ruger m77 front sight add on?

scouter27 · July 11, 2007, 08:38 PM

tried this once, couldnt get a straight answer. i am about to purchase a ruger m77 frontier. there are no provisions built in to this rifle. is there any way to add them? i would get one with sights on it, but the only one available is the rsi, and i am not interested in that one. thanks

Slopemeno · July 12, 2007, 12:47 AM

Brownells has a pretty elaborate assortment of sights. You can get the exact one thats on a stock 77 from them, OR you could buy them from Ruger. Keep in mind you'll need to drill and tap the barrel, which, while not truly difficult, CAN be screwed up, so proceed with caution.

I have a 77 w/o sights, and my solution is to get a second set of rings and put a red-dot scope in the extra set. The red dot and rings may actually cost less, now that I think about it.

The stock sights arent exactly anything to write home about. The sight picture can only be desribed as "cluttered".

scouter27 · July 12, 2007, 07:29 PM

i only want a front sight, the rear is goint to be an xs sight. i can find the sight, thats not the problem. i just wanted to know what would be involved in mounting it. you say its difficult, but i want to know how to do it please

Scorch · July 12, 2007, 08:56 PM

* You have to drill and tap the barrel for the front sight ramp. Do not drill too deep or the barrel will be weakened and the pressure may crack the steel.
* The front sight ramp is screwed to the barrel.
* The front sight blade fits into a dovetail on the top of the ramp.
* The front sight blade is pushed into the dovetail slot with a sight pusher.

Slopemeno · July 12, 2007, 09:46 PM

The most important part being you drill and tap dead straight and level.

scouter27 · July 13, 2007, 10:11 PM

ok, everything sounds reasonable, but how will i be sure its level?

thanks for all the help, just verrrrry cautious, because the barrel is only 16.5, no real room for error

Slopemeno · July 13, 2007, 10:19 PM

Best bet is to buy the jig that Brownells sells, and drill and tap in a drill press with a machinists vice. You should carefully level the drill press/mill, then the vice, the jig, the part, etc. with bubble levels. When you've done it for pay, you start looking at the work of others, and you start noticing, "Hey, that sight base is ..a..little off"

Things like this, where you have to buy a jig to do a decent job are, in my opinion, best left to the competent smith. He's (hopefully) got the tools and training to make it happen.

I would take this opportunity to strike up a relationship with your local 'smith.

scouter27 · July 13, 2007, 11:46 PM

thanks again, i think i could do it. however, i will just take it to a smith, as it would probably be cheaper, and i will not likely do it ever again. thank you thank you thank you

July 11, 2007, 08:38 PM	#1
scouter27 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2001 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 420	ruger m77 front sight add on? tried this once, couldnt get a straight answer. i am about to purchase a ruger m77 frontier. there are no provisions built in to this rifle. is there any way to add them? i would get one with sights on it, but the only one available is the rsi, and i am not interested in that one. thanks __________________ Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons. S/F Jesse

July 12, 2007, 07:29 PM	#3
scouter27 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2001 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 420	i only want a front sight, the rear is goint to be an xs sight. i can find the sight, thats not the problem. i just wanted to know what would be involved in mounting it. you say its difficult, but i want to know how to do it please __________________ Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons. S/F Jesse

July 12, 2007, 08:56 PM	#4
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	* You have to drill and tap the barrel for the front sight ramp. Do not drill too deep or the barrel will be weakened and the pressure may crack the steel. * The front sight ramp is screwed to the barrel. * The front sight blade fits into a dovetail on the top of the ramp. * The front sight blade is pushed into the dovetail slot with a sight pusher. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

July 13, 2007, 10:11 PM	#6
scouter27 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2001 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 420	ok, everything sounds reasonable, but how will i be sure its level? thanks for all the help, just verrrrry cautious, because the barrel is only 16.5, no real room for error __________________ Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons. S/F Jesse

July 13, 2007, 11:46 PM	#8
scouter27 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2001 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 420	thanks again, i think i could do it. however, i will just take it to a smith, as it would probably be cheaper, and i will not likely do it ever again. thank you thank you thank you __________________ Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons. S/F Jesse

July 12, 2007, 12:47 AM	#2
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	Brownells has a pretty elaborate assortment of sights. You can get the exact one thats on a stock 77 from them, OR you could buy them from Ruger. Keep in mind you'll need to drill and tap the barrel, which, while not truly difficult, CAN be screwed up, so proceed with caution. I have a 77 w/o sights, and my solution is to get a second set of rings and put a red-dot scope in the extra set. The red dot and rings may actually cost less, now that I think about it. The stock sights arent exactly anything to write home about. The sight picture can only be desribed as "cluttered".

July 12, 2007, 09:46 PM	#5
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	The most important part being you drill and tap dead straight and level.

July 13, 2007, 10:19 PM	#7
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	Best bet is to buy the jig that Brownells sells, and drill and tap in a drill press with a machinists vice. You should carefully level the drill press/mill, then the vice, the jig, the part, etc. with bubble levels. When you've done it for pay, you start looking at the work of others, and you start noticing, "Hey, that sight base is ..a..little off" Things like this, where you have to buy a jig to do a decent job are, in my opinion, best left to the competent smith. He's (hopefully) got the tools and training to make it happen. I would take this opportunity to strike up a relationship with your local 'smith.