Ruger Forum

joe1971 · September 27th, 2010, 10:25 AM

M77 tang saftey 160gr accubonds. These are my handloads, keep in mind I was not shooting well on this windy day and the flier was 100% me (I knew it as soon as she barked) 5 @0.368" add another 1" for the flier

mike1939 · October 1st, 2010, 08:15 PM

I have had 3 M77. First was a tang safety 30 06 RSI. Worked up a load of 49 gr IMR 4064 with 165 gr Nosler Partition. Scoped with old VX1 Leupold 1 x 4. This rifle shot an honest 1 in grp, year after year after year....and killed many white tail. Kept it clean and left it alone and it was faithful. Second was a MKII in 7mm WSM. This also was a fine rifle with no special attention. It would shoot consistently less than 1.5 in, but by the time I bought it I was on blood thinners and after a couple of purple arm sessions I sold it (sorry ever since). Third was a Hawkeye All Weather 30.06 which I sold last week. It was very inconsistent. It would shoot 3 shots good in a 5 shot group. Problem was you could never predict which shots were going to the good ones.... I wish I known about this thread before I sold it (i.e. about tightening the action screws)...I tried tons of reloads, swapped out scopes and still had no change. No comes the ??? I am lining up to buy a Hawkeye 3006 with Hogue stock. I am the eternal optimist, and if I buy it I will get back to you all about how it behaves.

keep the faith

joe1971 · October 1st, 2010, 08:35 PM

Mike I have a win m70 chambered in 270 that was incosistent as #3!!, weird think was I killed everything I went after, but I could never get anything close to predictable out of it until I bedded it, and the rest is as they say history (of moa or better all the time)

NorwegianHunter · October 10th, 2010, 11:26 AM

I so agree Dead Eye. I think sometimes there may be other factors involved. Such as a recoil shy guy trying to manage a 300 mag, crappy handloads, poor shooting routines and so on.
Over here some guys would hate Rugers, (or Remingtons and others,) simply because they are cheaper to buy than European brands like Sako and Sauer.
I never argue over such things. I just shoot my Rugers (reloaded ammo only), and hope they take a sneak peak at my target.

Fueler · October 15th, 2010, 09:02 PM

Just my 2 cents worth. Been using Ruger M77`s since 1969--my favorite is a 1971 .300 win. mag and wife`s favorite is a 1971 M77 7mm magnum. I use 168 Noslers/80.5 gr. RX22 for 3300fps. My magazine is lengthened .188 and barrel is throated so I can seat bullets farther out, increasing powder space without increasing pressure. Wifes load is Nosler 140 gr. /65gr. 4831sc for 3200fps. I also have 3 other 77`s , all tang safetys. Never any problems of any kind with all the rifles. My .300 is pretty rough looking but still lays them down out to 400yds. Scope mounts are great, safetys convenient and the exreactors work--unlike the Remington tin clip extractors---guess thats why those that have to use them convert to a Sako type extractor. You Remington guys need to have something big and hairy trying to run you down and have your little tin extractors slip over the rim sometime. Anyway, investment cast recievers are strong, their bolts are strong and there are too many old wives tales out there about "cast" recievers etc. The Arisaka`s last production recievers were cast but probably some salvage junk was used out of desperation at end of WW2 and thats probably where all the experts got their opinions. Ruger 77`s are great!

JohnD13 · October 16th, 2010, 04:40 AM

I have a M77 COmpact in .260 Rem., that shoots cloverleaf groups if I do my part. Fine rifle, no quality issues here.

flat top · October 16th, 2010, 01:33 PM

I have chosen a cartridge 338 Win Mag, and am looking for a bolt gun...kind of settled on a Ruger. My question: should I buy a new Hawkeye, or hold out for one of the old timers.

Durangogun · October 18th, 2010, 05:37 PM

Was going to add to the original thread, but wanted to give Flat Top my answer to his question . . .

If you can't find an old Ruger in .338 Win Mag don't shy away from the Hawkeye. I have one in .270 and love it. It groups several loads well, and especially likes the factory Hornady Custom 140 gr. SST (older Custom ammo, not the newer Superformance--don't know about that because I haven't shot it--I have a pretty good stash of the .270 rounds I've shot for several years.)

And I wanted to say +1 to Dead Eye who started this thread . . .

