Did Ruger make any of these in the original Tang safety? I know of the mid 80’s version with the black forend tip.

LGS has an older 270 red pad with a 20” barrel but the forend tip isn’t black. Serial starts with 73 putting it at 1977 or so for the production date. It looks like any other mid 70’s M77 but with a shorter barrel.

I don’t want to pick it up if it’s been cut down after the fact. It looks original though. $469 and comes with an original Buckmaster 4x40 fixed.

They also have a couple clean Remington 788’s, one in 22-250 and one in 308 for $399 a piece.

Yes Ruger did make ultralights in the original tang safety models. It is important to note that they are not compacts. Compact, as it relates to rifles, generally refers to the length of pull. The Ruger Ultralights (RL) models were never manufactured with a shortened length of pull. They had full length stocks.

It's a shortened version.

257 Rob

The easiest way to tell if it's an Ultralight is to see where the cartridge is stamped on the barrel. If it's stamped right next to the action, it's a standard rifle that has been cut. If it's stamped 4-5 inches down the barrel, it's an Ultralight. I have a first production year MarkII Ultralight in 223 that does not have the black tip, but I've been told that's standard on the 223Rem models. All other models should have the black tip from what I have been told.

TATELAW is correct on the caliber designation. The Ruger UL have a shorter barrel shank than the standard M77R, and there is not enough room on the shank. They are stamped 3-4" down on the barrel. If stamped on the shank, it has been cut.

Ruger .257 Roberts UL



The Ruger M77 tang safety, from the info I have, were known as RL or RLS models. Some were also made/assembled with the early Laminated stocks. 77RL-DZ and 77RLS-BZ.

Model 77 Rifles. 1968 - 1992

I never knew this ? So there were RL’s without the ebony tip???

I’ve been looking for a 223 RL for years!!!!! Still want. Still looking to buy one.

quote=TATELAW]The easiest way to tell if it's an Ultralight is to see where the cartridge is stamped on the barrel. If it's stamped right next to the action, it's a standard rifle that has been cut. If it's stamped 4-5 inches down the barrel, it's an Ultralight. I have a first production year MarkII Ultralight in 223 that does not have the black tip, but I've been told that's standard on the 223Rem models. All other models should have the black tip from what I have been told.

[/quote]

DrDeath, I was told by a collector of RL models, on a FB group dedicated solely to the RL models, that the 223Rem is different from all the other cartridges in that it did not come with the ebony fore end tip. The one I own is the only one I've ever seen in person.

Well, I know where an Ultralight in 223 is. I was in a gun shop in Hico, Texas a couple of weeks ago, looking at new and used guns, and handled an Ultralight in 223. I almost bought it, but just didn’t need another 223. The stock would need some work, as would the blueing, as it would appear it was somebody’s truck gun. It sure felt good in the hands. The gun shop is on Pecan Street. Best gun shop I’ve been in. I should have bought that rifle.

I think the shop was “Left Handed Guns”.

Yeah. Not looking for a truck gun.

If the gun is still there next time I’m in Hico, I might buy it. I can redo the stock, and have the blueing done.

ain't that some crap. if the above it correct i owned for a short time a ultralite in 270 win. it developed a crack in the wrist of the stock and the lgs offered to take it back for a good trade,or so i thought back in the day, i was 18 yrs old and young and dumb. oh well to love and lost is better than to never love at all i guess............
Big Ed

Did Ruger make stainless lightweight m77’s? Or only in blue steel?

There were stainless MK II's. I believe the stlss ones were in plastic. And some Target Gray stainless ones.

What do I have? M77 tanger in 308 Win. with UL stock and RS sights???? (PS I had recoil pad added) Sorry to derail.

Ever with laminated stocks?

[quote=peeshooter]What do I have? M77 tanger in 308 Win. with UL stock and RS sights???? (PS I had recoil pad added) Sorry to derail.

[/quote

That’s a lightweight with sights

But the RLS does not come with that stock.

I know when I was looking for my young son a centerfire rifle that Ruger made a compact youth size rifle in 250-3000 and that was a tang safety era rifle, somewhere around 1983.

the RLS came with an ebony tip stock

Here’s a RLS

Check out what I found on GunBroker.com! https://www.gunbroker.com/item/857278357

I had a RLS and it had a thicker stock with no ebony. This one is different.

Wow I guess I have one of those rare ones

He priced that way way too
High.

Still way better than the $300 (?) I paid! She's a tack driver too after I bedded the stock and lightened the trigger. Really nice rifle.

Acually my serial number dates to 1975! The Ruger RLS on GB dates 1987. Still wondering what exactly I may have as I know they were not made that many years in a row. Hmmmmmm??

I'm not up on all the variations over the years but had always wanted an ultralight with the black forend tip. An older red pad tang safety (with black forend tip) in 308 Win showed up on the consignment rack last year - it followed me home. Accuracy has been a bit disappointing compared to other 308's I've worked with and I've been debating whether to re-barrel it or part with it.

Yeah i love the feel/look of a Ruger 77 Ultralight and I tried several, 8 that i can remember (MkII's and Hawkeye's) but accuracy was always disappointing and not up to my other bolt action rifles 👎🏿...I finally gave up as it wasn't worth the hassle.....Hb

I traded knee surgery on a dog for a Hawkeye 7.62x39 compact several years ago with the intentions of making it a 6 Grendel. It shot so well and had a nice enough stock ive left it the way it was. They had two and wishing I would’ve taken them both.

Still looking for a 223....

Had a Tanger .308 for a couple of years. Should have never sold it, though accuracy was only so-so, but then so was my handloading ability at the time, so who knows? Just about the perfect Eastern woods rifle.

I’m looking for a ruger m77RL 257 if anyone has leads

I have two tangers, one in 308 and the other 257 Rob. Both put 3 in an acceptable 1 1/4"-1 1/2". Maybe not so great by the standards of some, but they both put the first cold bore shot right where I'm looking. That's what's important to me.

I owned and sold two of them years ago

When we lived in Colorado I was way more into hunting and I had this thing for having sets of twin rifles
Two identical rifles with the only difference being Calibers

I had a Ruger Ultralight set

308 RL
30-06 RL

Best Timberline hunting rifles I ever owned, the 30-06 had more kills to its credit than any rifle that has ever been in my hands.

I sold them about 15 years ago to a father that was going to teach his son to hunt..

The only negative I ever remember about either of them was sitting at the bench, after about 5 rounds the group would start to walk because of the thin barrel would get pretty dang hot.
I probably should have bedded them but it never effected them for hunting. both would shoot cold barrel dead on so it really didn't matter much to me..