Hi guys. Two questions really:

1). What were the differences between the ultralight and standard rifle on the tang safety Ruger 77 rifles? If the stock is the only difference, will it fit the standard rifle then. Serial number dates mine to 1989, 30-06 with a laminate stock.

2). Is there a marking on either variant rifle to confirm that it's standard or ultralight?

The ultralight will have a black tip and a slimmer fit forend. It will also have a slimmer (pencil) barrel that is 20 inches.

If your putting a UL stock on a regular rifle I think you will need to open the barrel channel for the heavier barrel in the regular rifle.

The Ruger UL barrel will have the caliber designation stamped about a quarter way down on the barrel. The standard barrel will have the designation stamped on the barrel shank. UL 18-20" barrel, standard 22-24" barrel.

Recruit, I'm curious about your 30-06, does the laminated stock have checkering and A grip cap, or is it smooth with no grip cap?

I just compared my 270 Ultra Light to my standard 77 in a 257 Rbts and I am wondering how much wood is going to be left at the end of the stock once it is inlet enough to accommodate the larger barrel. Both are tang safeties.

Thanks for the responses guys. Sounds like the reaming out the barrel area of an ultralight stock may be more trouble than its worth and be too thin anyway.

308ld: The grip cap area is smooth without checkering. Curious as to why you are asking. Do you have the laminate stock too?
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No I do not have one. I just follow some of the rare M77s. The first/early M77 laminated stocks were checkered and had pistol grip caps. But because of the difficulty in checkering that stock, they discontinued the checkering and only a few hundred of the checkered stocks were produced.

Nice looking stock.

I believe that's a model M77R-DZ.

DZ= "Desert camo" laminated stock, colors of light reddish brown, light walnut and tan.