Disassembly and Reassembly of the New Ruger Alaskan Rifle

The Alaskan is one of two new offerings from Ruger built on their husky Hawkeye platform. The other new one is the African with a 23-inch barrel. Both are chambered for .375 Ruger, a co-development between Sturm-Ruger and Hornady Manufacturing. Emerging from the shorter 20-inch barrel of the Alaskan, the .375 Ruger delivers performance equaling a .375 H&H from a Magnumlength action with a 24-inch barrel. This is likely due to the larger case capacity of the .375 Ruger.

I couldn’t find any detailed ballistic data on the internet as this was written, but it’s available from Hornady. In any case, I think it would be safe to say that, pushing out a 270- or 300-grain bullet, this new cartridge would satisfy hunters of the largest North American game animals, and indeed it’s already been used to down some of Africa’s most dangerous. The first rude awakening I had with this boomer was a floorplate assembly that required a call to Ruger’s New Hampshire product-service people.

For a gunsmith to have to contact the manufacturer for help is understandable where barrels, triggers, bolts, sears, and parts needing fitting are concerned. But for a floorplate? Why, you ask? I found out the hard way about a little part called the front mounting screw (#D04601) that runs through the floorplate hinge and helps to hold the action to the stock. Apparently, on Ruger’s final assembly line, there’s a guy who goes by the name "Kong." Kong tightens down that screw to engineering specs of 94 inch-pounds.

But I went after #D04601 with my trusty Mag Na Tip screwdriver. "Snap" was the sound made by the first hollowground blade that broke off clean as a whistle. I turned to a thicker blade, which made a louder "snap." And by now, the slot on #D04601s head was showing signs of damage. After a day of soaking with penetrating oil and locally applied heat, I broke a third bit, and completed the ruination of the screw head. That’s why you’ll see no field-stripped photo of an Alaskan rifle here.

As long as #D04601 remains in place, the barreled action will remain attached to the stock. The moral of the story so far is: Don’t go after part #D04601 without a torque wrench with a very long handle. I plan to buy such a tool’right after I beg our friends at Sturm-Ruger to forgive me for butchering their screwhead. Fortunately, there is much disassembly that can be done to the Alaskan without removing the action from the stock, so read on….

Disassembly of the Bolt With the chamber and three-round box magazine empty, and wearing eye protection, raise the bolt handle to cock the firing pin. Draw the bolt to the rear and swing open the bolt stop. (On right-handed models it’s on the right side of the receiver. On left hand models, it’s on the left.) The firing pin is now cocked. Toward the back end of the cocking piece, you’ll see a hole. Into that hole insert a well-fitting pin or nail at least 2 inches long.

I used a .080-inch Allen wrench because I admire their

This pin must remain in place until after the bolt assembly has been properly positioned for reinstallation. strength. The pin, nail, or wrench then becomes your handle to unscrew the firing-pin assembly from the bolt. After taking a look at the spring on the assembly, you’ll understand why you must never pull out the retaining pin you just installed until after the assembly is screwed all the way back into the bolt.

I mean, that firing pin would really hurt if it went through the webbing of your thumb or got embedded in your leg. Ruger uses specialized tooling to assemble and disassemble the firing-pin group. They don’t make that tooling available to the public, but it’s possible that Brownells’ Bolt Action Firing Pin Removal Tool will accomplish the same job. The next tool you’ll need is probably something you’re more familiar with. It’s a set of bolt-extractor pliers (Brownells #080-017-000AA).

In addition to this Ruger bolt, these pliers will work on many similar designs including the Mauser, the Springfield, and the Enfield. The pointed, curved jaws of the pliers are inserted under the extractor between its collar (KD15HM) and the extractor’s forward bolt groove. Tilt the pliers to the " The nose of the cocking piece that must enter the notch is at "B." The arrow indicates the extractor/bolt-lug interface.

The extractor band is located at "A." B A rear in order to raise the extractor off the bolt lug, rotate both pliers and extractor to be clear of the lug, and then slide the tool and extractor off the bolt to the front. I’ll give you a tip on reassembly later. If I hadn’t fouled up part #D04601 as badly as I did, I’d have removed it before backing out the screw just forward of the trigger guard (#D04700) and the rear mounting screw (#D04800). The guard would follow them, then the magazine box.

Be warned not to force things with the box. If the box balks at coming out easily, it can be lifted from the stock still attached to the action assembly. This lift, by the way, has to be performed with a degree of care. The action must separate from the stock straight and level. Don’t alter or add to any of the factory bedding once the stock has been removed. To begin trigger removal, the safety selector should be in its "fire" position. Hold the trigger (#KD0202001) in place.