I had a KM77VT in .223 that was a great rifle. Here's a practice, sight-in ten round target from a couple of years ago, warming up for prairie dogs:

The round that is out of group was probably me.

speedy · October 18th, 2010, 05:53 PM

I have an older M77R tang standard in 22-250 that does 5 shots into 1". The stock is beat up some as a friend dropped behind his seat without casing it, but it still shoots. I wish it was a 243 or 308, but 22-250 is a great caliber too. Will keep this one until I am offered a trade for similar in 243 or 308.

..... forgot to mention these gropus are seen through an old El Paso steel tube 4x Weaver.... and American scope on an American classic for the win.

Bookman · October 19th, 2010, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dead Eye

Yep, Ruger's M77 is quality through and through. That nasty rumer about the M77 has been around for a long time, about 15 yrs ago I belonged to a couple of sniper sites, and even back then they were trashing the M77. Back then the Remies were all the rage and if you did'nt own a Remy, then what ever you owned was sh^%. Now the hot rifle is Savage, and anything else is crap, seems to me that there are too many Kool-aid drinkers out there. The truth is that most rifles from major manufaturers are good quality guns, if the shooter can't shoot worth a crap, then it's the shooters fault not the rifle's, but people being what they are, like to blame the rifle not themselves. Remember one thing in 100% of the cases, it's the shooter that hits the target, not the gun.
Paul

+100

Those are my thoughts, exactly. If the major manufacturers only made crap rifles they wouldn't be major manufacturers. The vast majority of rifles on the market are good, or at least, decent rifles. Nine times out of ten, bad shooting is operator error.

I firmly believe, and pass on to the new shooters I corrupt... uh, INDOCTRINATE that they need to find the gun that works best for THEM, not just take someone else's word for it.

flat top · October 19th, 2010, 05:51 AM

Durangogun; I appreciate your reply. I started a new thread with my question, but recieved no answers.

Durangogun · October 20th, 2010, 03:33 PM

flat top,

Glad I found your post! Hope I was helpful.
I have a new dilemma of my own since I posted to you about the new Hawkeyes . . .

One of the gun shops here that I look in on from time to time unboxed a beautiful Hawkeye African in 300 Win. Mag. while I was there yesterday after work. I fell in love. The owner knows me--I have bought several guns from him, and we stop by about once a week. Said he'd sell it to me for $800, which is a very fair price for a small shop in a small town in the middle of elk season in elk country.

We just acquired a new pair of setters to replace the two we lost in the past year (the dog in my avatar was the best bird dog I ever knew--he died last December and we're still not over it) and we are looking at some serious upcoming bird dog expenses!

But, oh my, that Hawkeye is pretty. Gorgeous wood. I'm a sucker for that classic "African" rifle look--fixed express sights, front ring band barrel-mounted swivel, crossbolt stock reinforcing . . .

My 270 has been fine for my needs and it's only a couple of years old, but I had decided, one day, to get a .300 Win Mag. For me, it would likely become my elk rifle. I'm in no position to run off to Africa for plains game! Sure wish I was.

Anyway, I managed to walk out without buying it--but it's haunting me!

flat top · October 20th, 2010, 04:51 PM

Durangogun; I know what you mean...that is in part the story of my life....passed on the deals I should have bought into. The other half, was buying into the deals I should have passed on. I was up at the pawn shop the other day, and they had some nice bolt guns, but, nothing in 338, but, the did have a Belgium made Browning BAR in 338 Win Mag....and it is in pristine condition...I dont think it was fired, or if so very little, and it looks like it spent its life in a gun cabinet. The price......900.00. I am still asking myself if I should go buy it, but, it is not at all what I want, or even what I would use. I would much prefer just a good old bolt gun, that is deadly accurate and reliable, and leave the fancy stuff to those that enjoy that sort of thing.....I have probably just made another big mistake? I like the African rifles as well...and the tales of African hunting...exciting stuff. Well, I hope your new pups work out for you, and thanks for answering my post...it WAS helpful!

hardluk1 · October 21st, 2010, 04:23 AM

I bought a SS boat paddle model when they first came out in 7mm mag. and it was never a shooter. Keep it as it cost a younger work'n guy good money. Sent back to have ruger check and came back better but still not what you bought a 7 mag for. After some years of useing my old 788 rem and moved to NC and found Herbs gun shop. Had him install a 28" Krieger #5 barrel, timney trigger and boyd's jr stock. It's a great shooter now. Had friends with good rugers back then all blued models, just not mine. Luck of the draw i guess.

flat top · October 21st, 2010, 05:59 AM

I had heard and read that Ruger had barrel issues years ago...wonder if they have worked that problem out. Supposedly the barrels were sub -contracted at that time, and were of poor quality....does Ruger make their own barrels now...if not, who does?