Ruger M77 .243 Barrel Issues (Original, tang safety model)

[RickKr]

Helping a friend who has let the muzzle of his M77 .243 rust badly. We've cleaning and oiled it but it looks like the crown is rusted badly enough it needs to be bobbed. Or, if bad enough, re-barreled. I have it and am taking it back to my gunsmith for evaluation and identifying options. The rest of the rifle is is great shape. From what I have found, it seems likely it is a 1:10 and probably 22" long, although when I measured it, I thought it to be 20".

I won't be surprised if the barrel needs to be shortened 2". One question is how will it perform if it is shortened that much. If rebarreling, should we consider going any longer than 22"? My friend is not an experienced shooter. While I am into handloading, he is not and so I expect he will shoot factory rounds. He's a farmer (cows), not a hunter, that got it as a varmint rifle. However, I do not expect him practice much to be much of a shot. We live 8 hrs apart so it isn't like my insterests/influence will alter his activities.

I'm interested in your thoughts on this situation and barrel options.

Rick

 

[jds holler]

I've got one of those that was a 22" skinny barrel with sights. It was a natural shooter right off the rack, and I pretty well burned it up shooting squirrels with it. Lots of squirrels!

I've since shortened it up to 18", making it a short light deer rifle for my wife. It's pretty peachy as a handy carry rifle, but frankly it was handy as a 22" also.

If your barrel needs to be bobbed to get rid of a bad muzzle I see no harm. Pretty easy to do or have done. jd

 

[Gargoyle]

Bore scope it?

 

[RickKr]

Bore scope it?

Did as a cursory exam but didn't record any photos or video. Will do more serious exam once I get home (at family for the holiday) and get a better idea of how far down the rust goes. My mention of shortening 2" was based a little on my initial viewing.

Rick

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

How does it shoot as is, or after your cleaning? I bet a good cleaning will make a huge difference as I bet it has never had more than a wet patch or two run thru it!

Frank

 

[RickKr]

Bore scope it?

Early Christmas morning, up before everyone else, so I took a few minutes to scope the barrel. Mirror wasn't secured well enough so it rotated a bit and there may be a bit too much motion on the longer one. I'll do a better job once home on my workbench.

Muzzle and first inch. Serious rusting.

Second inch to the chamber. Here there may be a bit too much rotation/movement.

Rick

 

[RickKr]

How does it shoot as is, or after your cleaning? I bet a good cleaning will make a huge difference as I bet it has never had more than a wet patch or two run thru it!

Frank

Yes, definitely a good cleaning and shoot it. My friend does not know its history as he bought it at a pawn shop. I can do the cleaning or have my gunsmith do it, once I return home. Not sure when it will get shot, however. I'm a bit of a fair weather shooter and it is sub-zero outside where I live.

 

[Liven The Dream]

In days past Ruger would rebarrel those 77 cheap .
Contact Ruger .

 

[Laurie]

Since the vast majority of UK deerstalkers ('deerhunters' on the western side of the pond) fit sound moderators (suppressors in US-speak), cut-back barrels are very common here. 18, and even 16-inches are common and work fine in 243, and I'm sure there will be some barrels that are shorter still.

 

[RickKr]

In days past Ruger would rebarrel those 77 cheap .
Contact Ruger .

Maybe so, thanks. Just checked their site, $80 or $105, depending on what category it is, plus parts & shipping. These early model M77s were known for accuracy. How are current barrels?

Rick

 

[Liven The Dream]

Maybe so, thanks. Just checked their site, $80 or $105, depending on what category it is, plus parts & shipping. These early model M77s were known for accuracy. How are current barrels?

Rick

I would not know ?
I would think old stock possibly?
Still a deal !

 

[Walt Krafft]

Looks like new barrel time to me. If Ruger will barrel it for that, have it done. If not, move it down the road and let someone else deal with it. Spending several hundred dollars putting a new barrel on a gun that is only worth several hundred dollars, and will still only be worth several hundred dollars with its new barrel, does not make sense to me.

 

[SBS]

Just had an acquaintance with a similar problem with a Ruger 77. Ruger gave him a quote of over $400 on a 7mm Rem. Mag. barrel (including return shipping), plus he would also be paying about $50 to ship it to them. Apparently "cost of parts" and return shipping are pretty high. Decided on a nice take off barrel instead.

 

[whatsupdoc]

$400 is a bargain.

 

[RickKr]

Looks like new barrel time to me. If Ruger will barrel it for that, have it done. If not, move it down the road and let someone else deal with it. Spending several hundred dollars putting a new barrel on a gun that is only worth several hundred dollars, and will still only be worth several hundred dollars with its new barrel, does not make sense to me.

Yeah, no telling what the parts and shipping will be, and the $400 sounds a bit much for this one. My friend has already said he's inclined to just buy another gun rather than fuss with this one. It will be a couple weeks before my smith has a chance to look it over and offer any remedies. He has rebarreled my Wby 257 Mag. and in trade he will be receiving a custom made bamboo fly rod, which even from a novice like me is $800+.

 

[SBS]

$400 is a bargain.

My friend didn't think so, not for a factory barrel anyway. A nice takeoff installed was $200.

 

[Hoot]

My vote would be to give it a thorough cleaning, bob it and re-crown. It it has iron sites versus a scope, the front sight would need to be remounted as well. Just my 2₵ worth. For such an occasional shooter, it'll be fine.

Hoot