Ruger Mark 2 target rifle

[Trapper243]

I was just wanting to know if any of you have any experience with the Ruger Mark 2 Target rife. Good, bad, or otherwise. I was thinking of one in a 6.5 Creedmoor.
Thanks.

 

[Gary in MD]

I bought one in 220 swift a few years ago when it was still offered in that caliber. I bought it for varmint hunting, I did not expect it to be competitive in a match. I glass bedded the recoil lug area and adjusted the two stage trigger. I have been able to achieve very good accuracy with it. It still would not win any matches.....but it is plenty accurate and hard on the groundhogs.
Gary

 

[Nodak7mm]

I have one in a 204 for the PD fields and love it. Accurate and quality mass produced rifle, albeit the action is a tish stiff and rough, but nothing a few hundred rounds cant fix.

Overall, for the money, hard to beat... I think its a great rig in a great round to get your feet wet..

Rod

 

[Rtheurer]

Rod you own a Ruger?????hmmmm...

 

[Nodak7mm]

Rod you own a Ruger? ??? ?hmmmm...

Ssshhhh, I havent come out of the closet yet.... However, since I've been outed, lets do this all the way.

"I'm Rod and I am Ruger M77 Addict!!"

There, I have bared my soul for the world to see.. I am loud and proud Ruger M77 fan!

8)

 

[KevinThomas]

Have to admit, seeing the words "Ruger" and "Target Rifle" in the same sentence is a bit jarring. Not saying they're mutually exclusive . . . but pretty close.

 

[Taildrag15X]

I've only seen one Kevin, the Special 1992 PALMA rifles bill had built.......

 

[Joe C]

I transferred one of these 6.5 Creds for a fellow not long ago. Very nice rifle and he said it shoots VERY well. Me, I like my M77 MKII 7mag. It has taken many many deer...

 

[Nodak7mm]

Shheeeesh, almost as bad as beer snobs. Well dangit, I drank Miller High-Life, PBR, Hamms and whatever else was on sale, so there..... ;D

I take my BAT/Kreiger rig to the Target range.

I take my Ruger M77's to the killing fields, the deer stand, the coyote set, carry em on 4-wheelers, boats, tractors, lean em on the tailgate, the fence line, the rockpile, bounce around in the truck & trailers and they continue hit & kill what critter I am aiming at, time and time again...

Oh yeah, almost forgot. I have four of them for the price of 1/2 my target rig. ;D

I know you guys are having fun with this thread, so am I.. And for the record, absolutely No disrespect is implied or intended here: I'm sure as heck not jumping on a high-horse here, but sometimes I think we need to be careful with our comments pertaining to factory/mass produced rifles. Our funnies may discourage someone on a budget from getting into the game..

With that said, to anyone interested in learning how to become a better marksman, maybe get your feet wet in Mid Range F-Class, or just desiring to have a decent rifle to play with for 6-700$. I think the Ruger M77MK II VT is a good choice. There are also others out there in that price range. Look to the Savage for the best factory target rifle (reasonably priced) offered, but its not a dual purpose rig like the Ruger (target/truck/hunting gun).

Best advice before you buy anything if your intent is to try and shoot the target game, go to some matches, see, feel & fondle, ask questions before you plunk down some hard earned cash. Never know, someone may be looking to upgrade from their used; target stocked, rebarreled, & trued M700 in that same price range..

Took me 18/19 years before I could swing a true custom target rig. But it never stopped me from trying to become a better shooter or from having fun with my Rugers..

Thanks for listening..

Rod

 

[Jim See]

Oh about 15 years ago i learned to reload with one in 22-250.

With regularity, it grouped in the .2-.4 range once I learned how to operate a press handle, bone stock.

It was the first rifle I had that started me in the accuracy game.

 

[jonbearman]

I have one in .243 with alot of rounds on it. It still shoots 1/2 min of angle.I am with Jim See,You can always buy a lemon from anyone,however most shoot real well.

