Older M77 question

hey guys i have a question for you concerning an older tang safety model. from what i can tell it looks to be a 1974 mfr (serial # 71-09***) but the top is not set up for the intregal rings from what i can tell and has a weaver style bases mounted to it via a drilled and tapped receiver. does that sound right? and if it is from the factory that way is it a oddity?

The early M77 rifles did not use the Ruger scope rings... they were factory drilled & tapped for Weaver bases, and are commonly referred to as "Round Tops" (since to top of the receiver is curved).

wwb said:

The early M77 rifles did not use the Ruger scope rings... they were factory drilled & tapped for Weaver bases, and are commonly referred to as "Round Tops" (since to top of the receiver is curved).

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yes but the serial # on this one puts it a couple years after they went to the intregal ring design from what i could tell. what year did they change over to the ruger ring system? this one does not have a flat bolt either and looks to be a solid bolt (opposed to the hollow bolt) and i thought once they were into the solid round bolt that they were also into the Ruger intregal ring system.

Where Ruger is concerned, never say never. Not certain when the integral mounts were incorporated, but it's very likely that it was a slow turnover from the round top to the new style mounts..... and if somebody discovered an old-style receiver in a parts bin a year or so later, it would get used to build a rifle.

Not sure if there was a short action, long action, and magnum-length action on the M77, or if it was just short and long.... what caliber is your rifle? A magnum-length receiver (if they had such a critter) would be a good candidate for a later build.

30-06 cal.
just trying to help out a guy to determine what he has and if there is any additional value to it other than that of a used rifle.

The M77 was introduced with the intergal ruger rings as one of its selling points. Not every one was sold on that system and during the mid 70's, Ruger made some of the round top rifles. I've only seen them in long action and bought a 7mm Mag round top during that time with sights at JC penneys, if you can believe that. It used the same front base as the M700 Remington and a #79 weaver base on the rear. The round tops eventually disappeared as the demand was low. They are, however just as good as the other M77's with the ruger rings. Bob!

As Bob said the 1st Ruger M77 had the integral rings. Vertical Ruger Rings on this one!


Not an oddity. some were rare or scarce, but not in the 30-06 best I can tell.
Here is a M77 ST .257 SN 70-589XX Round top with sights. Same M77 PL is a round top no sights, Just another variation of the 77. This one has Talley light weight low one piece rings # 730-700.

no i understand about the earlier models and no intregal rings. i just thought that since the issue date did not corespond with when the non ruger ring models where mfr that maybe it had a ever so slight collectability.

Info from RENE.
Long action 77 ST models were/are known from SN 70-20XXX through 78-338XX. 1970 - 1984

Does your 30-06 have sights, ST. Or no sights, PL?

No sights.

JimHnSTL said:

No sights.

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That would be a model M77PL. The PL seems to be scarcer than the ST model, but I can't find much info on a pre-warning M77 30-06 ST or PL.

Someone with more knowledge on this may be able to help.

so older tang safety but with a serial # that says it should be after they went to the integral rings but has the round top, no sights and solid round bolt. I'm thinking it should still have the original fully adjustable trigger in 1974 correct?

JimHnSTL said:

so older tang safety but with a serial # that says it should be after they went to the integral rings but has the round top, no sights and solid round bolt. I'm thinking it should still have the original fully adjustable trigger in 1974 correct?

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Ruger Model 77s have always had integral rings. The 1st model 77 SN 1 had integral rings.

The "ST" & "PL" are only two of many variations of the M77. I do not have the info on the adjustable trigger. Perhaps someone else can help with that.

308longdistance said:

Ruger Model 77s have always had integral rings. The 1st model 77 SN 1 had integral rings.

The "ST" & "PL" are only two of many variations of the M77. I do not have the info on the adjustable trigger. Perhaps someone else can help with that.

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no they all did not have the integral rings, hence the round top models. that's why I'm curious to this particular model. this rifle does not have the milled slots that receive the integral rings it is only drilled and tapped for a standard base. hopefully someone who knows about the round tops can chime in with some facts for me.

In the early '80's I believe, I purchased a new M77ST Round Top. At that time it was a regular model offered in addition to the models that had Rugers own ring system, the same as all Ruger 77's have today.
My rifle came drilled and tapped for the bases of your choice and also has sights, chambered in .30-06.
I cannot say what other calibers were available in the ST model, or if that model was also offered without sights.

bb07 said:

In the early '80's I believe, I purchased a new M77ST Round Top. At that time it was a regular model offered in addition to the models that had Rugers own ring system, the same as all Ruger 77's have today.
My rifle came drilled and tapped for the bases of your choice and also has sights, chambered in .30-06.
I cannot say what other calibers were available in the ST model, or if that model was also offered without sights.

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Thanks, that starts to explain a few things.

JimHnSTL said:

308longdistance said:

Ruger Model 77s have always had integral rings. The 1st model 77 SN 1 had integral rings.

The "ST" & "PL" are only two of many variations of the M77. I do not have the info on the adjustable trigger. Perhaps someone else can help with that.

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no they all did not have the integral rings, hence the round top models. that's why I'm curious to this particular model. this rifle does not have the milled slots that receive the integral rings it is only drilled and tapped for a standard base. hopefully someone who knows about the round tops can chime in with some facts for me.

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With all due respect, .308LongDistance gave you the facts. Just re-read what he posted.

"Roundtops" were made 1970-1984, models M77PL and M77ST. They don't use integral rings, but use the same bases that fit the Remington 700 and Winchester M70. They were introduced by Bill Ruger when gun writers complained they couldn't use the rings and bases they liked. Never sold well and don't command a collector premium. The M77 with integral rings have been made since 1968 until today.

gotcha,
I read 308LD post to say that Ruger never made any M77's that did not have the intregal rings. what was throwing me is I had been under the impression that the round tops were in the very beginning, I didn't know that they were introduced later. my apologize to 308LongDistance for not understanding what facts he was giving me.

JimHnSTL said:

gotcha,
I read 308LD post to say that Ruger never made any M77's that did not have the intregal rings. what was throwing me is I had been under the impression that the round tops were in the very beginning, I didn't know that they were introduced later. my apologize to 308LongDistance for not understanding what facts he was giving me.

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No apologies needed.....I've been accused more than once of not being clear, explaining myself....mostly by my wife :mrgreen:

Hell i think i married her sister!