Looking to build a couple of semi custom bolt guns one in 30-06 the other in 375 Ruger. I like the thought of having a tang safety but want CRF. Would it be possible to do this conversion on a couple of Ruger 77's. Looking to put a couple of good barrels on them slick up the feeding and any other issues and then put them in Mcmillan stocks. I've talked to a couple of gunsmiths regarding tang safeties on Mauser 98 actions. It seems they then become "Stalking safeties" and the price goes with it.

Is conversion to CRF possible and what would be the cons to this action/conversion.

You CAN'T convert the 77 to CRF at least not simply.

The early M77 II was a different issue. That conversion was fairly simple.

I'm not so sure. I don't have one here to examine at the moment but it might be possible. I believe the major obstacle would be the bolt nose ejector. You would need to incorporate a different system. The next one that stumbles in I will make a note to look it over.

Check back.

This has been asked and answered before on this forum but I don't recall the exact thread.

Yes, you can convert to controlled feed, I recall ads in, I believe, Rifle magazine some years ago for this service. J.M.Rabourn, perhaps? A little work on the bolt face, eighty-six the ejector and machine for a new pre-64-M70-style ejector. Probably some other stuff as well but not rocket science. There's at least one Guild smith posting on this forum who can do the work.
Regards, Joe
Regards, Joe

It was Butch Searcy before he moved to Kaliforney. I had a letter from him detailing converting a pair of first-gen. Mod. 77 .338s I had then and it was around $600.00 at that time.

I then found my old P-64-.338 and bought it back from the second owner and sold my Rugers. So, it CAN be done and is a good idea, if a good smith does it, IMHO.

I have two Ruger 77s in 7mm remington. One is a tang safety and the other is a MKII. The MKII (CRF) bolt slides right into the tang safety receiver, locks up tight, and even dry fires when the trigger is pulled. I am not a gunsmith so I have been trying to find out from one if a hybrid bolt could be made out of the two for a custom build. No one seems to know. If you examine both bolts side by side they don't seem very different at all.

Westpac, would close up pictures of the bolts and receivers be of any help in answering this question? If so what shots would you want? I can take them and post them to this thread.

PM sent.

quote:

Originally posted by Westpac:
I'm not so sure. I don't have one here to examine at the moment but it might be possible. I believe the major obstacle would be the bolt nose ejector. You would need to incorporate a different system. The next one that stumbles in I will make a note to look it over.

Check back.

I have really been wondering if a good gunsmith could install a MKII ejector in the tang receiver and install the tang bolt safety parts / shroud assembly on the MKII bolt. I also really like the tang safety but want CRF.

Actions side by side:


Bolt switched:


Receivers:
http://i1224.photobucket.com/a...s/BoltsRemoved02.jpg

Bolts:

A push feed Ruger has the ejector button. Can't see how you could slip the case in under the extractor past the button in a convert to CRF. A CRF has an ejector in the rear of the action to kick the case out the PF action doesn't. With enough $$ guess you could do anything. I would think adding a tang safety would be the cheaper way to go.

Many confuse the early M77 II PF actions. They were easy to convert to CRF by swapping out the bolt or I think simply removing the lip on the bottom of the bolt face. I believe Ruger even over this conversion at one time.

So the tang version had a claw but because the claw isn't holding the cartridge initially coming up out of the mag it is push feed? just wanting to make sure I understand.

I love tang safeties, I know I've read somewhere or heard somewhere that they aren't as safe, something about how they operate versus a safety that affects the cocking piece. They sure are comfy though. I think the Enfield is a runner up for comfort of operation.

quote:

So the tang version had a claw but because the claw isn't holding the cartridge initially coming up out of the mag it is push feed? just wanting to make sure I understand.

Yep the bolt and extractor do not "control" the case as it feeds. The lip doesn't allow it to slide under the extractor. I haven't had one for years but it will slip over the case head as it closes(if my memory still works), like a 700, Sako etc. Then as the case clears the front of the action the ejector button will toss the case out.

