Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Ruger M77 22-250 new unfired will not chamber

I have a recently purchased NIB 1984 Ruger M77 in 22-250 that will not chamber a factory Hornady V Max 50 gr pill. Bolt starts to close but will not. Didn't want to force it, so tried recleaning it, looked in the chamber for foreign objects, nothing that I can see. Short of calling Ruger in the morning, any suggestions?

I'd take a few measurements on the cartridges and compare those to the dimensions for cartridges that will chamber.

I'd also color the cartridges with a Sharpie or similar and see where at least part of the interference occurs from marks incurred during attempted chambering.

Its never had a cartridge chambered in it. Its a new unfired 1984 model, just got it yesterday, tried to chamber a round, after cleaning, no luck. Called the fellow I bought it from, he said he never chambered a round in it neither. Put the sharpe test to it, all it came up with was a small scratch up
near the tip of the bullet. I think that happened just from putting the shell in. Checked all of the measurements with my loading manual, they are all correct or maybe a tad under.

I'd try some different factory ammo, but can't find any

Try a different brand of ammo, those Rugers usually had sloppy chambers. I know mine in 243 did. Before sending to Ruger which may not end well get a go/no go gauge.
The other possibility is that if you are not chambering a round from the magazine it’s very possible that the extractor claw isn’t popping over the rim into the groove. That’s a common problem on tangers.

Tried it both ways, in the mag and dropping the shell right in the chamber. How much force is safe and tolerable? I didn't put a lot of pressure on it but what I thought was sufficient.

Do you have reloading equipment? Does the whole box not chamber or just one?

Pull a bullet and see if a empty case will chamber, if it does then I would say your ammo has the bullet seated to long or theres a burr in the throat.

nothing in the 20 rds will chamber. This is factory ammo, measures 2.330. Manual calls for 2.350 Yes I have reloading equipment

Measure the length of the brass.

Every round I try comes out with a 1" scratch from right above the case rim and the case rim is slightly gouged. The ejector or extractor is grabbing the case and ejecting it.

Measured the brass, its in the specs

Ejector button is frozen.

I can move the ejector button but it sure is hard.

I have a flat bolt in 308 and it has always been hard to close the bolt. I cleaned the plunger ejector and that seemed to help but it is still stiff. I think on mine it is difficult for the extractor to snap over the rim. I’m not sure how to correct that.

You might pull the bolt out and put a cartridge or piece of resized brass in it and see it seats in the chamber and slides right out. If it does it has to be something within the bolt.

When I drop a cartridge in the chamber it goes in easily. After trying to close the bolt with moderate pressure the cartridge still comes out easily. I just wonder if the plunger is too tight and I’m not being forceful enough to push the plunger in.

My 308 I have to firmly close the bolt. The thing that worries me about that is I get the sense that it might be harming the lugs chambering rounds with the bolt feeling that tight.

If you have a spare piece of 22-250 brass to crucify to the reloading gods you might size it way down and see if that chambers better too.

This might be why that gun is new and unfired. But I bet once you sort it out the gun is fine. You might get a hold of Ruger and ask what to check. I’m not sure if they would offer any help other than to send it to them for liability reasons.

I plan on calling Ruger tomorrow. The gun has been a safe queen for almost 40 yrs. I’m gonna pull a bullet from one of these v max rds and try to size it down and see what happens.

Use some kroil then cycle the plunger a few dozen times see if it frees up. 30+ years lubes tend to solidify

I happen to have some Kroil. Great stuff. I’ll try it

Re: Ruger M77 22-250 new unfired will not chamber.

I do not have an answer to your "will not chamber a factory Hornady V-Max".

I can assure you that your M77 is not unfired. All Ruger firearms are fired before they leave the factory.

I know. What I meant was the previous owner never fired it. If you saw it you would agree. It is super clean