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Ruger rifles

So i was wondering why no one ever builts off of ruger m77 actions. The NO 1 and the 10/22 seems to be used alot but why not the 77. I have 6 or 7 of the mark 2s and not a 1 will shoot with my remingtons not to forget they all have shity triggers. I been thinking of stripping a few of them down and building something but i dont no if it will be worth it. Is there somthing wrong with the actions that keep people from building off of them.
 
I built a Long Range rig on a Target action and it worked very well. Triggers are available, the action is very stiff and easy to bed. Don't know why they're not more popular frankly. Rem's, Win.s and Savages are more common so I guess smiths are more used to working them.
Mike T.
 
Had a Ruger 77 Target Rifle in .308 as a backup F Class rifle, stainless barrel, laminated stock. Couldn`t keep the action screws tight.

Ordered the socket head screws that Brownell shows in their catalogue but got a "no longer made for the Ruger 77" reply.

Upon repeated firing, the wood under the Ruger`s rear tang started to compress and the rear screw would come loose. This is the same situation that I encountered in the `80s with a Carl Gustav M96 .308 target rifle.

I believe that the narrow rear action tang is the heart of the problem in Mausers and their kin such as the Ruger 77. Upon recoil the action torques around the recoil lug at the bottom front of the action which forces the rear tang down into the wood, compressing the wood. Even putting a steel sleeve around the rear action screw did not prevent this compression from happening with the M96 or the Ruger 77.

You can tighten the screws all you want. The wood will continue to compress. I no longer own either rifle.
 
I have had 2 of the Ruger M77 target rifles. 1 in 308 one in 220swift! Both shot well and out shot a cpl of rem 700s tured and with Lilja barrels on them. I still have my 220 swift. Not sure I can let go of it! The swift is the rifle I out shot my to buddies with the Rem 700s and Lilja barrels. We where shooting skeet at 400yrds. To date I believe it was more the nut behing the butt, that got my victory and braging rights over my buddies. Their barrels were chambered in 22-250AI. My ruger 220swift is completly factory! Had the trigger pulled down to 2.5lbs but it's sloppy. I believe that the biggest problem with the ruger's is lack of aftermarket parts avaliable, and also the way Ruger Mills Thier scope mounting into the Reciver! You can get around it with Burris to weaver mounts and a good set of Burris Zee rings, but I like other Bases and rings better than those. If Ruger would just drill and tap their reciever's like REM, Sav, any other's, Maybe they could get more into the game of long range or even Comp! I will say that they do seem to be a strong action! For hunting at a med. range I wouldn't hesitate to buy another, but for long range shooting or comp. I wouldn't even give a Ruger Action a first glance much less a sec! Don't get me wrong I like rugers. But they are not built for comp! They do how ever have their place and that is the hunting customers! Witch is still the biggest buyer over all gun manufactures today!
 
I have a Ruger Mark II model 77 in .270 and it is a great hunting rifle. It just feels right and is more than accurate enough for deer or elk. I also have a Ruger target .17 HMR, and it too is a great hunting rifle and just feels right. If I'm going deer hunting or sage rat hunting, these two guns are the first ones I pull out of the safe. If I'm headed to the range to shoot small groups, I don't take either one of them.

Both of these rifles have pretty good triggers. I would say both are as good as my Savage Accutriggers for being crisp and have minimal over travel. Both started out with heavy pulls, but a simple modification to the trigger spring cured that problem.

I would buy another for a general purpose hunting rifle. I would never consider them for shooting small groups or extreme long distance varmint hunting.
 
Well the only reason i kept buying rugers is they have great customer service. i have a friend shot one of my 7mm and by accident put a 308 in and it went BOOM with thing flying all over. (how he couldn't tell the difference between the to i will never know) well ruger replaced the rifle for free even though it was no fault to them.

I now a fan of a accurate rifle hunting or not. When i go hunting i want to no if i miss its my fault and not because the gun shoots like crap. I only have one ruger 25-06 that shoots a inch or better and thats with hand loads. all the others 1 1/2 on a good day.

Have 3 remingtons that shot 1/2 inch or better and a 300 rum that shoots a 1 inch. and for the most part have good triggers. I have also had good luck with winchester model 70. got one pre 64 300 H&H that shoots lights out and a couple more post 64 claw guns that shoot great as well.


Could the lug on the Rugers have something to do with the way they shoot?
 
I don't think I'll ever part with my M77 VT in .243 or 6.5CM; if I wear out the barrels I'll replace the barrels - I love everything about them from the accuracy to the fully adjustable dual stage triggers. They both shoot under 1/4" at 100 yards if I do my part.

Wayne
 
I have a Ruger 77 that I converted to 22br...very nice shooter...trigger is very good but I may replace if I get into shooting at more targets than varmints and coyotes
 
I guess i got the only bad ones mad. I got a 10/22 i like and a 77/22 that nice but that about it. I had a 77/22 hornet for 3 month or so it was crap. the trigger was junk had it fixed to 3 1/2 pounds and bedded it and floated it. the thing still never shot consistantly under 2 inchen no mater what you put in it. got ride if it and got a cz that shots under a 1inch all day long.

I have friends that have good luck with the old tank saftey rugers but not the mark 2s.
 
Further to my comment on the Ruger 77 Target in .308, I have the complete opposite experience with a Ruger Hawkeye stainless/synthetic in .204 Ruger.

Have shot 1/2 minute groups at 300 metres with the .204. Nice trigger. But I do not consider it to be a "target" rifle. Strictly varmint. And I do not shoot it in really hot weather because of the thin barrel.

Think the reason for sustained accuracy is the light recoil of the .204 and the resistance of the synthetic stock to compression under the rear tang.

