The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Custom Built Rifles Ruger M77 CRF/tang safety ?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Last year I installed a new 375 Ruger bbl on an old tang safety Ruger M77 for one of my guides. My son got to thinking about how nice a tang safety would be with CRF and this week he actually found one. The question is, did Ruger build it ? Without my photobucket on the blink I don't have photos I can post here, but I can email them. The rifle is in great shape, appears completely original, 1976 vintage with the 200th year old liberty logo on the bbl in a high polished little border. The bbl has a more matted, almost rust blued, finish. The bolt is serial numbered to the rifle and the bottom of the face has been smoothed to feed the rim up under the extractor and the plunger ejector has been removed and a slot milled in it to allow an ejector, quite similar to the MK II ejector, to work. A very clever set of Springs and a small steel plate hold the ejector and springs in place. Anyone know if Ruger built a few prototypes like this? And the more important question, should he remove the original .338 bbl and install a .375 Ruger bbl and put it back to work on Kodiak? Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | ||
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From Phil: looks like a M70 style Ejector  A cut in the bolt for the ejector to rise     | |||
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Thanks for posting the photos. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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Hmmm...I'm no expert on 77's but I can't help notice the ejector plunger is missing and there appears to be a blade type (ala M70) ejector | |||
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Yep. Someone had a lot of spare time. | |||
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Duane, that is what I was trying to explain and to find out if anyone knows if it may be a Ruger prototype, because the rest of the rifle appears to be completely original. Being chambered in the 338 it also works great with .375 Ruger rounds and they pop up under the extractor just when they should Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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Yes, looks like a blacksmith conversion. Not factory. | |||
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While it's not impossible that Ruger might have made some prototype crf rifles, I kind of doubt it. No matter, the conversion looks to be pretty nicely done. As far as re-barrelling to 375 Ruger is concerned; I would, if I wanted a 375 Ruger. Regards, Bill. | |||
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I have seen a couple of factory push feed M77II versions made with the new safety so I know Ruger was doing a number of versions around the same time. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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What would a one-of factory version look like? Who ever did the work had some knowledge and ability. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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I do not know if this is one, but I believe Butch Searcy did CRF conversions on the Ruger 77. John | |||
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I just wrote Butch to see if that is his work and will let everyone know what I find out Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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Dennis Olson worked on Ruger 77's they said you could barely recognize them as such when he was done. I believe converting to CRF was part of the work he did. | |||
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Phil: In the early '80s I listened to a conversation at an Anchorage gun show in which a gunsmith was musing about converting a 77 to controlled round feeding. As I recall, this is exactly what he was discussing. it could be the result of an Anchorage smith's Attempt to do that. Looks like his "let's try this" early attempts. If it were factory or a production job the slot for the ejector would be much neater. | |||
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Thanks, As I said, the rifle is my son's and he didn't want to butcher a collectors piece by installing a stainless 375 Ruger bbl and bashing it up around the Alaskan bush for the next couple of decades. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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It could be a gunsmithed rifle. I seem to remember gunsmiths back then converting pushfeed m77's to CRF. I've seen a few Winchester m70's that were factory prototypes that eventually made their way into the public domain. After testing an idea some were given or sold to employees who later on sold them like any other gun. I'm sure at the time they didn't think they were anything special. No reason to think that Ruger didn't do the same. As far as quality of the workmanship is concerned, if it was a prototype they likely did the machining just good enough to validate an idea since they were never intended to be sold to the public. It would be interesting to contact someone from Ruger and see if they had any idea about this rifle. Either way thanks for posting it. Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
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What color is the bolt handle? if BLUE, it's a pushfeed, if stainless, well, that adds details and complexity not to answer your question --- well, maybe some ruger MKii were "crf pushfeed" .. could you please take 3 clear pictures of the tang and the left side of the action, showing if mii markings, and the right rear, top down, of the back of the action , opposite of the bolt release lever -- the bolt looks like the pushfeed, with a plunger ejector, rather than the slot that is the norm ... m77 first run - round top - used m700 scope bases TANG safety, push feed m77 with integral bases TANG safety push feed mII - first batch, 3 pos safety, push feed, mii - second and on going - 3 pos, more or less CRF I am NOT aware of, but could be wrong, of a tang safety mii though lots of people converted them -- iirc, brownells even sold a kit that included all the factory parts, toggles, safety button, etc... and this pic is what all that looks like, INCLUDING it being able to "fall" apart when out of the stock it LOOKS like a pushfeed bolt, missing plunger opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club Information on Ammoguide about the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR. 476AR, http://www.weaponsmith.com | |||
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That bolt face sure has been opened up, a lot! DRSS(We Band of Bubba's Div.) N.R.A (Life) T.S.R.A (Life) D.S.C. | |||
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The bolt is serial numbered to the rifle and is a 1976, 200 yr Liberty model Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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A factory prototype would have much better machining, and they would have filled the ejector hole, or made a bolt without drilling it in the first place. Look at the ejector slot; how well was that machined? And why do a prototype on a push feed 77? It is no secret how to make a real one; Ruger would not have done that; no reason to. Factory prototype, collector's item? No. | |||
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Guess it doesn't matter as the rifle is getting a new stainless bbl in 375 Ruger and getting drafted into service as a Kodiak and AK peninsula guide rifle. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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Well because they pulled the completed action off the assembly line rather than making one up from the start, hence the crude machining. Not particularly unusual for a "proof of concept" job. Saying that I tend to believe it's a gunsmithed rifle especially after reading jeffeosso's post. I forgot about the kits available back then. Either way an interesting rifle. Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
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My old Ruger 77 30-06 has been converted to basically a mod. 70 with control feed and installation of a model 70 safety latch...The late Tony Barnes did the conversion.. Its worked to perfection for years. I had to tig up the tang safety hole and reblue the tang..It was so nice I just had to custom stock it with an unusually hard piece of American walnut, something I never use but this stick was different, and checkered 28 LPI..Tony also had that stick and gave it to me, he came up with lots of different stuff, an amazing man and an awesome gunsmith of little fame, maybe the best Ive known. His sako pistols and muzzle loaders were beyond anything Ive ever seen and shot like bench rest pieces.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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