Perhaps I've had it wrong in my head for the torque specs on the rear action screw. I remembered I had e-mailed Ruger years ago asking about torque specs.

Originally Posted by me, 6/15/2011, e-mail to Ruger C.S.

What is the recommended [in*lbs] torque for the action screws on the M77 Mk. II Sporter rifle?

I've looked in the owners manual and your FAQ at your website but I couldn't find anything.


Originally Posted by Ruger Customer Service E-mail response
The front mounting screw (under the floor plate hinge) should be torqued to 95 inch pounds. All other screws should be hand tight and then backed off 1/8” of a turn.

If you need further information, please visit our website at www.ruger.com or contact us at:

Revolvers, shotguns, rifles, 10/22 Charger Pistol: (603) 865-2442
Pistols: (928) 778-6555
Serial Number History Information: (603) 865-2424

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Sincerely,
Ruger Firearms


So both the rear and middle screw should be just "hand-tight" and backed out 1/8" of a turn. No wonder it was binding at 45 in/lbs. Even 30 in/lbs sounds like it's tighter than recommended by Ruger.

Since it seems to function 100% as-is, I'll leave it. If I think it's causing an issue, I'll back it down bit-by-bit.

Thanks for all the help.

“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”
― Patrick Rothfuss, The Wise Man's Fear