Ruger 77/22 Instruction Manual
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12 WARNING:SOME TYPES OF LONG RIFLE CARTRIDGES HAVE BLUNT-NOSE OR SHARP-SHOULDER BULLETS WHICH CAN INTERFERE WITH SMOOTH AND RELIABLE FEEDING FROM MAGAZINE TO CHAMBER. SUCH CARTRIDGES SHOULD NOTBE USED BECAUSE THEY MAY DISCHARGE BEFORE BEING FULLY CHAMBERED AND THEREBY POSSIBLY INJURE THE SHOOTER AND THOSE NEARBY. THE SHOOTER MUST BE ALERT TO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT- UATION AND SHOULD AT ONCE DISCONTINUE THE USE OF ANY CAR- TRIDGE WHICH APPEARS TO BE THE CAUSE OF FEEDING PROBLEMS OR JAMMING. ! !WARNING – AMMUNITION Death, serious injury, and damage can result from the use of wrong ammunition, bore obstructions, powder overloads, or incorrect car- tridge components. Even the strongest gun can be blown up by excess pressure. Only use correct ammunition loaded to U.S. Industry Standards. Always wear shooting glasses and hearing protectors. IMPROPER AMMUNITION DESTROYS GUNS !WARNING – LEAD EXPOSURE Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas, cleaning firearms, or handling ammunition may result in exposure to lead and other substances known to the state of California to cause birth defects, reproductive harm, and other serious physical injury. Have adequate ventilation at all times. Wash hands thoroughly after exposure. SHOOTING OR CLEANING GUNS MAY EXPOSE YOU TO LEAD The RUGER MODEL 77/44TMis chambered onlyfor the centerfire .44 Magnum cartridge and should not be used with any other .44 caliber ammuni- tion. Most .44 Magnum ammunition factory loaded to U.S. industry specifications is suitable for use. However, “Medium Velocity” non-jacketed ammunition may not give optimum accuracy and is not recommended.
TO LOAD AND FIRE (WITH MAGAZINE) Practice this important aspect of gun handling (with an unloaded rifle) until you can perform each of the steps – described below – with skill and confidence. But before loading the rifle, please read completely through this manual, and be cer- tain the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction. Do not load the rifle until you are ready to use it! (The following procedure assumes a new rifle with the bolt out.) 1.Be certain the chamber is empty, the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction, and keep your fingers off the trigger until you are actually ready to fire. (See Rule 2, p. 46). 2. Remove the magazine from the rifle (See Figure 5, below). Figure 5.The safety should be in the “Load- Unload” position or the “Safe” position when the magazine is being removed or inserted. When the forward section of the magazine latch is pushed in (pivoted upward), the maga- zine is released. One way of removing the mag- azine is to cradle the rifle in the left hand with the palm under - but not against - the maga- zine. Use the right forefinger to fully depress the magazine latch and the magazine will drop free. Another way (illustrated) is to deepress the latch with the thumb and at the same time grasp the magazine between the thumb and forefinger and draw it out of the gun. Removing Magazine (Keep Safety “On”) 3.Position the safety selector in the “Load-Unload” position(see Figure 3, p. 10). 4. Make certain the bolt is ready to be inserted in the receiver. If there is any doubt, see numbered paragraph 7, p. 23 (To Assemble the Bolt) in the Reassembly section of this manual. 5. Depress the bolt-stop and insert the bolt into the receiver, closing the bolt han- dle fully down. 6.Move the safety selector fully rearward to the “Safe” position.This will also lock the bolt closed (see Figure 4, p. 10). 7. Load the magazine with the cartridges (see Figure 6, p. 14). 8. Insert magazine into the magazine well of the rifle with the bullet end of the cartridges in the direction of the barrel muzzle. (The magazine cannot be seat- ed if it is reversed.) 9. Assuming the rifle is now to be fired, move the safety selector to the “Load- Unload” position. 13 AMMUNITION (CARTRIDGES) NOTICE WE SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE OR INJURY WHATSOEVER OCCURRING IN CONNECTION WITH, OR AS A RESULT OF, THE USE IN ANY RUGER FIREARMS OF FAULTY, OR NON-STANDARD, OR “REMANUFACTURED” OR HAND-LOADED (RELOADED) AMMUNITION, OR OF CARTRIDGES OTHER THAN THOSE FOR WHICH THE FIREARM WAS ORIGINALLY CHAMBERED.
