The Ruger M77 is a bolt-action rifle produced by Sturm, Ruger & Co.. It was designed by Jim Sullivan during his three years with Ruger. The rifle features a traditional Mauser-style two-lugged bolt with a claw extractor. Design and features From the beginning, the Ruger M77 was intended as a modernized Mauser 98, though numerous changes were made. Bill Ruger wanted to use investment casting in place of a forged receiver. The Sullivan-designed bolt dispensed with the Mauser blade type ejector and instead used the simpler plunger style of ejector. A two-position tang safety and redesigned trigger system were also designed from scratch. Perhaps the most novel feature of the M77 is the only one that has not been redesigned, the angled action screw. The front action screw of traditional bolt-action rifles draws the receiver directly down against the stock. The M77 uses an angled screw that draws the action down and to the rear, tightly bedding it against the stock. Variants The M77 has undergone one minor and two major redesigns. The first change involved incorporating a proprietary scope mount milled integral with the receiver. The first rifles had simple rounded-top receivers drilled and tapped for separate scope mounts. M77 Mark II The M77 was entirely retooled and reintroduced in 1991 as the Model 77 Mark II. The safety, bolt, trigger, and bottom metal were substantially redesigned. The claw extractor was retained, but the bolt face was opened up to allow controlled-round feeding. The plunger ejector was replaced with a Mauser style fixed blade ejector. Finally, a three-position safety allowed the bolt to be operated while the gun was still on safe, making unloading of the rifle less hazardous. Ruger also eliminated the factory-supplied adjustable trigger available on the original M77. M77 RSM Mark II This variant of the M77, often known as the Safari Magnum, features a circassian walnut stock, express sights and a long magnum action designed for classic safari cartridges such as the .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, and the .458 Lott. Hawkeye In 2006, Ruger introduced new features and a new name for their rifle, the Hawkeye. Major changes were made to the trigger system and the stock was recontoured, but otherwise the rifle remained unchanged. The LC6 trigger addressed complaints from consumers about the Mark II trigger to make it easier for gunsmith adjustment than the earlier design. The LC6 trigger is lighter and smoother.