And I can`t hold it in any longer. Maybe because I taught high school for 32 years. I know that some internet junkies think it is cool to go lower case all the way and ignore punctuation. But when the spelling is so poor that you have to "guess" what the heck the guy is trying to say, I cannot resist the urge to yell out "SLOW DOWN!". There, I said it and I am glad.
 
I was told a while back. That Ruger was at one time using Douglas barrels. I have no facts to prove that so I can't say for sure. My smith has a bore scope so one day when I was heading over to his shop to hang out and chat. I took my 220 swift over and used his bore scope to look at it. I can say the the groves and rifling looked very uniformed! There was just over 200 rounds down the tube at that time. I have the round count wrote down what it was when I looked in the bore. But can't remember the exact amount. I do know it was 200 something. There were very little reamer marks and it was very slick. To the point that it looked like it had been hand lapped. Maybe fire lapping could have caused the barrel looking so slick but I wouldn't think it would uniform the rifling as they are. So maybe it's ture that Ruger used hand lapped barrels on some of their rifles? How ever I have my doubts. My 308 in the mark 2 didn't show as an impressive bore as the 220 swift, but it still was a true 3/4 moa rifle.

I believe that the biggest down fall for Ruger's is the scope mounting System. At least for me it is! As well I have talked to many Smiths that have said they want work on a ruger. There are a few around that will tho. I assume that most accomplished Smiths have gotten use to working with the Top nouch custom actions or they have never acquired the tools to work on ruger's for lack of popularity. They can and do make a lot better living working on Custom actions and Remington actions! Again I will say that Ruger's aren't crap, but if you ever put a BAT action in your hand and seen the qualtiy and craftmanship put into them! It becomes very clear why There is so many on the compition firing lines as well such a huge topic on this site!
 
And I can`t hold it in any longer. Maybe because I taught high school for 32 years. I know that some internet junkies think it is cool to go lower case all the way and ignore punctuation. But when the spelling is so poor that you have to "guess" what the heck the guy is trying to say, I cannot resist the urge to yell out "SLOW DOWN!". There, I said it and I am glad.

1000yardstare,
My hand is rasied! I willl admit it upfront! My spelling an punctuation is bad! VERY BAD! If it wasn't for spell check and my wife! I wouldn't post anything ever! Reading and grammer is my weakness! Math how ever isn't. So sorry about my spelling and punctuation. I will try to do better!

PS. I'm really not being a smart a** here either! My spell is pretty awful!
 
1000yardestare my grammer and spelling does suck. I know this on my own and didnt need you to find that out. Most of my problem comes for using the Iphone to much with text and email which makes a habit with the computer as well. The quicker the better. So whatever you get is what you get. If you dont like it O well. I am so sorry if its not up to your stantard.
 
I have a Ruger M77 that I love. It is a 220 Wilson-Arrow that was worked over by Dave Tooley. I am not a bench shooter, only to sight in a gun and then to the field for dogs. Point this gun at a dog, pull the trigger, then listen to your buddies tell you how good of a shot you are. I know Dave also did some work to the trigger as it is not the normal out of the box trigger from Ruger. My thoughts are, base on shooting my 220 Wilson Arrow that has had custom work done to it, it will become the gun you grab first when you head to prairie dog towns.
 
Ruger has been cold hammer forging their barrels for quite a long time - no Douglas barrels.

I'll agree that I don't care for the Ruger scope mounting, I'd prefer a Weaver style system that's even, not that business they have going on now. Fortunately Burris makes a solution to it that's very good and cheap to boot: $22.99 and the problem's solved, they mount rock solid http://www.opticsplanet.net/burris-ruger-to-weaver-redhawk-gloss-black-base-adapters.html
Add on the Burris Signature Zee rings with adjustable inserts and you can add in whatever MOA you want.

BATs are beautiful pieces of machinery, comparing one to a factory rifle's action will never be fair.

Wayne
 
Rugers are hunting rifles not competition guns. I have had several early Ruger 77 Flatbolts. They came with Douglas barrels for several years starting in 1968. Those rifles are especially accurate often shooting 1/2 inch groups with good loads. When Ruger started to manufacture their own barrels their accuracy suffered. It became much more difficult to find a good shooter off the shelf...a buyer stood a much better chance with a Remington or Winchester. I think they have gotten better recently.
 
I had one re-barreled once by Hammond in a 6ppc. It shot very well for a factory stock/trigger rifle. At least I thought so. Maybe John, who recently purchased it from me will chime in here and comment. He also seemed to like it. I always liked the way the bolt and actions looked!...Can you tell me where the spell check is on here, not kidding, I can't find it! Sorry.
 
Well seen a friend shoot a 1 1/2 3 shot group at 300 yards last weekend with a mark 2 ruger in 300 win. This was after he put a new timney trigger in floated the barrel and bedded the stock with steel devcon.
 
A lot of accuracy smiths that build bench guns won't touch Ruger actions, so that may be a major drawback to building one.
I have never really liked Ruger's bolt guns. They are too much of a Mauser knockoff, and if I want a Mauser I will buy one. Their scope mount system is far too limited in adjustment and ring options.
The one Ruger I have actually seen in action is my uncle's 30-06 that can't even shoot on par with my 740 semi-auto. He probably bought every brand, weight and style of factory ammo and can't get it under an 1.5" or even keep 1.5" with any consistency. And that's after spending a month at Ruger because it shot patterns when he first got it. Maybe he just got a lemon?

Their pistols and semi-autos are a different story all together. I have several and just started carrying an SR9C and trust my life to it. It's a just about bullet proof pistol, and I cannot make it jam no matter how hard I try.
 

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