77/44 ejection problems?

[Woodsloafer]

I just picked up a new (NIB) 77/44 off Gunbroker and have not yet had a chance to shoot it yet. However, in testing out its operation, I have found that most of the time it will not eject loaded rounds when cycled through the action. I have tried operating the action slow and "vigorously" and, either way, the rounds are extracted but usually end up remaining in the action instead of being ejected. Can any other owners of 77/44's tell me if their's reliably eject unfired rounds or is there a problem with mine that I need to have Ruger look at? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[dmazur]

My 77/44 reliably ejects factory 240gr JSP's (or 240gr JSP handloads with the same COL), but won't eject 310gr WNFP's even though they are at the SAAMI maximum dimension of 1.610" and fit the magazine and feed and chamber fine.

What appears to be happening is the rim of the next cartridge in the magazine catches the rim of the one being ejected, forcing it to eject before the bolt retracts it into the proper position. The ejection occurs without the cartridge ever hitting the ejector (!)

A test for this is to see if the rifle will eject the cartridge with the magazine removed. If it does, or if it ejects only the last round (magazine empty but inserted) but not any of the others (1 thru 3), then it is probably the rim problem I described above.

If I have "long" cartridges with me, I just have to remember to drop the magazine before trying to extract the loaded round.

 

[dfletcher]

I just picked up a new (NIB) 77/44 off Gunbroker and have not yet had a chance to shoot it yet. However, in testing out its operation, I have found that most of the time it will not eject loaded rounds when cycled through the action. I have tried operating the action slow and "vigorously" and, either way, the rounds are extracted but usually end up remaining in the action instead of being ejected. Can any other owners of 77/44's tell me if their's reliably eject unfired rounds or is there a problem with mine that I need to have Ruger look at? Thanks in advance for any help.

Isn't the ejector in these guns - the 77/44, the 96 and the Deerfield - part of the magazine? I've had the 77/44 and have a Deerfield, they use the same magazine and I think that's the case, yes?

 

[dmazur]

Your right. It isn't the rim catching, it's part of the magazine. However, with the magazine removed a second ejector is available to deal with the problem of ejecting a chambered round with the magazine out.

This ejector is the one that ejects those 310gr WNFP's that won't eject cleanly with the magazine in place, as it is located "further back" in the action.

If the rifle in question won't eject 240gr factory ammo, I'd think something was wrong.

 

[Woodsloafer]

Thanks for the replies. The ammo I have tried is 180-grain and 240-grain factory ammo and the results are the same with both, maybe one (usually the first or second round) out of four will eject out the the action while the remainder eject "in the action". I did not try it without the magazine in, but even the very last round with the magazine in will remain in the action. In addition, the brass is getting pretty scraped up being cycled through the action so I will have to examine it more closely to see if there is some flaw/burr in the machining that could be contributing to the problem. I have also noticed that the muzzle crown is cut/machined unevenly and there is a small "void" (not a chip) in the metal at the crown but, since I have not fired it, I do not know if it will affect accuracy. Also, the side recesses for the scope rings are certainly pretty "rough" - does not affect function but it seems like there is less finishing work being done (unless mine is the exception). I have also purchased two new stainless Hawkeyes lately and the finish was much better than on this 77/44. I did not want to send it back to Ruger but I guess that is what I will have to do.

 

[doorgunner]

The ejector is part of the floorplate assembly. It is NOT part of the magazine. That assembly contains the magazine release, triggerguard, and ejector. Make sure the floorplate is properly "hooked" into the recess of the receiver.

The ejector is pretty robust, but I'd pull the floorplate and make sure that it is still intact.

 

[dmazur]

Though the back of the magazine may not be intended to function as an ejector, it is definitely what the case catches on when the bolt is pulled back. (Unless the magazine is removed.)

There is definitely a difference in the ejection point, which is why the 310gr cartridges have difficulty ejecting with the magazine in place.

With the evidence of brass being chewed up, I'd look at the extractors. There may be a burr on one, keeping it from "clicking" over the rim as it is supposed to.

Or just send it back to Ruger...

 

[Woodsloafer]

After looking at it more closely, it is the extractor (right side) that is the problem. The extractor will not fit over the rim of the cartridge - it will "squeeze" a round tight enough to pull it from the chamber but once it gets a little farther out, the cartridge is released. With a fired round and expanded brass, I doubt that it would even be pulled/extracted from the chamber. With the bolt out of the gun, I tried slipping a cartridge under the extractor on the bolt face but it simply will not go. It is almost as if the extractor is "too short" but more than likely was not machined/adjusted quite right. I could probably fix it with some filing but I think that I will leave it up to the factory in case it is something more serious that I am not seeing.