have blown up their rifles and handguns.
I also think it is unfair to assume that Blackhills will brush you off. Before you trash them, give them a call and then report on the response.

well - what do expect when you shoot factory ammo at least it went off

Seafire -- Glad to hear you're okay. I wouldn't expect much from Black Hills though; an admission that "one occasionally slips by" would open them up to a volley of lawsuits, IMHO.

I'd cruise eBay and see if you could find a take-off stock to replace the damaged unit.

An aftermarket stock would be another option.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnly:
I'd cruise eBay and see if you could find a take-off stock to replace the damaged unit.

An aftermarket stock would be another option.

I actually do a lot of Boyd's laminate stocks so the stock is no issue.. I have about 6 laying around in laminate and about 6 in synthetic...

oh well...

Seafire,
Have the local smith repair the M77 as you indicated, then buy either a brand new Stevens M200 (if you don't mind tinkering w/ the trigger) or a Savage (if you'd rather have the benefits of the accu-trigger). I wish my local WM's could get me a Savage w/ AT in 223 for that price, but when I last checked 2 weeks ago, they couldn't do so...... Gary T.

I would have to agree with you on not paying Ruger additional money, I like all of my Rugers but still wouldn't pay that much difference.

Before Reloading, I have shot alot of Black Hills Reman and have always found their loads to be a little on hot side, showing slight signs of pressure on stampings and cratered primers even though pretty accurate for factory ammo.

Well Update on this firearm...

I told the Customer Service manager at Ruger to just send it back to me...

I am going to get the one part on the bolt that got bent, via a gunsmith...

I have also ordered a 204 Barrel for it, in a heavy sporter contour and 26 inches in length, from ER Shaw......(Finally, eh Varmint Guy???

A 17 Mach IV or a 17 Rem Fireball barrel may be in its future also.....

Ruger is just listening to their lawyers, and in today's sue happy society, who can blame them...and what do we expect with a nation that has 6% of the world's population with 71 % of the world's lawyers!!!!

A spring on the bolt was the only thing that got bent and needs to be replaced....dealing with the factory was just a waste of time...So I will know better in the future....

I would have expected just that of Ruger. A few years ago, a local had a 7mm Remington Magnum in a Ruger rifle that absolutely refused to group anything better than 4 to 5 inches. It was obvious the barrel suffered from it's chamber being reamed off-axis, and the barrel itself appeared to be slightly warped. Ruger generously offered to replace it for something like $125 or $150 -- I don't remember the exact figure anymore. I never would have given them a dime, but he buckled and did.

You're gonna like that 204. Even if you don't come back and admit it here.

quote:

Originally posted by Laner:
You're gonna like that 204. Even if you don't come back and admit it here.

Actually Laner,

I was hoping to play with it... prove my opinion in real world experiences.. and then come back on here, and tell all you 204 lovers what a great rifle is now is...

and maybe one of you boys would take the rifle or the barrel off of my hands for twice what I had into it!

there is a method to my madness,

You dont have to tell me how great that caliber is. Please do post after you get that new tube installed. Very interested in knowing what crow actually tastes like.

quote:

interested in knowing what crow actually tastes like.

Tastes like chicken! The people in the world who act like they don't know what crow tastes like, are either liberals or liars...

at times the terms are pretty interchangable...

actually a 20 cal or a 221 fireball case sounds more appealing to me....but I have one ordered, and it will take 16 weeks to get there tho...

IN the meantime, I am also looking hard at the 17 Mach IV .. for a switch barrel on this rifle...26 inch heavy magnum contour on both with a Forest Camo thumbhole stock from Boyd's and getting the action and barrels with a Parkerized finish on them....

topped with a 4.5 x 14 Nikon Buckmaster with the BDC reticle...

I won't end up with as many rifles as Varmint Guy, but then again, I may have as many barrels as he does rifles, if this switch barrel fun stuff starts materializing the way I want it too....

Seafire/B17G: Amen to you being "all right"!
Yikes!
I am happy you are okay!
Maybe you have some recourse against the Black Hills folks and thier faux pas?
I have a Ruger 77 V/T in 204 Ruger and it shoots, looks and performs very much to my satisfaction!
I have never tried an E. R. Shaw barrel but hopefully that will work out well for you!
Again glad to hear you are all right!
I have been away on an extended Elk/Deer/Varmint Hunt and just read this thread!
I wonder what in the world went wrong there with the ammo?
Speaking of lawyers (scum of the earth!) I know ONE building alone in Seattle that has over 2,000 lawyers in that building ALONE!
Shakespeare had something to say about them as I recall.
204's forever!
There apparently is going to be a factory offered 17 Remington Fireball soon so maybe save the custom costs and get one of those. I have a custom 17 MachIV (Shilen barrel!) and it is a barnburner in every respect!
Love the caliber.
I think the 204 is the "proper" way to replace your Ruger rig.
Best of luck with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Seafire,
I am sorry to hear of your incident but glad you are OK.

Contact Carl Bullock at Black Hills and explain the situation to him.
I believe you will be pleased with the attention you get.
His number is 605-348-5150.
You will need the lot # info on the ammo when you call him. They worked with me on one case on a glock 40 cal that had a round bulge a barrel. They paid for the barrel and gave me a free case of ammo to boot. These cases are rare but they will handle it properly I believe.

VG and 22 Rimfire...

Yeah, I am just fine...

I have already spoken to Carl... very nice gentleman, but I didn't expect any less out of someone out of South Dakota...

I am sending them the box is all I had left....I tossed the remaining 5 rounds.. since I was on cruise control, instead of thinking straight after the incident...

I am not really looking for any freebies out of it anyway.. more or less letting them know of the problem...

I also posted this on the Gunsmithing forum and this got quite a bit of air play, including the trolls coming out for dinner....

guess now I am more interested in getting back the action and getting the new barrels finished and installed and spend some range time with it before sage rats are back out in March....

The 17 Mach IV is exciting me the most tho...I have to admit...

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
..and what do we expect with a nation that has 6% of the world's population with 71 % of the world's lawyers!!!!

We live in fear of legal attack.
There was a meeting of many machinists at Boeing, all white males.
The management representative explained, "Any black or any female can get any white male fired that day."
This was followed by weasel words about sensitivity.

The meeting was perpetrated by one white female was filing a sexual harassment complaint on every guy she worked with.

After the meeting, the new guys were told by the old guys, "They can fire you if she says you harassed her, but they can't fire you for refusing to work with her. For refusing they only give a written warning."


What does is all mean?
Boeing was worried about a class action law suit for fostering an environment of sexual harassment.
So they fire everyone that gets a complaint.

What can be done?
The plaintiff and his attorney should be liable for the defendant's legal costs if the suit fails.

Are attorneys classified as varmints in any state????

with no bag limit??

...... ........