I decided to see how tough my Ruger was. I put the rifle on safe, locking the bolt handle, and struck the bolt handle as hard as I could with the palm of my hand attempting to unlock the bolt. She held firm. So... I took a book that weighed, oh, maybe 1 pound, and solidly rapped the bolt handle... and dang if it didn't shear something off inside. So now my bolt handle can be manipulated when the rifle is on safe. The trigger remains locked, but the bolt handle can be rotated. What did I break? I suppose I better send this rascal back to Ruger for a repair...

Sounds like the Navy Nuke program. Test it till it breaks, fix it and start testing again.

lawndart

I have to ask: WHY??

Here's your sign!

quote:

I decided to see how tough my Ruger was. I put the rifle on safe, locking the bolt handle, and struck the bolt handle as hard as I could with the palm of my hand attempting to unlock the bolt. She held firm. So... I took a book that weighed, oh, maybe 1 pound, and solidly rapped the bolt handle... and dang if it didn't shear something off inside. So now my bolt handle can be manipulated when the rifle is on safe. The trigger remains locked, but the bolt handle can be rotated. What did I break? I suppose I better send this rascal back to Ruger for a repair...

Are you an X Postal Worker or something of that nature? What in the world would were you trying to accomplish with that "below average" stunt?

My guess is you broke the bolt lock. A little sheet metal ring. Go to Rugers home page you can order the part for $.50

Dogger,

Do you bore easily? Do you put your car's transmission into reverse while driving down the freeway at 65 MPH just to see if it will break? I know, you must be a cat lover.

quote:

Originally posted by Dogger:
I decided to see how tough my Ruger was. I put the rifle on safe, locking the bolt handle, and struck the bolt handle as hard as I could with the palm of my hand attempting to unlock the bolt. She held firm. So... I took a book that weighed, oh, maybe 1 pound, and solidly rapped the bolt handle... and dang if it didn't shear something off inside. So now my bolt handle can be manipulated when the rifle is on safe. The trigger remains locked, but the bolt handle can be rotated. What did I break? I suppose I better send this rascal back to Ruger for a repair...

Just when you think that you got something foolproof, the world comes up with a better fool.

Reminds me of when I wanted to test how strong my barrel was and decided to fill it with lead and load in some really hot rounds...naw, I just can’t bear to tell that whole story again!

It is just a bolt lock.I took it out of mine
so bolt can be worked with safety on.Like it better that way.Ed.

Sounds like part of a training program for future airline baggage handlers.

I do get bored easily.

Let us know when you get bored with the color of your carpet and pour 10 gallons of gas on it and throw lit matches at it.

Well Done !!

Dogger,

If you don't mind my asking, what exactly were you trying to 'prove' or check?

WHY would any one do that????

I think you're way smarter than I am.

Usually, I break things trying to fix them.

At least you broke your Ruger trying to break it.

Hey guys, at least he fessed up to what happened, that's more than what I do usually!

Anyway, the bolt lock part # should be D35A.

quote:

Originally posted by Dogger:
I decided to see how tough my Ruger was. I put the rifle on safe, locking the bolt handle, and struck the bolt handle as hard as I could with the palm of my hand attempting to unlock the bolt. She held firm. So... I took a book that weighed, oh, maybe 1 pound, and solidly rapped the bolt handle... and dang if it didn't shear something off inside. So now my bolt handle can be manipulated when the rifle is on safe. The trigger remains locked, but the bolt handle can be rotated. What did I break? I suppose I better send this rascal back to Ruger for a repair...

Someone check and see if Dogger works for UPS!! If not send him an application.LOL. Hey! It`s just a small part[fortunately]

Aloha, Mark

Thanks for the best laugh I've had in several days! I read it and just kind-of thought why?, then reading the follow-ups I started laughing as I got a visual!
I've done some hairbrained stuff before but not this one! Nate

Damn, thats funny..........hoooo boy. It made me laugh, thanks for making my day. Like the time I was late getting out to my hunting spot and remembered I forgot something vitally important ...can't remember what it was though. So ....pissed off as I was I backed up really fast on the wet grass, slammed the truck in drive and took off like a bat outta hell. Once on the highway I pinned that damned chevy and took off up a big hill. All of a sudden outta nowhere I hear BLAM!!!!! yup $2000.00 later I had a nice new tranny.

I guess I'm not the only one

the chef

quote:

Originally posted by hubel458:
It is just a bolt lock.I took it out of mine
so bolt can be worked with safety on.Like it better that way.Ed.

IF, and I say, IF I were to remove that small piece, what functionality do I lose? What I'm getting at is: I gain the ability to operate the bolt, and especially to unload the round in the chamber, with the safety still on. So, what's the down side that I haven't seen yet?

I haven't had any problems and the reason
I did it was with my big fingers I bumped
trigger when grabbing bolt handle, so with
checking & cycling loaded rounds I like safety on.Now when I put the gun in the rack I take safety off and let firing pin off, gun unloaded off course.Ed.

Just brilliant stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AD

posting this is kinda like posting the fact that what you thought was a fart, wasn't and you have to go home now to change pants

Admitting this is kinda like your beer drinking buddies finding out about your episode with fat and/or ugly chick, with their mouths full of beer of course, and old beer out the nose trick rears it ugly head again.......

