M77 tang safety ejection question

[Quattroclick]

My tang safety M77 isn't ejecting cases. About 1 in 10 will weakly make it out, but mostly they just dribble off the edge of the extractor and sit on top of the magazine follower. The plunger ejector is fine, and I have cleaned everything well. The extractor and bolt look almost unused, no issues that I can see.

I bought the gun used and didn't notice this issue the first couple of times shooting from the bench, but I wouldn't swear that it was working.

Any ideas?

 

[TDF]

Had exact same problem with a 22-250 M77 I bought last year. Took bolt apart to make sure it wasn't just dirty but still no difference. Then I compared the ejector to the ejector in another M77 and noticed that the slot in the side of the ejector was cut differently between the two guns. The slot being shorter on the gun that wouldn't eject. Took a dremel tool and lengthened that slot, thus allowing the ejector to come slightly farther forward, and viola problem fixed.

TDF

 

[Quattroclick]

TDF, was that a tang safety or a MKII?

 

[EVR]

The TDF fellow is talking MKII.

Anyway, Quattro, if the plunger is right {press on it with a nail set or some such, it should have a hard spring} the problem might be an extractor that leaves too much room between the claw and the bolt face.

I had a similar problem with a M77 Tang and replaced the extractor and all was well. That extractor looked perfect, too, but wasn't.

That 7x57 went on to become one of our favorite rifles. Used it on depredating elk, many deer, varmints and now it resides with my nephew in Pennsylvania. Great rifle.

 

[Quattroclick]

Thanks EVR, that's what I thought, although I have never seen the bolt on a MKII.

The plunger is good. I think you are right, the extractor was made just a bit short where it engages the rim of the cartridge. The gun looks to have been shot very little, maybe it came from the factory that way.

 

[EVR]

Good deal.

I think you have it.

Mine appeared similarly "new" and was cheap, likely because it didn't work right.

Those are sometimes the best deals going!

 

[TDF]

TDF, was that a tang safety or a MKII?

Mine was a tang safety model....Not a Mk II. Not sure why EVR thinks I'm talking about a Mk II.

Look at a blow up of the M77 bolt and you'll see that the ejector is held in place by a pin. That pin is what stops the ejector from coming forward. On my 22-250 the slot the pin rides in on the ejector wasn't cut right thus not allowing the ejector to come far enough forward. I wouldn't have figured it out if I hadn't compared it to another M77 tang safety model. After I lengthened out that slot it fixed my problem.

TDF

 

[Quattroclick]

Thanks TDF, now I see what you are talking about.

I will compare it to my flatbolt 308 and see if that might have something to do with it.

 

[EVR]

Sorry TDF.

What you described in your first post sounded like a problem with the fixed ejector slot in the bolt on a MKII.