 

[SS427]

Put me down as a Ruger fan too. I've owned several and have been satisfied with the accuracy along with the fit, finish, reliablity, and overall quality.

Factory rifles have there place. Certainly for hunting they are fine and anyone wanting to try shooting should test the waters with a decent factory rifle before you drain your wallet and/or bank account. You don't have to own $3k rifles and $1k scopes to enjoy the sport.

I'm a fan of most all factory rifles, and own one or more models of Wby, Remington, Savage, Marlin and of course Ruger. I shoot them along side my custom target rifles with equal enthusiasm. I'm often more excited about getting a factory rifle to shoot great than I am getting small groups with a custom.

 

[Trapper243]

Actually targets would be this rifles secondary use, and probably not formal. I would like to have a heavy coyote rig for hunting open ground, have good barrel life and handle larger animals when needed. A friend has a 6.5 Creedmoor in a Surgeon Rifle and a Nightforce scope. Great rig, and I really like what it can do, but I am not sure I want to spend quite that much money or wait that long for a custom rig. So when I saw Ruger chambers for the 6.5 in their target version, I just had to ask. I figured it might be an option. I also confess to being a closet Ruger fan.

 

[Rtheurer]

I shoot them along side my custom target rifles with equal enthusiasm. I'm often more excited about getting a factory rifle to shoot great than I am getting small groups with a custom.

I equate this to finding a $50.00 bill in your pants pocket after washing and not wearing for some time. A pleasent suprise that you hope for but do not expect. Just the opposite can be said when you have a custom rig that does not shoot to your expectations. If you build enough custom rifles, someday your going to have one that just does not quite meet your qualifications.

As for the 6.5Creedmore. I just read the match results from Camp Butner's two Day 600 yard prone event where the All mighty KENT REEVE shot a 1600 out of 1600 with an ungodly amount of X's with a 6.5 Creedmore. Though Kent is one of the BEST shooters in the nation and could maybe do this with a Red Ryder BB gun and a Mouth Full of Bazzoka Joe bubble gum it shows that this round can be a wicked little accurate round. Good choice.

RussT

 

[effendude]

My first PD rifle was a Ruger Target rifle in .223 Rem. It took many overtime checks as a younger man struggling with bills and family obligations to purchase the rifle. It didn't get to shoot anything but paper for it's first 15years. I topped the rifle with a 4x16 V-16 Weaver scope bought with some more overtime checks more than 20 years ago. Looking through the glass, I imagined nothing could be better. The scope was $225 at Mills Fleet Farm. Now, if a scope doesn't have $1000 in front of that price, I don't even look!

Now, still, it is my go to rifle for prairie dogs out in North and South Dakota. It will shoot any lighter weight bullet inside MOPD all day, everyday. 1500 round weekends, wiping the bolt and receiver of dirt with a sweaty t-shirt when it gets hard to cycle from too much PD mound dirt. It has a hard life, but it does just fine.

Like Rod, I now have other rifles that cost many times more. Customs, semis, factories, you name it. I have the bug, bad. Every trip with that old rifle reminds me of how long and hard I have worked to learn the sport of rifle shooting. It also reminds me how hard I worked to raise a family, and start my own business. I am far from done learning, but 25 years ago, that rifle was the best rifle in the world to me. More than I could afford without tremendous effort, and no one can afford the rifle now, despite its condition.

Thanks for reminding me where I started,
Scott

 

[boltman13]

My first rifle was a Ruger M77 in 30-06 in 1974. I have killed deer, antalope, and elk with it and after many thousands of rounds it will still keep my best elk load in about 1.25" at 100 yds. It's lite and plenty accurate for western hunting, so +1 for Ruger. My long range target rifle is not a Ruger but a Rem 40X in 6.5 CM. It is very accurate, my best so far is 1.02" at 200 yds, so +1 for the 6.5 Creedmoor. I have no experience with the 2 togather but it probably would work well. I know a 6.5 CM in a Savage is a great shooter though and cost's about the same. Good luck with whatever you choose.