M77 free floating barrel?

I have an older .308 M77 (tang safety) that I am going to take to an Appleseed one day event. In getting it ready I noticed that there is a wear mark on the inside far front part of the stock where apparently the barrel has been rubbing up against it.

I thought this was supposed to be a free floating stock and the wear mark at the contact point with the barrel bothers me. Is the barrel supposed to contact the stock there?

I would also appreciate any accurizing tips anyone might have.

Thanks!

Kurt

I remove the pressure point on all of mine.......

and float the mag boxes.....

Hi First off the short raised wood in the tip of the barrel channel is there to put tip pressure on the barrel it works on some guns and not on others I have a M77 tang safety in 7 mm mag and tip pressure brings my 100 yd groups from 2 1/2 inch groups down to under 1 inch but I will say most of my M77s like to be free floated you will have to experiment
by the way welcome to the forum

Gramps

What Gramps 51 said!
Plus I glass bed the 1st two inches of the barrel channel in front of the receiver & the tang. I also went with a adjustable trigger. Have fun and let us know how you make out.
Terry

How does it shoot as is?

The frst thing I do to my Rugers (and any other rifle that isn't free-floated is to free float them.

A M77 in 7mm RM was my first centerfire back in 1982. When I tried to zero it, the longer I shot, the more the group moved up and to the left, even if I let the barrel cool between shots. After free floating it was easy to zero and years later I shot a .262" 3-shot group while checking zero before a hunt.

Tuning the trigger also helps with accuracy. Ruger triggers are easy to tune and the M77 trigger are adjustable.

Have only bedded one Ruger but it did help. More important is to get the screws tightened properly:
1. Front screw to German specs (gudentitie, aka 95 in/lb).
2. Rear screw tight enough it won't back out.
3. Middle screw tight enough it won't back out.

I tighten them all just enough to get the action seated in the stock, then go front, rear, middle. You want the back screws just loose enough they will adjust when you tighten the front down to 95 in/lb.

Have a 7mm tang safety that I couldn't get zeroed in. Took it apart to float barrel and found the front sling stud was too long and was actually pushing the barrel up. Floated the barrel, cut the stud, hand loaded ammo. Shoots Barnes 140 ttsx .075" jump less than 2 inch groups @ 200 yds. Don't remember how much charge I use. That is the most accurate long gun I own now.

I put some silicon toward the end of the forend and torque the screw to 95 inch pounds, let it dry overnight and shoot. No 77 Free-float for me brothers.

All of mine shoot about 1/2". I find that free floating makes them worse.

What the front pressure pad does is help make up for a poor fit between the action and inletting. Not saying rugers are bad but they are a mass produced rifle. Some may get away with removing the front pad to free float and not bed the action. I personally wouldnt go through the trouble of free floating and not bed the action...

LuckenbachTexas said:

I find that free floating makes them worse.

Click to expand...

Did you bed the action when you free floated the barrel?

Yes, I have also corrected others by painstakingly removing the bedding too.
I've seen some funked up bedding or freefloat jobs too, from rubber washers to bondo.

I have seen some of those older 77's that would be better off bent in a Ranch Hand Bumper, they just won't shoot. All of the newer models I've played with ain't bad.

I am darn well spoiled with the accuracy of my 30-06 guide gun with the heavy barrel.

If bedding a Ruger 77 works for y'all, more power to ya.