I'm glad to see this thread. That would be a very interesting conversion if it is possible.

Another option is an old Veore rifle. They had a tang safety on a standard 98 action. They are pretty rare. Since I am not a gun smith it seems that it should be a simple operation to transform a right sided push off safety to a tang safety but alas it probably only seems simple because of my ignorance

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
A push feed Ruger has the ejector button. Can't see how you could slip the case in under the extractor past the button in a convert to CRF. A CRF has an ejector in the rear of the action to kick the case out the PF action doesn't. With enough $$ guess you could do anything. I would think adding a tang safety would be the cheaper way to go.

But would it be possible to make a MKII bolt "hybrid" work in a tang receiver? Has anyone taken both bolts apart? Could the tang bolt shroud and its safety parts be made to work on the MKII bolt and then use that bolt in the tang receiver?

quote:

But would it be possible to make a MKII bolt "hybrid" work in a tang receiver? Has anyone taken both bolts apart? Could the tang bolt shroud and its safety parts be made to work on the MKII bolt and then use that bolt in the tang receiver?

You will need someone more knowledgeable than I to answer that question. Somehow you would need to add an ejector to the tang receiver. Even if you open up the PF bolt bottom I would think the ejector button would be in the way.

Do a search here in gunsmithing I know it has been discussed before.

Guys thanks for the post's. Every time I have searched for this it usually just comes up about converting the early mark II's. Seems like this could work even if I have to swap the bolt's on a couple of Mark II;s. Does anyone have any idea of any smiths to contact to take on this conversion.

quote:

Could the tang bolt shroud and its safety parts...

The 77MKII safety parts are in the tang, not the shroud. It is a trigger blocking safety with part of the operating handle that locks the bolt and goes into a notch in the firing pin to catch it if the trigger block fails.

The tang safety parts are also in the tang area.

The MKII bolt with TS internals will work in the TS receiver. This gives you a bolt with an ejector slot and cutaway face for CRF feeding. You would need to have a slot cut into the receiver, with an ejector installed, to finish the job. Headspace check, etc.



Bruce

The Tang Ruger might be cool...I have three of them...but they are OBSOLETE TO THE MAX...parts are scarce as hens teeth... Ruger had a few at one time, but every time I try to get parts I get a NOT EVEN and I haven't been able to find anyone who bought up the old stock and is selling it off.

I have rebarrels all three to several different calibers over the years...last year I did my Rigby based 510 Makatak and tried to find a MKII CRF bolt to fit but couldn't so I just milled off the lip about 220 degrees from just below the ejector button around to just before it.

I couldn't find a gunsmith that would do any converting of the OEM bolt, an MKII bolt or install an ejector ala MKII, but gave up after a couple weeks trying.

My advice is to leave the PF a PF and buy a CRF if you want a CRF. You don't want a converted whatever deciding to go titsup at the wrong time...

I would certainly appreciate the name/humber/URL of ANY gunsmith that is known to do this work in the past few years...FOR CERTAIN...I would like a CRF bolt for my 510 Makatak.

Hey "Snake"...what calibers/actions are those Rugers in the picture?...they must be LA's because I already tried a SA MKII bolt without much success... ...maybe I CAN get what I want...at least the MKII bolts are available...Thanks.

Luck

Both 77s are 7mm Remington Mag

At the NRA Show in Denver about 1980 someone had a Ruger 77 on display that had been customized. It had a CRF and If I remember right I think the ejector had been change to the Mauser style, with a slot cut in the left bolt lug for the ejector.
That was so long ago I don't remember who did the work.

Hal

Thanks again...I see quite a few Tang 7mmRM's on the auctions sites, but they seem to want way more than what I think they're worth...Probably no chance at all in finding just a mag faced bolt or even a standard faced one loose somewhere...and I know for sure that Ruger won't sell me a bolt only...I've tried.

I know the conversions were done many years ago and most major 'smiths offered it, but today the demand is low and many of those 'smiths are gone now along with the knowledge.


I keep looking tho'...

Luck