Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Ruger M77 tanger build?

Howdy everyone. I'm in the process of trying to figure out my next rifle and was hoping to get some input on potentially building on a m77 tang safety action.

I love the position and function of the m77 tang safety. I can be in firing position with my trigger finger beside the trigger guard and simply slip the tang safe off without moving my hand. With any other safety (m70 or m700 for example) I have to move my hand significantly to disengage the safe then return my hand to a firing position which has always seemed like a poor design. Am I missing some other design? (I haven't used/hunted with that many actions)

Having said that, would I be foolish to build a rifle on a 77tang action? Who has built on such an action and come out with a tack driver? I only have experience with one 77 tang action (my Pa's .243) and it shoots great. I have read lots about spotty accuracy with the 77's. Some attribute the poor accuracy to bad barrels or the angled recoil lug. If I were to get a good barrel installed on a 77 tang what are my chances of very good accuracy?

I'm not looking for the lightest rifle on earth, I know the 77 is ill suited to that role.

I'm sure I will have other questions if I decide to go this route or another. Just trying to figure out what path I may head down.
Thanks
KT

It would be a fine choice for a build, and I appreciate that safety as well. Perhaps the biggest issue that will influence the project will be the boltface diameter on that action. If it is a magnum boltface, then you will need to build a magnum rifle. Otherwise the standard boltface would leave you choosing among the many cartridges with that head diameter. But a good barrel and competent gunsmith should get you to sub-MOA groups if the rest of the rifle (bedding and a good scope) and your technique are up to it.

Some of the tang saftey era rifles were not too accurate because the chambers were cut with long throats and the barrels were perhaps not the best. But if you have a custom barrel installed, all that will be immaterial.

I have a 6.5/06 and an 8x57 built on Ruger M77's. They are both fine shooters, no problem with doing a build on one.

I do still hate the 2 piece bottom metal, but that's my only gripe about them

I have 3 custom 77's with tang safety. My favorite is a 1972 semi custom 338-06 done by Manley-Nicklas gunsmiths (rebored 30-06 with slimmed down stock) . It has shot a .3" group, but only once, its a solid sub MOA rifle. Another M77 25-06 with a Lilja barrell shoots tiny groups and I just started playing with a 7mm Rem Mag done by www.RJRenner.com He does really nice work.

I have a 6.5x300WSM on one and it is a tac driver i've shot alot of deer and elk with it at some pretty long ranges i still wished ruger made the Tanger.

I don't see any problem building around a Ruger 77 action. It may cost a little more and/or take a little longer, as there are fewer after-market parts than for the Remington 700, but it is certainly doable.

I currently have 4 tang safety Ruger 77 parts guns, 77 RSIs in 25 Souper, 260, and 7x57 and a 77 V in 250-3000. The 77 RSIs have factory barrels and the 77 V has a Douglas barrel and is very accurate. I shot pdogs, coyotes, and deer with it for a few years before moving on to other rifles and other cartridges.

I have a 358win on a tanger and its a exceptional shooter. The only real issue with building on a tang safety is the angled action screw and the bottom metal. if the height of the action in the stock is changed the angled screw means the floorplate is either to loose or too tight. Its easy to get right but if you are doing the bedding you want to be aware of it and make sure all is good before the final bedding.

I would have no problem building on one, I like tang safeties in general! On a ruger I would want to be sure I had a stock that fit me well, or was available, before I sunk a bunch of money into a barrel. I am not sure how many aftermarket quality synthetic stocks there are available if a factory wood stock does not work well for you. I would also not plan on a real lightweight rifle either.

And for scale that dot is exactly the same distance across that steelheads eyes are apart. LOL.

Rugers work awesome and the recoil lug is a better design than a two piece receiver and lug. 😎

Sweet, Banjo Fred the stalker joined in.

I agree with Steelhead on the bottom metal issue, but I like the tang-safety models. My main big-game sporter is a 7mmRM wearing a McMillan and an SS Lilja #3 barrel. The factory stock and the McMillan copy both fit me well and handle recoil.

Thanks everyone.

Although weight isn't my primary concern I don't want to get too heavy as most of my hunting is bacpack in the sierra. If I go this route and build on a 77 I'll likely be forced to use the factory wood stock for awhile while I save for a decent synthetic. If I wanted to end up with something like a 24" 280ai, what kind of barrel contour might I need to be at approximately 7-7.5 pounds without scope? Could I make that weight (or slightly heavier) with the factory stock? What about synthetic? I'd prefer to not have a pencil thin barrel. Is 7.5 without scope doable with a 77?


Fred and Jpro, what are the weights on your 77's? Thoughts?
Cheers
KT

The action weight of a M77 is about what a m70 is. There are a couple of reasons that a M77 is a not to light from the factory. The first is that the factory barrel profiles are pretty stout especially the first couple of inches. Its even worse in the magnum contour rifles. There is a good amount of weight saved by choosing a good contour and keeping the cylinder short.

The next issue is that the factory rings weight something like 8oz a set. Worse there are no real good lightweights for a ruger. The Leopold rings are likely a little lighter, but not by a whole lot.

