Need some advice regarding Ruger M-77...

[piniongear]

I have a Ruger M-77 that I have not yet shot. It is a 25-06 caliber. While mounting a scope I noticed that a piece of paper passes freely between the stock and the barrel beginning at the receiver and going to the muzzle. However, where the front sling lug is I find that the paper hits a stop. This seems like it could affect the accuracy of the rifle.
Can anyone tell me how this sling lug is attached? It seems like it is against the barrel. The gun is brand new and has a laminated stock.
If I need to remove the stock and get some clearance between the lug and barrel can someone tell me what screws I need to remove to get the gun apart?
Thanks for any help or comment you may care to make.........pg

 

[DWARREN123]

Go to Rugers web site, they have instructions. May be a tight spot, if so I would sand it out and reseal the wood.
BUT, shoot it first and see how it does.

 

[1911Tuner]

Tight Spot

If it's a "Sporter" weight barrel, it's normal. Most have a tight spot where you describe, and very often a bolt-rifle with a standard-weight barrel will shoot a little better with a contact point there. Once upon a time, it was considered standard practice for riflesmiths to install a tensioning screw up near the front of the forend to make the amount of pressure easily adjustable.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. I have a Ruger 77 Ultralight in .308 caliber that shot all over the paper until I floated the "Soda Straw" barrel. Another M77 in .223 caliber with a standard sporter-weight barrel required a fairly high amount of tension before it really started to shine, but wasn't tolerant of any variation. I bedded it in a synthetic stock to limit changes in the pressure with changes in humidity.

 

[piniongear]

re: The Ruger M77 question...

I thank you guys for the info. I will shoot it first and see how well it shoots.
If I have shots spread out on the paper, then I suspect I will need to do something about that tight spot at the forend tip.
Also I will go to Ruger's site to see what they have to say.....pg

 

[stevekl]

You're reading my mind. I was thinking this morning while driving, "I need to post a thread at THR and ask if the m77 is free floated or not."

 

[1911Tuner]

M77

Quote:

>"I need to post a thread at THR and ask if the m77 is free floated or not."<
***********

The heavy-barrel target models are. The rifles with the sporter-weight barrels aren't...or at least they never used to be. I haven't bought a new Ruger 77 in about 10 years. The last one was an RSI International, and the full-length Mannlicher stock makes it a guaranteed no-float.

 

[JNewell]

I want to reiterate the advice above. Most of the sporter-weight rifles I've free-floated have shot worse after than before and I have wound up reinstalling a pressure pad. Give it a fair shot first.

 

[Jim K]

Hi, Piniongear,

Nothing personal, but I am always amused by the folks who buy a new gun, assume the factory knows nothing about guns, and without even firing the gun, ask what they should do or what gadget they should install to make it better, more accurate, more reliable, etc.

I think you might be surprised by that rifle. If it disappoints, then is the time to try tweaking it.

Jim

 

[ClarkEMyers]

A couple of traditional tips.

Folks used to use a business card in the forend to give a little up pressure - sometimes oiling the business card to forestall holding moisture and rusting the barrel. The notion was that pressure damped vibrations and so made them more consistent as in avoiding chatter on a machine piece. If the business card worked some would leave it alone and some would use a little bedding compound or whatever they preferred.

To experiment in the other direction folks would shim the receiver up so that the barrel made no contact before making a permanent adjustment. Common on flat bottomed receivers was to use a credit card or pieces of a credit card; for round bottom receivers pieces of an aluminum pop can worked.

Again if this worked some would leave it alone and others would go with bedding compound.

My own practice is to always detail strip and clean a new firearm and shoot it for a baseline before making much change or any irreversible changes - although in the case of the first model - tang safety - Ruger rifle, and others, I wouldn't hesitate to polish and adjust the trigger as part of the make ready.

 

[piniongear]

Yes Jim Keenan, I will certainly fire the rifle to see how it shoots. I was just surprised to find the contact point there under the fore end of the stock, so I thought I would ask the membership here for their view....and I did receive that, thank you all.
The Ruger has a sporter barrel. I just looked at my Remington 700 .17 Rem (also a sporter) and I find it too has this same stop under the fore end like the Ruger. My Winchester 70 22-250 Varmint rifle has a free floated barrel....but then this barrel is almost 1 inch in diameter so I suppose it does not need any tension out there.
After reading the posts I have decided not to touch anything for now. The 17 shoots less than a 1 inch group at 100 yds, and that is with a stiff wind blowing. So I will leave well enough alone and just try to work up better loads. Thanks again........pg

 

[4fingermick]

If a pressure point is causing a problem, it will generally cause groups to string vertically in my experience. Apart from varmint guns, this is not a problem in hunting guns as you only usually fire one or two shots. As an experiment, keep a special target for the rifle ( I try this on all of my rifles) and fire one shot from a cold barrel each time you go to the range. after 5 visits, you might be surprised with the group.