Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger 77 Hawkeye Firing Pin

I have a 30-06 Hawkeye - new last year (probably old stock as it is a lefty and I don’t think they have made them in a couple years). I am shooting reloads. It has started to not fire. The firing pin is striking the primer but nothing. If I work the bolt and fire the same round a second time it fires. I sprayed the bolt with brake cleaner several times thinking there might some crud in there and they added a little oil. The bolt doesn’t look dirty all - when I used the break cleaner nothing alarming came running out. The cleaning did not help. I have not taken the bolt apart as I wasn’t too confident I knew what I was doing.

Any thoughts? Bad primers or weak firing pin spring or something else? Thanks in advance for any help.

NVM

U might cast the chamber, or check it with no-go and field gauges, or check the fired brass against your reloads and factory loads.

It could be your shoulder is set too far back on your reloads. I would also take that bolt apart, clean it, put in a new (over-strength?) spring.

Could also be dried gunk in the bolt that is slowing the first strike, and not dissolving with the break cleaner. Are your primers fully seated?

Buy a box of factory loads and trying them is probably the very first thing I would try.

I had a similar thing happen on my 725, which I had acquired well used/abused. It had worked fine in warm weather, after I had disassembled and cleaned it, without taking care of one obvious and one not too obvious problem, . but on a winter caribou hunt it malfunctioned exactly as you state.

The spring was not immediately obvious, without comparison, anyway. It was compression-shorter than it should be no doubt due to being kept cocked, and in use, for many years, and the FP shaft was very rough from rust interaction with the spring. A new fp spring fixed it all - and I went with an over strength one at that, tho a standard would have worked. And I polished the fp shaft down smooth to reduce shaft/spring friction., just for luck....

The really correct fix would be to replace the fp entirely. But it is working flawlessly now, even below zero (I hunt with dry bolts cleaned and lubed with Corrosion X or Eezox)

I’ve had similar issue with a Hawkeye. The pin was gummed up and required disassembly. Worked fine after.

Thanks guys.

there is a hole in the bolt shroud you put a Allen wrench in that lets you dissassemble the bolt so you can clean the pin....

Google bolt disassembly Ruger 77 and then give it a shot. (Pun intended).

Or a little nail...

First thing I do with a bolt rifle, new or old, is disassemble the bolt, clean out the inside and spring, then hose it down with some Dri-Slide. Let the carrier evaporate, reassemble.

Could just be your primers aren't seated correctly and fully seated. The first firing attempt finishes seating the primer, the second attempt fires the round. Something else to check maybe? But never a bad idea to completely clean the bolt either.

Threads found using 24hourcampfire custom google search:

Trouble with light primer stikes in Ruger 77

Ruger m77 bolt firing pin spring

Removing Ruger 77 MKII firing pin??

Based of feel and visual inspection the primers look seated correctly. Can I use one of those hand priming tools on loaded ammo to check that those primers are seated fully or am I asking for an accidental discharge?

I will get that bolt apart and cleaned - thanks everyone.

99% chance striping and cleaning the bolt will solve your problem. I wouldn't consider pursuing other options until you've done that.

Every new Ruger 77 I've bought in recent years has had the same issue. First time it happened, rifle went back to the shop purchased from and the gunsmith stripped and cleaned bolt assembly which resolved it. Ever since, I strip and clean the bolt assembly before shooting any new 77. That hasn't always prevented the issue but replacing the firing pin spring with a 24 or 28 lb spring along with a good cleaning usually does.

Another one still gave issues after doing the above and switching from CCI to Federal primers resolved it, but I think that one has a bad chamber or my new PRVI brass is undersized. Necking up the new brass and forming a false shoulder for the first firing seems to be the answer on that one.

Bought a box of Winchester factory ammo and shot 12 of them without a problem. Not very accurate but they fire. I am going to take bolt apart and give a good cleaning. It might be that those primers are bad or they are not seated correctly.

Thanks again for all the help.

My hunting buddy had a similar problem with his MKII. For over two years I told him to replace the firing pin spring but he wouldn't do it until it cost him an animal. IT would fire fine in the warm weather at the range, no reliable at all in cold hunting weather.

He finally ordered the spring and brought the rifle to my house for replacement. We discovered the old spring was about 30% shorter than the new one. Turns out he had been storing the rifle with it cocked.

To add, all the firing pin issues I've had have been with Hawkeye Africans, the only new Rugers I've bought in recent years (going back probably a good 10 years).

Now come on. Some guys say that is bs. Springs don't compress if stored in that manner... I also de cock my rifles when they are in the safe... Have done so since I was 12. Never a problem with weak springs either..

The only spring problems I've had were with Granddad's Iver Johnson Firearms and Bicycle works 12 ga shotgun (Grandma said he had it when the married in 1921) and a Sears/Mossberg refurbished 12 ga shotgun I bought for about $100 in '74 or '75. Both would generally fire in warm weather, neither would fire when cold. Sold the Sears/Mossberg POS, still have Granddad's shotgun.

Had the same issue, concluded it was the reloads. Too short FL sizing.

Yes this isn't the first time I've heard of this issue with model 77's

I think its a good idea to have a small diameter nail in a little kit when using Ruger Hawkeye. I havent any issues yet but i do want the ability to take apart a bolt on demand. Im just over the moon i was able to pick up a left hand Ruger scout rifle and compact magnum rifles.

I am sure the problem you are having will be resolved soon. I just want to say that I have owned M77’s, M77 MkII’s, and M77 Hawkeyes numbering in the 20’s or maybe the 30’s and have never experienced the problem you are having. I do however, as a rule, disassemble and clean the entire assembly on every bolt gun I have ever obtained before ever firing the gun. I am betting your problem is bolt cleanliness related.