Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ruger M77 MKII safety question

I have a Ruger M77 MKII stainless in 280 Rem that I love EXCEPT the safety lever is difficult to flick forward, especially with gloves on. I've looked all over the internet and can't find a replacement safety lever. Something shaped with the lever extending farther out so I can move it easier. Does anyone make a different safety lever for the Ruger? Thanks.

I have seen guys build up the wing of the safety using JB weld but I don't know if I have seen a replacement lever.

I also dislike this safety lever. But A solution I have found: I wear wool fingerless gloves with a pair of the Nitrile coated work gloves. Like Tech Or gray ghost. Mechanics wear them if you know the type. If they get wet, You just wring them out and put them back on. Gives good grip on the Ruger safety

Buy a replacement and have some one weld it up ( or DIY ) and reshape it to your liking. Shouldn't be too hard for some one with a tig unit.

Growing up in Western Washington (now living in Montana) I couldn't help but laugh at your reference to wringing out your gloves--certainly a common occurrence on that side of the Cascades!

Every wing safety I've had that is "difficult" to operate, just needs disassembled and lubed. One of the detent springs gets stuck in a bind, at assembly. So, fix it and lube it.

I looked for a safety last year and could not locate one. Ruger will not sale one to the public. I would love to get a hold of one too, just need to find one.

Thanks for the ideas guys. Ruger doesn't sell the lever separately. I can't weld either. I'm guessing the lever is investment cast. How would that need to be welded? tig? I don't wanna mess up the stock one cuz I can't replace it.

I thoroughly cleaned and lightly oiled the safety lever and plunger but it just doesn't stick out far enough in the full on safe position to get it off easily. Poop.

Will they only repair or replace one on a gun that you send to them? Does it have to be "fitted" to each individual gun? Doesn't make sense, but I'm sure there are lawyers involved some how. Not like 700's, 70's, or M98's that everyone has spare parts for.

Yes, they have to be fitted to each gun.

They told me it had to be fitted and the fact that its the safety is the reason why. Seems a bit weird because you can pretty much get a safety from anyone else.

Sell it and buy a Winchester. Ruger has heard all this before about the safety but still won't resolve the issue.

Easy, just don't use the safety.

Get a Winchester M670 with the old sliding safety. (They made them with two different safeties at different times; some had the wing.) After using one of their sliders, any M77 will seem simple. (I only make light of the situation because none of the M77s I have used or handled have had difficult safeties.)

Cleaning and using some Brownells action lube will do wonders.

I hesitate to use much lube because it can be very dry and dusty here during deer season. I'm going to keep the rifle. Call me old fashioned but I really prefer the one piece bolt. I can vaguely remember in the back of my mind reading some years ago about some company offering different safety levers for the MKII. maybe it was a dream? Getting old{er} sucks.

The safety rides over the rear of the trigger. You can polish the surfaces between the two, and/or add some lube. Most likely where the friction is coming from.

yes this, i just got done installing a Dayton trigger on my M77 Mark II this past weekend and i needed to polish up the surface of the trigger that engages the safety to allow it to opperate smoothly. took 5 min time with my honing stone and made a world of difference.

I installed a Timney trigger in my Ruger a few months ago and I understand how the safety and trigger function in regards to each other. My problem is the safety "wing" just doesn't stick out far enough to disengage it from the fully "on" position.