Is the Ruger M-77 reciever investment cast or milled from ordinance steel?

Cast

Don't let the casting scare you away. Ruger has really perfected their investment casting process and their guns are a great value for the dollar. Strong, durable, and affordable; the American dream.

They are cast, but if you think about it, ingots start as a casting as well.

They used to cast them a bit oversize then machine them down to size. Ruger Blackhawk revolvers are all cast and hey are hell for strong. Now to save money they are trying to cast the receivers to the exact size. This does not work nearly as well as the first method.Don't know when they switched.

I have to make the disclaimer that I read this on posts from a gunsmith who posts on huntamerica as I did not know of it until I read it there.

Is the machined action better than a cast one? If it is why?

Thanks,
Kent

Probvably not significantly better in the end. With investment casting techniques being as good as they are the materials probably end up quite equal. As long as the finish maching is equally well done the results should be equal. Winchester's receivers were made from forgings for quite some time (post -64) but may be castings now. I know many of the other parts are cast.
The shilen DGA action was ,if memory serves, made from a casting. Regards, Bill

Investment casting is not something to be concerned with.Parts for high pressure(how's 20,000 psi sound?)down-hole valves for oilwell drilling have been investment cast in stainless etc. for years.A bunch cheaper to produce than machining a bunch of chips of of a forging or a solid bar.

They are cast,but very high quality,very strong actions,I own 3 Rugers.
Hugh.

Investment castings or the "lost wax" process is not new. It's not that complicated and it can produce high quality parts at lower cost.

I bought investment castings for many years and Ruger and Thompson Center were among my vendors. I toured the Ruger plant in NH and they made the castings and firearms in connecting buildings.

I believe the pre-64 M-70 receivers were made from forgings. Then the post's went to bar stock and now the controlled round models may be forgings again. Keep in mind that just because it's a casting or a forging is only part of the requirement to make it right.

Some of the M-94 receivers from the 70's were made from ductile iron!

I would rather have a investment cast bolt from a Ruger M-77 than the three piece stuff that the Rem 722/700 and new M-70's are made from.

I would not be surprised to find that some of the Sako parts to be investment castings.

If it's done right it's the right answer.