It’s under tension from the trigger/sear spring (#J02400). Push out the trigger-pivot pin (#D02100) to free the trigger. When you remove the sear (#KD02309), first push out the sear pivot (#D04200). Turn the action up- A

Ruger M77 MKII "Alaskan" Bolt-Action Rifle (Specifications subject to change without notice) Barrel* Bolt Assembly* D53AB Bolt Stop KD56AB Bolt Stop Plunger D57 Bolt Stop Plunger Spring D59 Bolt Stop Plunger Retaining Pin D55 Bolt Stop Bushing D54 Bolt Stop Screw Stud DO4700 Center Mounting Screw DO1810 Cocking Piece (not shown) Ejector* KD00900 Ejector Spring Extractor* D15 Extractor Band Firing Pin Assembly* D19 Firing Pin Cross Pin DO1202 Firing Pin Spring Floorplate Assembly* D7 Floorplate Hinge DO3100 Floorplate Latch D6 Floorplate Pivot Pin DO4601 Front Mounting Screw D70 Front Sight Base Set Screw (not shown) DO6712 Front Sight Blade (Not Shown) D69 Front Sight Plunger Spring (not shown) D68 Front Sight Retainer Plunger (not shown) Magazine Box (specify model & caliber) Magazine Follower (specify model & caliber) D32 Magazine Latch Spring DO8001 Pistol Grip, Plastic D82 Pistol Grip Medallion C96SM Pistol Grip Cap Screw DO4800 Rear Mounting Screw D151 Rear Sight Base (not shown) D62 Rear Sight Base Screw (not shown) DO7725 Rear Sight Blade (Not Shown) D64 Rear Sight Clamp Screw (not shown) D83 Rear Sight Gib Lock Clamp (not shown) S87 Rear Sling Swivel Stud DO6313 Recoil Pad D84 Recoil Pad Screw(2) JO3800 Safety Selector* JO4300 Safety Selector Detent JO2100 Safety Selector Retainer* D74 Scope Base Clamp D73 Scope Base Nut MPFO7602 Scope Base Torx Screws (8) D71MHM Scope Rings Medium KD02309 Sear* DO4200 Sear Pivot Pin Stock* MPF07601 Torx Screw Wrench (not shown) KD0202001Trigger* D20202 Trigger Guard Assembly JO2400 Trigger/Sear Spring *Contact Ruger Service Department

side down and slide the sear forward. It will fall out of the receiver. The trigger system on the Alaskan is the first time I’ve come across the new Ruger LC6 design. It sure felt nice when I checked it out on some dummy rounds. It was smooth, crisp, and clean, and at a constant 4 pounds right out of the box. If at all possible, I’ll try to come up with more details on it for a future report.

I always advise against messing with safety mechanisms, but if there’s a need to replace a worn or broken component in this one you can take it down as follows: Rotate the selector (#J03800) so its upper section is centered over the receiver tang. Hold the selector in place while you slide its retainer (#J02100) upward from the receiver. The selector is under tension from its spring (#D32) and detent (#J04300).

They’ll both take off from the receiver if not restrained, and you have to lift out the selector before you can get at these two potential fliers. My suggestion for removing the safety (if necessary) is to work with the back end of the receiver in a large cardboard box. Reassembly Tips Safety Assembly. Install the spring and detent in the receiver. Set the selector in place centered over the receiver tang.

Apply downward pressure to the selector while sliding the retainer into its receiver dovetail from Binder Ad (p/u from page 18, AGM-August 07) A screwdriver alone will not be sufficient to back it out. the top. Align the notch in the selector with the sear pivot-pin hole. Sear. The back end of the sear has a hole in it. Place this end into its slot from the top of the receiver, swing it upward, and slide the sear into position.

You’ll know it’s right when the pivot-pin hole lines up with matching holes in the receiver. Install the pivot pin. Trigger. Place the trigger/sear spring over the dimple in the trigger. Align the spring with the dimple on the sear. Hold these positions while installing the trigger-pivot pin. Stock. Install the magazine box on the barreled action. Place the assembly in the stock, position the trigger guard, and loosely turn in its screws.

Reinstalling the floorplate-hinge assembly means part #D04601 gets tightened in to 94 inch-pounds on a torque wrench. The guard screws, thankfully, do not; they are alternately tightened by partial turns until both are hand tight. Firing Pin. Screw the assembly into the bolt with the front end of the bolt facing you. The assembly can be considered in proper position when the flat on the bottom of the bolt sleeve is lined up with the flat on the bottom end of the bolt handle.

Note that there’s a shallow notch at the rear of the bolt body that "fits" the nose of the cocking piece. When you’re turning in the firing-pin assembly, you may have to manage your restraining pin to slightly retract this nose so it can be moved into the notch. Only after the assembly has been properly positioned with the nose in the notch as just described can you pull out the retaining pin. Bolt.

Reinstall the extractor by encircling the bolt with the pliers and squeezing the extractor band (#D15) together firmly. Slip the extractor over its retaining clips on the band and remove the pliers. Hold the extractor down against the band with finger pressure. Grab the leading end of the extractor with your pliers, lift it clear of the bolt face, slide it to the rear, and rotate it to engage the bolt lug. Release the pliers.

Finally, with the bolt face pointed away from you and the bolt handle pointing upward, align the extractor with the right-hand (or lefthand) locking lug. Partially insert the bolt. Swing open the bolt stop and push the bolt fully forward. I