10. Raise the bolt handle, draw the bolt fully to the rear, then smoothly push the bolt forward so that a cartridge is stripped from the magazine and chambered. (Note: If the cartridge does not readily strip from the magazine, or if the cartridge tends to jam while being chambered, discontinue the loading procedure. Extract and eject the ‘problem’ cartridge and remove the loaded magazine from the rifle. Then, read the “Ammunition” and “Magazine Inspection and Care” sections of this manual) Now, lower the bolt handle. 14 WARNING:DO NOT TOUCH THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOU ARE ACTUALLY READY TO FIRE THE RIFLE.! Figure 6.To load the magazine, press the rim of the cartridge against the magazine rotor at the widest section of the magazine throat until the cartridge enters far enough to be pushed to the rear end of the maga- zine. With the first cartridge in place, each succeeding cartridge is pressed against the body of the top cartridge and slid to the rear of the magazine until a maximum of ten .22 LR cartridges (or nine .22 WMR or .17 HMR cartridges, or six .22 Hornet cartridges, or four .44 Magnum cartridges, depending upon the magazine being loaded) are in the magazine. The Ruger 77/22 & 77/44 rifles are designed to function properly only with the correct Ruger rotary magazine loaded with cartridges of the correct caliber and type. The magazine must at all times be in good condition or malfunctions can occur. Please carefully read the sections in this manual on “Magazine Inspection and Care” and the section and warning on “Malfunctions”.Loading the Magazine .22 Long Rifle Magazine Shown NOTE: The Ruger 10/22 magazine (BX-1) will fit in the model 77/22 rifle, but the bottom section of the 10/22 magazine will not be flush with the trigger guard assem- bly of the 77/22. The 9 shot Ruger 77/22 Magnum and .17 HMR magazine is not interchangeable with any other magazine, noris the 6 shot 77/22 Hornet magazine. The .44 magnum magazines for the Ruger 96/44 lever action rifle and the Deerfield Carbine rifle will notfit into the Ruger 77/44 bolt action rifle due to dimensional dif- ferences. Do not attempt to use either of them in the Ruger 77/44. 11.The rifle is now fully loaded. Unless the rifle is to be immediately fired, move the safety selector fully rearward to the “Safe” position. 12.To Fire the Rifle:Move the safety selector to the “Fire” position (see Figure 2, p. 10), and pull (squeeze) the trigger. A cartridge will be discharged. Always be certain that you know where the bullet will strike when you fire the rifle.(See “Handling Warning”, p. 16) Never allow the thumb to touch the cocking piece as it can be pinched when the striker moves forward. 13. After the chambered cartridge has been fired, the bolt handle is raised and the bolt is drawn to the rear in a firm, smooth stroke. This will extract and eject the fired cartridge case. To chamber another cartridge, repeat the pro- cedure detailed directly above.
14.To Single Load:The rifle can be used as a single shot rifle in the absence of a magazine or for safety or training purposes. To do so, follow steps 1 - 3, p. 13. Then load a cartridge into the chamber, and follow steps 10 - 13, p. 14. See “Unloading Warning”, p. 17. !WARNING – LOADING 15 Know the caliber of your rifle you are loading and load cartridges of only that caliber into it! Before loading, be certain the primer of each cartridge is seated flush with, or below, the surface of the car- tridge case base. A cartridge discharged by the closing of the bolt can result in possible serious injury to the shooter and those nearby. If a cartridge does not chamber readily, do not force it. Check the bore and chamber to be certain that each cartridge is the proper caliber and of correct dimen- sions. If you cannot determine why the cartridge will not fit, clear the rifle of all cartridges and write or call the factory. The wrong ammunition can destroy your gun and result in serious injury. BE SURE WHAT YOU LOAD IS CORRECT WARNING:REMEMBER THAT EACH TIME A CARTRIDGE IS FIRED AND A NEW ONE IS CHAMBERED. THE SAFETY SELECTOR IS IN THE “FIRE” POSITION.THEREFORE, IF THE RIFLE IS NOT GOING TO BE DISCHARGED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CARTRIDGE IS CHAMBERED, MOVE THE SAFETY SELECTOR FULLY BACK TO THE “SAFE” POSITION. ! !WARNING – FIRING When firing the Model 77/22®, 77/17, or 77/44TM be sure that bystanders are well clear of the shooter and standing a safe distance to the rear. Empty cartridge cases are hot and are normally ejected from the rifle to the right. They could cause injury to any person who is standing too closely alongside the shooter. Shooters who fire right-hand rifles from their left shoulder should be particularly cautious concerning ejected car- tridge cases and the back of the bolt as it is drawn rearward. EJECTED BRASS IS HOT
