M77 Tang Safety Custom or factory gun?????

[Vmaxmike]

Serial Number dates this to '74-'75

It's tang safety M77 , It's in a synthetic Bell & Carlson stock, and has a fluted barrel and muzzle brake. None of the books I've seen list a factory gun made this way. The barrel has the correct proof marks to lead me to believe that is is in fact a factory barrel. So did Ruger ever offer this back in the mid 70's or did someone go through the trouble to flute and thread a factory barrel ?

anyone seen another one like this?

M.

 

[arfmel]

I vote "custom job"

 

[Vmaxmike]

another pic


M.

 

[contender]

Custom.

 

[NH Rugerman]

IF the barrel was the only change to the rifle, the fluting would be something that could have been a factory prototype but since the gun has a non-factory stock and a much later looking addition of a muzzle brake, that strongly suggests that the barrel fluting was done outside the factory. Most likely, the fluting was done at the same time as threading of the barrel. The bluing could have been added to the fluted areas and the threaded section without the need to re-blue the entire barrel so that may be why there are no tell-tale signs of that.

 

[buckeyeshooter]

custom

 

[Vmaxmike]

Does anyone know how to identify who was the Barrel maker? I know They used a few outside venders back then.


M.

 

[dobegrant.45]

Have you gone to the Ruger Collectors website, they are really knowledgeable

 

[Vmaxmike]

Have you gone to the Ruger Collectors website, they are really knowledgeable

Not familiar with this site

 

[dobegrant.45]

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