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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Big Bore Rifles

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Buster95
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Reged: 01/11/10
Posts: 65
Loc: Canada
Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety.
      #292526 - 25/12/16 02:48 AM

The Ruger M77 458 win mag with a tang safety are good guns? I heard bad thing about bad barrels (Wilson). What's a good price these days for this rifle? The gun is in excellent condition, I don't have any pics yet.

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DarylS
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Buster95]
      #292530 - 25/12/16 05:16 AM

Tang safety means the early M77's, before the Mark II's, I assume. My Ruger with the tang safety, a .243 International, left the factory in 1983.

It's quite a good shooting rifle - sub or right at moa with most bullet weights - I don't see why the .458 would be any different.

I would not sell my little full stock Ruger for less than $1,000.00, and maybe not then.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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Buster95
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: DarylS]
      #292532 - 25/12/16 05:38 AM

Thanks for the reply Daryl. Do you know if your rifle comes with a Wilson barrel?

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Tom_H
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Buster95]
      #292537 - 25/12/16 06:24 AM

Wilson barrel or not. Most of those guns shot or could be made to shoot fairly easily.
I have a number of them and agree with Daryl's assessment.

Love those tang safety Rugers.

Tom

--------------------
Carbonation without fermentation is tyranny


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Homer
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Tom_H]
      #292548 - 25/12/16 09:52 AM

G'Day Fella's,

Buster95, the general consensus is that the reason that some of the original M77 Ruger's don't shoot (very accurately that is), is the quality of the Wilson barrels. We get what we pay for they say, and that would be the same with rifles (and Barrels).

I don't know about the rest of you but I'm of the opinion that for a stalking (still hunting, jump shooting, etc) rifle, an upper tang positioned thumb safety, is exactly where it should be!
The reason for this is, you barely have to re-position the thumb of your strong hand to disengage the safety, before getting a grip on things again (prior to taking the shot).

Merry Christmas you lot
Homer

--------------------
"Beware the Lolly Pop of Mediocrity,
Lick it Once and You Will Suck Forever"


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cordite
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Reged: 29/01/07
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Homer]
      #292552 - 25/12/16 12:21 PM

I used one in 30-06 for many years. Good gun. That safety is perfect. Don't know why I traded it off.

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DarylS
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: cordite]
      #292561 - 25/12/16 01:14 PM

Should note here, I had an identical rifle, but Model77RS or IS or whatever it was, but the Mark II with the bolt safety.

I sold it shortly after my initial testing, for exactly what I'd paid. It-too was quite accurate, under inch with about all loads, including 150gr. GMX factory loads.

Not selling the .243.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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Sarg
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: DarylS]
      #292571 - 25/12/16 03:48 PM

I have used one for nearly 20 years as a work rifle, has been great stopping many a Buffalo Bantang & Boar, shoots tiny groups (well for a 45caliber) but it had been rebarreled from new so I was told & heard some of the early Ruger M77's had dud barrels !

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Buster95
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Sarg]
      #292582 - 26/12/16 03:35 AM

The 77 with tang safety chambered for "heavy hitters" have stock splitting issues? Also, synthetic stock are available for this rifles?

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Buster95
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Buster95]
      #292589 - 26/12/16 06:52 AM

Here are two tiny pics (the only ones I have) of the rifle in question.





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DoubleD
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Buster95]
      #292590 - 26/12/16 06:57 AM

A very long time ago I did General gun repair-Gunsmithing-mid 1980's.

I had number of these guns brought in because of the bad Wilson barrels. I do not know how the word got out about the bad barrels because even back then advertisers, and especially Ruger carried a heavy hand in the editorial room of the gun rags. But it was common rumor.

I never saw a barrel that would not shoot. The problem when really scrutinized was the gun wouldn't shot to the same spot. Pretty obvious to me barrels weren't bad, something was wrong with sighting system.

I tracked it to the rings and in particular the screw and clamp nut-they were soft. For years River denied this problem. Some years later Ruger changed the nuts and screws to harder make and the problem went Away.

