One of my old MkII's (a 7x57) doesn't really work in a CRF manner. The case is pushed ahead until about the last inch, then the case will slide under the extractor claw. My other Rugers will CRF properly. It seems to me that the case doesn't sit high enough in relation to the bolt as compared to the others. For example my .416, there is a noticeable drag on the follower when the action is worked empty, this one barely touches. On my Mausers, the extractor immediately catches the case, when the bolt is moved forward 1/2 inch, it is captured. Just wondered what has been other's experience.

The early MKIIs (circa 1991) were in fact PF with a fixed blade extractor. (I had a few.) Perhaps this is waht you have. Check for a lip on the bottom of the bolt face...

If your's does not have the lip, and is thus an ofical MKII CRF, then good luck. I've had a number of Ruger's that were "CRF," but which had an awful long part of the feed stroke where the case was neither in control of the mag or teh extractor. Had one back to Rugers 3 times, and they never seemed to understand my complaint about it not functioning like a proper CRF; i.e., no chance for short stroke. They never did fix it. Anyway, I sold them all and have had no time for Rugers ever since...

Just my experience....

Mine doesn't have a lip on the bolt face. It acts completely different than my .416 especially. On the .416, when the cartridge moves a half inch, it almost jumps under the extractor, the 7x57 just pushes ahead of it. Working it slowly, I think the cartridge stays in the box too long, I was compating it to a couple of FN's, when the cartridges are in the mag. the nose of the bullet is up and pointing into the chamber almost and are behind the extractor immediately. My CZ in 9,3x62 is almost the same when feeding from the left side of the mag.

Rounds are held in the magazine by the feed rails on the bottom of the receiver...the extractor doesn’t reach down inside the magazine and grab a cartidge and pull it out. The cartridge has to be pushed forward by the bottom lip of the bolt face past the shoulders on the feed rails before the round is pushed up to where the extractor can snap over the rim. Normally, the tip of the bullet is just starting into the chamber when this occurs.

On this one, it will push the cartridge within 1/2 in. of being completely chambered before the extractor will pull the case back. In other words, I can push the bolt almost completely forward and pull it back with the cartridge just laying there, just as in a push feed. The only thing that looks noticeably different than my others is that the lips of the mag. box don't come close to touching the rails, probably by between an eighth and a quarter of an inch. I think that is the problem, as the follower doesn't rest against the feed rails either.

Before you start damning the rifle I would pull the barreled action out and get the mag box seated properly in the bottom of the receiver, reassemble and try it again with some dummy rounds.

Ruger advertises that their 77's are controlled feed. If everything is original on your rifle, I would send it back to the factory.

Ruger does not have a written warranty, but they have a good reputation for making things right with their products. It might be something as simple as having the wrong follower.

quote:

Originally posted by KurtC:
Ruger advertises that their 77's are controlled feed. If everything is original on your rifle, I would send it back to the factory.

Ruger does not have a written warranty, but they have a good reputation for making things right with their products. It might be something as simple as having the wrong follower.

I went through this very deal with Ruger "CRF" a number of times, and they have no clue how to make it work right. I had as many as 5 of their "CRF" that were EASY to short stroke because of the mis-machined mag/extractor exchange. Even after repeated returns of one rifle in particular, and after carefully explaining the problem to them (by letter, and then by talking to the tech on the phone) they were never able to resolve the problem. I honestly got the impression that they truly did NOT understand how CRF was actually suppose to work. As far as they were concerned, as long as the case came under control of the claw EVENTUALLY (as in 1/2" from being fully chambered), it was working just fine. Nevermind the 1.5" of the stroke before that where the case was out of the mag and just being pushed along the racway, half-assed under the claw, but NOT far enough under the claw so reversing the bolt would reverse the case.

Most likely they will say "within factory specs", which is their standard byline. I've heard from their rifle "service" people and form their revolver "service" people. In fact, I currently have a 45 colt Bisley hunter that has a minor timing issue - if I cock it slow enough it won't QUITE click into position (aligned with te bore). It is less than a year old and I bought it new, but do you tihnk I am going to send it to Ruger "service". HA! I'll send it, wait two months, then call and complain that I haven't received it back yet, then they'll return with a terse note saying that it is "within factory specs". Ruger service is beyond worthless in my experience.

If I were you, I'd send it to Dennis Olsen or Mark Penrod, or some other highly reputed smith who ACTUALLY knows how to make a rifle work. Though I'd be embarrassed to send either of them a Ruger... JMO...

If the mag box is seated properly, and the spring and follower are pressing up evenly on the rounds, and the problem still exists then you need to have someone modify the feed rail shoulders and/or the lips of the box which position the rounds against the feed rails.

What you are trying to do is to get the base of the case to free itself from the feed rails and rise up sooner as the bolt starts to push it forward so the extractor can grab it.

Rick

From what I can tell, you are right, the mag box when seated is about 1/4 in from the feed rails. This makes the folower sit too low and the case doesn't slide behind the extractor until almost chambered. My .416 RSM is not this way and is perfect CRF. I have already had the stock back off and made sure it's seated properly. I think I'll just bend the lips myself and see if I can fix it. The worse that can happen is the box is ruined, I thik it is anyway. The rifle feeds fine, is an experienced hunting rifle, I'd just like it to feed as it should.

jstevens,

Before you start bending things maybe you should let a smith familiar with Rugers take a look at it.

It’s hard to diagnose feeding problems without having the rifle and the rounds you’re using in hand. The good news is, feeding problems are usually easy and not too expensive to correct.

If you have ever unloaded a removable magazine you will know that you have to push the top round forward to free it...same principal. The lips/shoulders on the removable mag serve the same function as the rails on the bottom of the receiver, the longer the shoulder the further forward the round has to go before it comes free.

Mag boxes, followers, springs and extractors are cheap and if you ruin one it ain’t a big deal. Feed rails, on the other hand, are a permanent part of the receiver and should only be messed with AFTER all other elements have been ruled out of the equation.

The only other thing I can think of that could be at fault is the bolt nose. A burr or deformity there could also keep the case from coming up under the extractor enough to be grabbed.

Again, all this is conjecture on my part and a good smith with the rifle in front of him should be able to diagnose the problem quickly.

Are you sure the follower spring is strong enough. There has to be some pressure from that spring to make the round snap up into the bolt. if the spring has become weak it won't work like its supposed to.

I won't go to messing with the feed rails myself, but I'm sure not afraid to bend the mag. box as they are a cheap POS if I ruin it I haven't lost much.