16 !WARNING – HANDLING TO UNLOAD RIFLE AND MAGAZINE (Rifle Must be Pointing in a Safe Direction) UNLOAD THE RIFLE IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED SHOOTING. If it has been desired to discontinue shooting before all of the cartridges in the magazine and the chamber have been fired, proceed as follows (Keep your fingers away from the trigger at all times during unloading): 1.Move the safety selector to the “Load-Unload” position. 2. Remove the magazine. 3. Open the bolt carefully so the extracted live cartridge is not ejected forcibly. 4. Inspect the chamber to be certain the cartridge has beenextracted. 5. Close the bolt fully. 6. Move the safety selector to the “Fire” position andwith the rifle pointed in a safe direction,pull the trigger. 7. If necessary, cartridges can be removed from the magazine by simply pushing them lightly downward and forward with the thumb or forefinger. But, a better and safer procedure is to place the rubber eraser end of a pencil against the rim of the top cartridge and press lightly downward while pushing forward. WARNING: Do not use a loaded cartridge as a “tool” to strip cartridges from the magazine.Never carry the rifle loaded with the safe- ty selector in the “FIRE” position.If dropped or struck with the safety off, the rifle may fire. Such a discharge can occur with or without the trigger being directly struck or touched. Never rest a loaded rifle against any object (wall, fence, vehi- cle, tree, etc.) because there is always the possibility that the rifle will be jarred or slide from its position and fall with suffi- cient force to discharge. Keep safety on unless actually firing. Never lower (uncock) the firing pin with a loaded cartridge in the chamber. Under such circumstances the firing pin will be in direct contact with the primer of the loaded cartridge and a light accidental blow to the firing pin can readily cause the gun to discharge. ANY GUN MAY FIRE IF DROPPED
17 8. If the rifle is not cocked, as when a fired cartridge case is in the chamber or in the event of a misfire, carefully raise the bolt handle fully upward to cock it. (Do not retract the bolt at this point). Now, put the safety in the “Load- Unload” position, and repeat steps 3 - 6, p. 16. CORRECT UNLOADING SEQUENCE !WARNING – UNLOADING Removing the magazine does not prevent the rifle from being fired! When there is a cartridge in the chamber and the safety selector is in the “Fire” position, the car- tridge will discharge if the trigger is pulled. It is absolutely essential for the user to know how to completely unload it. “Completely” means removing the maga- zine and then removing a chambered car- tridge. The safety selector should always be in the “Load-Unload” position when the rifle is being loaded or unloaded.See the “Operation of Safety” section of this manu- al. GUN WILL FIRE WITH MAGAZINE OUT
TO EXTRACT AND EJECT ACHAMBERED CARTRIDGE When the bolt is operated by hand, there can be a failure to extract the cartridge from the chamber, or a failure to eject the cartridge clear of the rifle. These fail- ures usually are the result of the bolt not being pulled rearward vigorously, cou- pled with an accumulation of bullet lubricant in the chamber. From the forego- ing it is clear that the gun user must: 1.Always visually check the chamber after opening the bolt to eject a chambered cartridge.If the bolt is not vigorously retracted when being operated by hand, the extracted cartridge can be ‘ejected’ into the magazine area, instead of out- side the rifle. 2. Thor oughly clean the chamber and the extractor as often as necessaryto pre- vent the accumulation of grease and dirt. 3. If an empty magazine is in the rifle when the bolt is being hand retracted to extract a cartridge, the cartridge may drop on top of the magazine. Then when the bolt goes forward, the cartridge will be chambered again! Always remove the magazine before clearing the chamber, and visually ensure that no car- tridges remain in the gun. TO CLEAR A MALFUNCTION (“JAM”) If a jam occurs, immediately put the safety selector in the “Load-Unload’ position and be certain the muzzle of the rifle is at all times pointing in a safe direction. Then study the situation to determine the nature of the jam and how best to clear it. –If a cartridge or fired case is caught between the bolt and the barrel, or against a cartridge that is in the chamber, open the magazine. Then retract the bolt fully and remove the jammed cartridge or case. –When attempting to extract a cartridge that is “stuck” in the chamber do not use any type of tool that is likely to act as a “firing pin” and discharge the cartridge should the tool impact on the primer or rim of a rimfire car- tridge. –After clearing a jam, inspect the gun mechanism to determine if dirt might be the cause of the problem. Excess lubricant or grease can cause cartridges to feed sluggishly or fail to extract. An accumulation of grease or dirt on the face of the bolt, under the extractor, in the chamber, or in the magazine can contribute to cartridge feeding problems. (See sections on “Care and Cleaning”, pp. 24 - 26). 18
