Ruger 77 MK I issue

[4v50 Gary]

A fellow had me look at his Ruger 77 MK I.

When he pressed the trigger, the firing pin remained in the rear. At first I thought there was a trigger issue, but upon removing the bolt and the action, I looked at it and saw that the trigger pivoted out of the way and allowed the sear to be pushed down by the cocking piece. After satisfying myself that the trigger and sear weren't the issue, I turned my attention to the bolt.

The bolt was partially disassembled and everything was fine. I reassembled it and studied it some more and reassembled the bolt and removed the paper clip (I couldn't find a nail) that held the cocking piece to the rear.

Then when I squeezed the trigger, the cocking piece and firing pin went forward (as it should have to begin with). At this time, I'm still not sure why it wasn't working. I'm wondering if the bolt was assembled incorrectly, thereby not allowing the cocking piece to surge forward. Thoughts?

 

[rcmodel]

I think you and your friend were holding your mouth wrong while trying to pull the trigger the first time.

Seriously though, I have no idea?
Could have been a small piece of dirt in the trigger you didn't see when you took it apart?

Or stock swelling inside the action rubbing on, or interfering the trigger?
Or loose action screws causing the same trigger travel issue?


All I can suggest now is very throughly test the trigger & safety in every conceivable position.

And by banging the butt on the floor hard with the safety on & off to make sure it won't jar off.

And check every part of the trigger, sear & pins for microscopic cracks or minor pin bends that might have changed dimensions somewhere.

Don't know what else to tell you.

rc

 

[4v50 Gary]

The trigger and sear are actually fine. They were the first thing I examined (after I re-read Stuart Otteson's The Bolt Action Rifle, Vol. II) and studied on the rifle. The trigger holds the sear back and the sear is forced down and out of the way by the cocking piece.

When the trigger is pressed and released, it pivoted back and forth like it supposed to. I then took a screwdriver and push on the sear and it went down and sprung back up like it supposed to. My attention was then directed to the cocking piece and the shroud. These were removed from the bolt and then everything looked fine. I removed some dirt from them and then reassembled the bolt.

For some reason, the cocking piece didn't surge forward when the sear was no longer constrained by the trigger. Upon reassembly, the cocking piece did go forward.