I can understand him doing it. If I knew of a possible weakness with one of my guns...I would do a test to bear it out. Now he (and all of us) know that a Ruger bolt lock is not very robust.

See if you can put in a thicker piece, and open up the mortise to accomadate it.

quote:

Originally posted by C1PNR:

quote:

Originally posted by hubel458:
It is just a bolt lock.I took it out of mine
so bolt can be worked with safety on.Like it better that way.Ed.

IF, and I say, IF I were to remove that small piece, what functionality do I lose? What I'm getting at is: I gain the ability to operate the bolt, and especially to unload the round in the chamber, with the safety still on. So, what's the down side that I haven't seen yet?

The most likely down side is horrible to contemplate, but will likely never happen...picture this... You're on a dream elk hunt in SW "Idyho". You've been creeping up a 30% grade through patchy brush and around occasional parks, "still-hunting" up on a bunch of different bugles when...all of a sudden, just as you come out of a patch of brush and pecker-pole pines. the little semi-open arroyo on your right explodes! Biggest Bull you'll ever see in your whole life, on a dead run! You toss your trusty Ruger to your shoulder, center his heart-lung area, and snap off a perfect trigger pull just before he disappears forever.

But, no explosion, no elk, nada.

Ehy? Without the bolt lock, your bolt opened about 10 degrees while you were creeping through the salal, pines, buck brush, and other stuff on that mountain. Well, with the bolt even a litle open, the rifle won't fire. So now all you have iin the bag is a story (that most won't believe) about The Big One That Got Away.

What a F@#KING idiot !!!

Now, Now, thats an old gunsmith trick, "Get a bigger hammer"......

Hey, what you learn from destructive testing can be a good thing. I always thought my Ruger was tough as nails. I read the thread about the African PH whose wife was mauled we he could not get his Winchester M70 off safe because the bolt handle had moved up a bit, enough to block the disengagement of the safety. Apparently this is a design weakness that effects some M70s. Welllll... I wondered if my Ruger was susceptible to the same thing. So... here goes the test. Whacked the bolt handle with my hand and nothing happened. Whacked it with a book (by the way, the book is a compilation of all of Virginia's regiments in the Civil War) and dang if something didn't break. To say I was surprised is an understatement. I always thought a Ruger was tougher than Kryptonite. (Perhaps Virginia was getting its revenge on a "Yankee" rifle )

My hat is off to old Dogger.

If I had pulled a stunt like that I certainly wouldn’t have the balls to tell anyone about it!

If I had a Ruger, I would break it too.

Did you at least have an audience and say "hey ya'll, watch this. here. hold my beer."

quote:

Originally posted by Dogger:
... I read the thread about the African PH whose wife was mauled we he could not get his Winchester M70 off safe because the bolt handle had moved up a bit, enough to block the disengagement of the safety. Apparently this is a design weakness that effects some M70s. ...

Just "one" of many.

quote:

Originally posted by C1PNR:

quote:

Originally posted by hubel458:
It is just a bolt lock.I took it out of mine
so bolt can be worked with safety on.Like it better that way.Ed.

IF, and I say, IF I were to remove that small piece, what functionality do I lose? What I'm getting at is: I gain the ability to operate the bolt, and especially to unload the round in the chamber, with the safety still on. So, what's the down side that I haven't seen yet?

The only down side is that the bolt can be inadvertently opened by a branch, twig, piece of brush, etc., when you're carrying it slung, dumping the round out perhaps unbeknownst to you.

This is only potentially dangerous in Africa or Alaska, but it could conceivably cost you a shot at a deer.

This is why I like the Model 70-type 3-position safety that lets you lock the bolt closed, and yet permits the action to be cycled with the striker securely locked in the cocked position.

Gentlemen...

Some of the original old M77's with the tang safety would cycle with safety on, others did not. I believe the earlier guns locked down on safe and the later ones prior to the M77/MkII did not (or is it the other way around? My 1980 .458 M77 locks down on safe.)

The Ruger M77/MkII safety IS A THREE POSITION SAFETY and the bolt CAN be operated and cycled with the safety still engaged...

On the M77/MkII the safety is OFF when pushed all the way forward. When it's in the middle position the safety is ON yet you can work the bolt/action. When the safety is all the way to the rear the safety is ON and the bolt is locked down.

A pin is what holds the bolt into the locked down position. I don't imagine the pin is hard to replace. Order the pin and accompanying spring for the pin from Ruger and re-install it.

PS to Dogger: To save you alot of grief... A scope - ANY scope - will break if you clobber it hard with a hammer (even once).

Ha! 458RugerNo1, I will remember that sage advice! No, I won't be beating on the Leupold with a book! I learned my lesson...

I did pick up another Ruger in 6mm Remington... I won't be whacking it either.

quote:

Originally posted by Dogger:
Ha! 458RugerNo1, I will remember that sage advice! No, I won't be beating on the Leupold with a book! I learned my lesson...

I did pick up another Ruger in 6mm Remington... I won't be whacking it either.

Hey Dogger,

Doing what you did is sort of like having sex with your cousin...it’s allot of fun but you don’t want everyone knowing about it!