Ruger M77 mkII prefit

Shiftyk5

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 14, 2021
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Missouri
I have M77 mkII Varmint/Target in 22/250 I need to rebarrel. It’s never shot well with anything but 52gr bergers.
I want to rebarrel in 22/250 AI with a 1/8 twist to use heavies.

I’m not finding much info about do a prefit myself other than McGowan sells a prefit, but nothing on actually doing to job. A Mauser type action wrench should work correct?
Has anyone done one of these?

Just want as much info on this as I can before I call McGowan and order a barrel.

ETA: This gun has sentimental value so I’d like to keep shooting it.

If I’ve left anything out. Sorry I r new
 
They will send you a barrel nut prefit. Make sure you order a contour that will fit a barrel nut and not require some one off fabrication.
I ordered and then emailed them just to clarify exactly what I wanted, a rug-age basically, and they will say yeah, we can do that for you.

I bet you could even clamp it in a vice with its flat bottom and flat top but if that barrel has been on for 50 years it may be a bitch and Id take it to a smith with the real exact tools (which Im not sure of) just to cover my ass on the first time popping it off. Who knows how rusted up it could be in those threads after all that time.
 
Long Rifles Inc.
They arent cheap, but it will 100% be done correct. Think it's around $400 plus barrel.
ETA-Didnt realize how inexpensive McGowen barrels are. I would still go with LRI but do what your budget allows.
 
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Before you get in over your head you should consider sending the rifle to a smith to remove the old barrel
and install a new shouldered barrel.

Some gunsmiths do not like to mess with the M77's do to the possibility of the cast receiver cracking.
The safest method is to make a cut in the barrel just a few thousands forward of the action to relieve the pressure from the barrel
so it comes off easily.
 
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Before you get in over your head you should consider sending the rifle to a smith to remove the old barrel
and install a new shouldered barrel.

Some gunsmiths do not like to mess with the M77's do to the possibility of the cast receiver cracking.
The safest method is to make a cut in the barrel just a few thousands forward of the action to relieve the pressure from the barrel
so it comes off easily.
Useful info, wasn’t aware of that issue
 
Im pretty sure the bolt configuration is identical to the tang safety M77's and they do not have a cut in the barrel for the extractor.
They don’t have an extractor cut out in the barrel.
But they aren’t like the tang models. The tang models were a push feed with a spring ejector. The mkii/Hawkeye is a control round feed with mechanical ejector but it’s still flush with the front of the rest of the bolt nose and doesn’t hang out past there like you imagine with a win70.
 
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