Ruger 77/50 Instruction Manual

Percussion caps are designed
to fire as the result of a blow
(“percussion”).
A capped rifle loaded with
powder and ball is fully
loaded and will fire if the cap
is struck.
Never clean, lubricate,
disassemble, or work on a
rifle while it is capped or
loaded. Never install, remove,
or carry a capped nipple or
breech plug.
Always remove the
percussion cap before
unloading the barrel or
disassembling the rifle.
NEVER STRIKE A
PERCUSSION CAP
11
!WARNING– PERCUSSION CAPS
DONT
STRIKE
CAP!
EYE AND EAR...

12
INSERTING THE BOLT
1.Be certain the barrel is empty by pointing the muzzle upward towards a
light source and glancing through the rear of the action at the rear end of
the nipple. You should see light through the hole in the nipple, indicating
that the barrel is empty. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, and
keep your fingers off the trigger throughout the assembly and loading
process until you are actually ready to fire. (See Rule 2, p. 43).
2.Position the safety selector in the...

Know the bore diameter of your rifle you are loading and
load projectiles of only correct diameter into it! Either a
too tight or too loose projectile can cause a burst barrel,
resulting in serious injury to the shooter or bystanders.
This rifle is designed to use a .500” projectile (or a .490”
projectile with a .010 - .015” thick patch), a #11
percussion cap, and up to a maximum of 120 grains of
FFg black powder (or equivalent volume of Pyrodex RS)
only. Never use smokeless powder of any kind.
Before...

14
C. Using a dipper or other single-charge
measure, pour the desired amount of
powder into the front opening (muzzle) of
the barrel. (See Fig. 6) Never exceed the
powder charge recommended for the
projectile you have selected from  a
reputable black powder loading manual. Do
not pour powder directly from the flask or
other powder container (See “Black
Powder Warning”,  p. 9)
D.   Place the bullet in the muzzle of the charged barrel, with the flat spot
(“sprue”) of the round ball or the point of a...

F. Remove the ramrod from under the barrel by pulling it downward out of
its recess in the barrel and then forward (upward) out of the stock and
ramrod thimble. Grasp the ramrod around its side and, with a firm even
stroke, seat the bullet firmly on the powder charge. Do not
push down on
the ramrod tip with the palm of your hand, in the event that the powder
charge ignites while you are loading!(See Fig. 10) For maximum
accuracy, the powder charge should be very lightly compressed by the
bullet. Be sure...

4. CAPPING THE
NIPPLE:
Remember that the
safest way to carry
any loaded
muzzleloading rifle
is uncapped. Cap it
only just before you
are immediately
ready to fire. See
“Handling Warning”,
p. 17. 
Be sure you use only #11 percussion caps of good quality and correct size.
With the bolt open, carefully place a #11 cap on to the nipple. An inline
capper, sold commercially, is preferred by some shooters. It is not required,
but is especially helpful if a scope is mounted on the rifle. Do not put oil,
grease,...

If this rifle is to be carried loaded, certain
precautions must be observed in the interest of
safety. It is safest to carry any muzzleloader
with no percussion cap on the nipple. The gun
should never be carried with the striker resting
on a percussion cap. Under such
circumstances, a light accidental blow to the
striker can readily cause the gun to discharge.
Never cap the nipple until you are ready to
shoot the rifle. When capping, be sure that the
safety is in the “load-unload” position. After...

Black powder is extremely sensitive and a
powder charge poured down the barrel after
firing a shot can readily be ignited by an
ember of partially burned powder or glowing
patch fragment in the bore. Pushing a
projectile down onto a powder charge can
“fan” an ember into igniting the powder
charge and firing the rifle.
Always wait one minute before reloading. You
should wipe the bore with a cleaning patch
soaked in solvent between shots.
If a cap fires but the powder charge does not,
the powder may be...

Never carry the rifle loaded with the
safety 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,
vehicle, tree, etc.) because there is always
the possibility that the rifle will be jarred
or slide from its position and fall with
sufficient force to discharge. Keep safety
“on” unless actually firing.
Never lower...

20
TO UNLOAD
(Keep rifle pointed in a safe direction)
Completely unload the rifle immediately when you are finished shooting (by
removing cap, powder and ball), or fire it into a safe backstop.
It is much easier and safer to fir
e any muzzleloading firearm rather than attempt
to unload it. However, if this is impossible, or if you are uncertain that correct
components have been safely loaded, the rifle should be unloaded in accordance
with the following steps.
1. Be sure the rifle is
pointing in a safe...