For stocks there are two options. McMillan will make a Ruger pattern with edge fill except in the action area. So there is some weight to be saved there, but not as much with say a McMillan for a Winchester. The second option is an MPI, they will make a very lightweight stock, but you will hear some bad reviews of them. I had one done for a 6lb MKII and its a fabulous stock, but I had the finishing and fitting done by Rick Stienhour, who did a great job. If I wanted a reasonable weight sporter I would go McMillan and if I wanted to make it lighter I would go MPI.

I have built several rifles off MKII or Hawkeyes. Generally with barrels of 21.5 or 22 inches and a McMillan stock. I went with a #2 rock or #2 douglas 1" cylinder for calibers 6.5 and below and #3 rock 1" cylinder 30cal ad above. They balance and shoot quite well. I also built one MkII in 358Win with a #2 douglas at 20" with a MPI stock. Its something like 6.5lb with a Leupold FX2 4x33. I also have one Tang safety built in 358 win, but it was an early try and it turned out heavier than I wanted and so I regulate as tree stand/blind gun for the woods.

My 24" 7RM with it's #3 contour (2 inch straight shank), McMillan standard fill stock, Ruger steel rings, and 3.5-10x40 Leupold goes about 8.8lbs. I have a .338 version with the chunky factory barrel cut back to 22", a factory walnut stock, and a 3-9x40 leupold in Ruger rings. It weighs the same. They are not light rifles, but they are well-balanced and easy to shoot. You could likely make 8.5lbs scoped with a #2 contour barrel (3/4" shank). As noKnees says, the rings are pretty heavy. M77's are sturdy, but not necessarily lightweight.

I think Wildcat makes a stock for the tang safety rugers. They are light and well regarded this side of the border.
http://wildcatcomposites.com/ruger.html

Brown Precision makes a stock for them the tanger. My 'pounder on a long action came in at 7.25 lbs with a 6x Leoupy. I lightened the rings myself on a drill press, drilled out the bolt knob, and swiss cheesed the mag box.

I have done a few...

.308 Norma Mag
275 Rigby
8x57
6.5-06 AI
.257 Roberts (which is for sale)
9.3x62

All fine shooters.

I shot BR with a couple of guys from southern BC (the Forslund brothers) who really liked Ruger actions. They especially liked the angled recoil lug screw and made some of their own BR actions with that feature. I have a 7x57 on a Ruger tang safety action which weighs just over seven pounds all-up. The barrel is a Benchmark which I contoured to about .540 at the muzzle. The stock is a Wildcat 21 oz. The stock is pretty decent but a little on the fat side. The factory stock is a fairly light piece of wood which I re-shaped so it is more like the early 77 stocks and, with it, the weight is only about 3 oz. greater than with the glass stock and it feels better. The Bansner stock is a bit better than the wildcat but is still a bit chubby. If I wanted a better looking stock, I would put it into a McMillan Edge. GD

I think that Charlie Sisk likes to build on tangers, if you're looking for a gunsmith.

I am gathering parts now for a M77 Tanger in 338 Win Mag. Already have action, barrel, two factory stocks, a B&C stock, and some walnut blanks just in case. I am debating the bottom metal issue.

Have three tang safety Rugers in McMillan stocks. Two are SA one LA. My gunsmith lengthened all mag boxes. SA are 3.1". Can't remember the length of the LA while typing. Would have to go measure.

One of the SA had the bolt face opened for the 338 RCM. That rifle has a 22" #2 Lilja. It is in the long discontinued McMillan Ultralight stock with a fixed AO 4.5-14 x 40 weighs 7 3/4 lbs.

I would suggest you also install a timney trigger.

I have had three custom barrels put on Ruger 77 Tang safety actions and my use for two of them was in predator calling, simply had Hart 12 Twist barrels put on the actions, used factory stocks, and I bedded the stocks myself, #4 contours...they shot bug hole groups to say the least using 60g Sierra, 70g ballistic tips, and 80g Sierra single shot pistol bullets.

On the third, I had McMillen inlet a HUnter class stock for a 77 Tang safety, and put a 28" Benchrest light varmint contour on it, and the 12 twist, 28" Hart barrel was chambered in a 243 AI Turn neck.
This rifle shot bug holes on the first trip to the range, and I had a huge muzzle break on it.

I never replaced the triggers as they could be tweeked to about a pound.

Resale on custom rugers is where you get your butt handed to you, not many are interested, and you have to give them away, this was back in the early to mid 90's..

I had a 1976 SA M-77 6mm rebarreled to 6.5-284 and stocked with a Brown Precision Pounder. It is a tack driver and served well for a sheep hunt.

The tang safety and integral scope ring mounts are favorite features.

If you go camo Kevlar instead of fiberglass you will come in at under 7# with a scope. My own M77 Mk II 7mm-08 with a Brown Precision Kevlar Pounder 13 oz. stock, 20" #1 Shilen and 30 mm Zeiss 1.5-5 x42 is 6 lbs 14 oz. Just replace the barrel and put it back into the original stock for a free floated barrel rifle, then spring for the lighter stock when you can swing it. I was on a couple year plan like that for my 7 mm RM and it worked out great. That one goes under 7# too with a #1 24" re-contoured barrel, M700 action and 2.5-10x42 30 mm Swarovski PH.

Get your butt handed to you on all customs at resale!

Life's a bitch, ain't it.