Gunsmithing Ruger M77 ?

[jsthntn247]

I have a m77 in 25-06. It is the model with the two stage safety not on the tang and has the medium barrel. This is my whitetail hunting rig and I was getting .75 moa out of it. I took the stock off it last week to clean it (first time I ever did) and now the damn thing is shooting all over the place. Can anybody explain to me what the hell went wrong? I called myself putting in back together the same way it came apart.

 

[Chadwick122689]

Re: Ruger M77 ?

May have not torqued action screws down tightly enough, or maybe too tight... or the action isn't sitting exactly in the same spot in the stock... Those are two things I can think of off the top of my head...

 

[Menyo]

Re: Ruger M77 ?

If it's a wooden stock..it swells up with humidity. And if your barrel is touching, then you have uneven vibrations and sends the bullet everywhere.

 

[jsthntn247]

Re: Ruger M77 ?

It is a black synthetic stock. I torqued the action screws tight as hell, they are definitely not loose. Is there any certain way I should be tightening them ie: front to back or vice versa and also should I try not tightening them so much? How can I check to see if the action is setting properly? I knew I never should have taken it apart, I really can't afford to take it to a gunsmith with the holidays coming up.

 

[frog5215]

Re: Ruger M77 ?

You have a M77MKII.
Try real tight on the front screw, pretty tight on the rear one, and just tight enough not to rattle loose on the middle one.

I have a MKII stainless boat paddle in 7.62x39. It sometimes shoots cloverleafs with Chinese sardine can ball, though I don't hunt with that. At one point I whittled out the forearm for a floating barrel since the moulded plastic is so squishy. Reliably 1-1 1/2" @ 100. It's been out of the stock many times.
Dayton Traister trigger.

 

[jsthntn247]

Re: Ruger M77 ?

I took the stock apart again and looked it over good. This thing is a piece of shit. The middle action screw doesn't even go through a piller, hell, there's not even a hole in the stock for it. It's a wonder this thing ever shot worth a damn. I wouldn't even try to sell this gun to someone, so would a boyde's be a decent aftermarket stock to get for it. 1 inch groups would be good enough for the type of hunting this gun sees.

 

[frog5215]

Re: Ruger M77 ?

Calm down Sparky.

It used to shoot 3/4 MOA and suddenly it's a POS?
Any good laminate ought to work, though a certain caution is reportedly warranted when bedding, what with the angled front screw and all.

Why not try some different torque like I suggested above and de-twist your panties, too. If that doesn't help, by all means, throw money at the problem.

The lack of a pillar for the middle screw ought to tell you something about torque, if you're calm enough to listen.

 

[Billyboy]

Re: Ruger M77 ?

Try 50 in/lbs for the front, 35-40 for the rear. For the center, I just put a dab of blue loctite on the screw and barely snug it up so it won't fall out.

 

[dogmessiah]

Re: Ruger M77 ?

I had the boat paddle version in .243 as well as an old tang safety in .243. I have experienced the same problem as you. As others have said it is the torque on the action screws. The one that is the most finicky is the front one (the angled one). Take it all of the way out of the stock (if I recall correctly you only have two action screws, and the third is just there to hold the trigger guard in place and does not need to be removed). Put it back in and get both of the screws threaded, but not even really snugged. Tighten the front action screw first, this will pull the action backwards in the stock and seat it into your stock(really tighten it hard), then tighten the rear action screw. Head to the range with the gun and shoot three shot groups. If your first group is acceptable call it good, otherwise loosen the front action screw by 1/16-1/8 of a turn and shoot a 3 shot group. Repeat until you have the correct torque, and if you ever take it apart again use a torque wrench.