Ruger M77/44 Bolt insertion problem

[fdmc]

I just unboxed a new Ruger M77/44. I am trying to insert the bolt. The rear locking lugs are perpendicular to the rails on the front of the bolt that slide into the receiver. As a result, they hang on the receiver of the gun when trying to insert bolt and bolt will not go in. I can rotate the rear of the bolt about 1/4" in either direction, but not enough to get the locking lugs to line up so the bolt can be inserted. What I am doing wrong?

The only other thing that strikes me as odd is that the tip of the firing pin protrudes about 1/16" from the face of the bolt. It has no movement. Is the bolt in the fired position? If so, how do I manually move bolt to the cocked position?

 

[fdmc]

I have tried everything to pull/rotate the bolt to get into a cocked position and nothing is budging, not even a little.
Here is what the bolt looks like. Notice the locking lugs are perpendicular to the direction I think they need to be in:

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Hi yes the bolt is in the fired position you just gotta use some mussel and turn the back of the bolt up into the cocked position

Gramps

 

[Rumrunner]

I just picked up a 77/44 and my bolt was also in fired condition. OK, the top (1st) picture of your bolt- follow the bolt handle from knob to bolt - see the skinny rectangular piece that is just above the bolt and is parallel with the bolt body. Use a counter top edge and push down on that piece where it protudes right above the bolt. That will cock it and you can turn the bolt body as you do it. Hope that explains it. If you have very small parachute cord you can make a loop and hook on that piece and step thru the loop and pull it.

 

[Rumrunner]

By the way, welcome to this forum. Sometimes the bolts become uncoked just during shipping. I picked mine up Tuesday on the way to work, out of state for 2 weeks. Won't get to shoot it for another 12 dfays or so. I brought my mounting tools up and have mounted a Bushnell Banner 4x with the circle reticle on it. Trigger is heavy but very crisp with no slop. Mine is the stainless camo model.

 

[fdmc]

When you say to push down on the skinny rectangular piece, do you mean hang the front edge of it (closest to the bolt face) and pull back on it?

 

[Rumrunner]

Trying to desribe this is harder than doing it lol. have entire bolt held in vertical position with bolt handle towards top and bolt handle protruding to the left. Where that piece is now also in a vertical position place the part that is even with the bolt handle on an edge and push the bolt downward. The cocking indicator at the top will stick out now and turn the bolt to align the lugs.

 

[Kanook]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmm80Sz5w9w

Hope this helps

 

[Rumrunner]

Wish I saw that video first. It took me a couple of times, trying to coordinate holding the bolt against the edge and turning it at same time. The pin in the hole would have helped.

 

[Rumrunner]

fdmc.
Were you able to get it cocked??

 

[RUFFBIRD]

I just learned something also,....now I hope that I can remember it!
Good video! Thanks.