The Ruger M77 Mark II, a bolt action rifle designed by Sturm, Ruger & Co. in 1991, is the successor to the original M77, having been almost completely redesigned and re-tooled.
Design Details[]
The major changes to the M77 that were made to create the M77 Mark II were to the safety, trigger and bolt. The original two-tang safety has been replaced by a three-position mechanism which allows the chamber to be loaded and unloaded while the bolt can move (as well as locking it in position to prevent it moving all together). The original trigger has also been replaced, with a two-stage trigger designed to remove large amounts of movement and weight in the trigger to make firing easier.
However, a significant number of design elements from the original design have remained. The Mauser-style extractor system (which had originated on the Mauser 98) was slightly modified for a better ejection performance but remains virtually identical to the original. Likewise, the integral scope mounts, cut into the rear of the receiver, remain as does the one-piece stainless steel bolt handle.
Ammunition[]
The M77 Mark II fires a range of cartridges, from Ruger's own .204 Ruger cartridge to the .308 Winchester (used by most of the M77 Hawkeye and Gunsite Scout lines). Other cartridges include the .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington, .300 Win Mag, .338 Win Mag, .30-06 Springfield, and the 6.5mm Creedmoor. Magazine capacities vary depending on the cartridge used, with the .204 Ruger and .223 Remington shot from five-round box magazines while the others shot from four-round magazines.
Usage[]
The M77 Mark II was discontinued in 2002. The M77 Hawkeye (effectively the M77 Mark II’s current form) would be used by small and large game hunters and varmint hunters. The M77 Hawkeye formed the basis of another of Ruger's firearms, the Gunsite Scout, a project that was developed with the Gunsite Training Centre to construct a scout rifle, unveiled in 2011.