I had one way to fix this problem. I drilled and tapped the action for a scope base and rings and tossed the Rugers. I don't recall if it was Redfield or Leupold who made them but one did. Towards the end of my career Millet introduced replacement rings with harden screws and clamp nuts and I used them.

That was as the only problem I ever saw on Ruger rifles when I physically worked on them.

I liked that tang safety.

--------------------
DD, Ret.


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500Boswell
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: DoubleD]
      #292605 - 26/12/16 09:57 AM

I reckon the Tang safety was much better, dont why they changed it ,maybe when ''fashion '' dictated you have to have a Model 70 style safety or you are nobody , i would get it anyway !

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500Boswell
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: 500Boswell]
      #292606 - 26/12/16 10:01 AM

The Bolt shroud looks far better without a safety tacked on it

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DarylS
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: 500Boswell]
      #292615 - 26/12/16 01:45 PM

The model 70 and model 70-style triggers were OK - good in fact & I like them.

They just weren't as nice as a tang safety for a shooting rifle that would be carried chambered and safety-on.

With my Mausers, I usually carry one in the mag., bolt open, or bolt closed on an empty chamber then chamber the single round in the magazine and fire when needed.

I never purposely hunted dangerous game & one round is usually all I've needed, over the years for the game I do hunt.

I'm pretty good at throwing a second in and closing the bolt on it for a fast-enough, second shot. My .375 and 9.2x63 will climb the rim just fine.

Again - haven't hunted dangerous game - although have felt a bit "under-gunned" stumbling into a grizzly's living/crapping/bed room, when packing a #1Ruger in .218 Bee - tang safety and all. LOL

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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Rule303
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Buster95]
      #292630 - 26/12/16 08:45 PM

Quote:

The 77 with tang safety chambered for "heavy hitters" have stock splitting issues? Also, synthetic stock are available for this rifles?




Yep and the fix was to releave the stock behind the tang, about a playing card width. Then put in a couple of cross bolts and bed the action to forward of the recoil lug.


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Sarg
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Rule303]
      #292631 - 26/12/16 09:14 PM

Quote:

Quote:

The 77 with tang safety chambered for "heavy hitters" have stock splitting issues? Also, synthetic stock are available for this rifles?




Yep and the fix was to releave the stock behind the tang, about a playing card width. Then put in a couple of cross bolts and bed the action to forward of the recoil lug.




I'm sure my 458 had factory fitted cross bolts, not releaved & never had any trouble with the stock.

But the fix above would work to !

I would say hard now days to get after market stocks for these old girls.

I love the old M77 tang saftey rifles myself !

But my new work rifle is a Ruger 416 Alaskan rebarreled to 458Win using a Ruger No 1 45/70 take off barrel .


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Buster95
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Sarg]
      #292633 - 27/12/16 01:53 AM

The rifle comes with a cross bolt and the action has been bedded.

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Bwana338
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Buster95]
      #292655 - 27/12/16 06:52 PM

I have a mid 90's M77 338 win mag tang safety , 1 1/2" groups 5 shots . Stocks is fine , original Ruger recoil pad is rubbish , changed it for a pachmyr decelerator , felt recoil about the same as 270 . Good light rifle easy to carry all day . I've put Warne QD mounts for the scope . I rate it as a great rifle if they made it control round feed it would have been perfect .

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Buster95
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Bwana338]
      #292755 - 29/12/16 07:41 AM

Parts for this gun are still available? Also, the bolt stop is the same as the ones used on the MKII and Hawkeye?

Edited by Buster95 (29/12/16 07:54 AM)


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Buster95
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Re: Ruger M77 458 win mag tang safety. [Re: Buster95]
      #294364 - 28/01/17 08:34 AM

I have received my Ruger 77 tang safety 458 win mag today, very nice rifle! One question the safety button is loose in the FIRE position but tight in the SAFE position, is it normal?

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