19 !WARNING – MALFUNCTIONS –After clearing a jam, inspect all cartridges that have been removed from the gun. Safely dispose of any cartridges which are in any way damaged. –If it appears that the rifle is not at fault and that the jam was caused by the type of cartridge being used, then try another type. –Examine your fired cartridge cases. If they have split, blown or bulged heads, stop using that ammunition and promptly return the rifle to the factory for examination. –If the above procedures do not result in a smooth and reliably functioning firearm, don’t use the rifle. The RUGER MODEL 77/22 ®,MODEL 77/17 orMODEL 77/44TMcan be returned directly to our Newport Product Service Department for inspection and repair, if required. See the “Service and Parts Policy”, p. 30, for packing and shipping information. TO MINIMIZE MALFUNCTIONS (“JAMS”) Firearms of all makes and types are susceptible to occasional malfunctioning due to a cartridge not feeding from the magazine to the chamber, or due to a cartridge or fired case not being extracted and ejected. ➞ If a cartridge hangs up, jams, or binds when being chambered or when being fed from the magazine into the chamber, do not attempt to force it into the chamber by pushing or striking the bolt handle. Most failures of a cartridge to feed or to cham- ber are caused by improper loading of the mag- azine or ammunition that is incorrect or defec- tive. Whatever the cause, the gun user must, above all, recognize that jams can result in the very potentially dangerous situation of a cartridge discharging before it is chambered. If this occurs, the cartridge case will rupture and its fragments will fly out of the gun with sufficient force to cause injury. Always wear shooting glasses and hearing protectors! STRIKING RIM OR PRIMER CAN BURST CARTRIDGE
20 To minimize the possibility of such occurrences the gun user should: –Use ammunition of the correct caliber and type which is loaded to U.S. Industry Specifications. Do not use cartridges that are deformed, or car- tridges that have been reloaded. –Clean and lubricate the gun in accordance with the instructions in this manual. –Learn to correctly operate the bolt and how to properly load and empty the chamber and magazine. –If the mechanism shows signs of not functioning correctly, or if a part is damaged or broken – don’t use the rifle. Have it inspected and repaired. For most repairs we recommend that Ruger guns be returned to the factory, However, if a gun has a cartridge in it which cannot be removed, then it is a vio- lation of Federal Regulations to ship that loaded gun whether it be by U.S. Mail or by common carrier. Contact our Newport Product Service Department at (603) 865-2442. BASIC DISASSEMBLY AND REASSEMBLY !WARNING – DISASSEMBLY Always unload a firearm before cleaning, lubrication, disassembly or assembly. UNLOAD BEFORE CLEAN- ING It is preferable to carry out these procedures on a workbench or table which has a covered top. A piece of shallow nap rug or an old, coarse blanket is an ideal cov- ering. Such a covering not only reduces the chances of the rifle slipping and being scratched, but it serves also to trap pins, plungers and springs that may otherwise get lost. It is advisable to have a container – such as a shoebox – in which each part can be placed as it is removed from the gun. Before attempting to disassemble the rifle for the first time, study the parts drawing and parts list so as to be familiar with the relative position, appearance and name of each part. Carry out the disassembly slowly, and carefully note the position of the part in the gun before starting to remove it. If a part is under spring tension (such as, the Safety Selector, Bolt Stop, Trigger) remove it cau- tiously and anticipate the direction the spring and plunger are most likely to “jump.”
21 WARNING: If a spring or plunger become lost do not use a substitute. Springs of cor- rect tension are vital to the safe and reliable performance of firearms. Before starting disassembly, remove the sling, scope and rings and place the rear sight blade in its down flat position. DISASSEMBLY(Rifle Must Be Unloaded Prior To Disassembly) 1.Keep the rifle pointed in a safe direction! Put the safety in the “load-unload” posi- tion, then, remove the magazine. 2.OPEN THE BOLT AND CHECK TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE CHAMBER IS EMPTY. 3.To remove the bolt:Before starting bolt disassembly, study Figure 10, below. Lift the bolt handle up. Depress the bolt stop on the left side of the receiver. Remove the bolt from the rifle. 4.To disassemble the bolt: a. While holding the bolt handle, rotate the bolt sleeve clock-wise (as viewed from the rear of the rifle) to position shown in Figure 7. b. Rotate the breech block until the head of the breech block retaining pin is aligned with the larger holes in the bolt. (Figure 7). c. Push out the breech block retaining pin by inserting a pin through the small hole on the side opposite from the larger hole. The alignment must be precise to remove the retainer. (Figure 7). d. Remove the breech block assembly by sliding it forward out of the bolt (Figure 8). e. Insert a small pin (or suitable nail) into the “disassembly hole” in the strik- er/cocking piece assembly to hold it in the rear position (Figure 8). NOTE: The pin should be as close as possible in size to the hole diameter, and at least 2 inches long so that it can be used to ‘lever’ the cocking piece to the rear when reassembling the bolt stop assembly into the bolt. f. Unscrew the bolt sleeve (Figure 9). Remove the bolt sleeve assembly. Firing pin can now be removed from the bolt sleeve assembly (Figure 10).