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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Rifles
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Woodbeef
.275 member


Reged: 30/12/06
Posts: 82
Loc: Badlands of Alberta
How good are the Ruger 77 rifles?
      #98290 - 04/03/08 09:13 AM

Never see much about them. Are these decent rifles or not?

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9.3x57
.450 member


Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5504
Loc: United States
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: Woodbeef]
      #98292 - 04/03/08 09:31 AM

Yes, after doing the following:

1} freefloat barrel
2} epoxy bed the recoil lug
3} relieve the tang
4} fix the trigger

I favor them, and do essentially every one of the above to every one. All of these jobs are easy and demand about the same skill necessary to open a can of beer with one hand while scooping a fistfull of peanuts with the other, once knowing what exactly to do, that is.

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What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

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jro45
.300 member


Reged: 25/12/03
Posts: 192
Loc: DE, USA
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: 9.3x57]
      #98327 - 04/03/08 11:27 PM

If its not broke don't fix it. But I'd Make sure it fit me tho. You know LIKE bring it up that every thing lined up.

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JabaliHunter
.400 member


Reged: 16/05/07
Posts: 1958
Loc: England
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: jro45]
      #98329 - 04/03/08 11:36 PM

The only one I have had was a Mk2 in 22 Win mag rimfire. I liked it alot and it was very accurate. I would replace the trigger at least on any american factory rifle though...

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9.3x57
.450 member


Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5504
Loc: United States
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: jro45]
      #98338 - 05/03/08 12:23 AM

Quote:

If its not broke don't fix it. But I'd Make sure it fit me tho. You know LIKE bring it up that every thing lined up.



Sorry, but I have no idea what you are saying here.

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What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

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gwh
.333 member


Reged: 28/01/08
Posts: 277
Loc: Cairns Australia
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: 9.3x57]
      #98495 - 06/03/08 11:57 AM

I have had one of the skeleton stocked MKIIs in .308 for years, has taken a lot of game for me, the only smithing that is has had was a sear polish to lighten the trigger and nothing else. It still shoots 3 round 1 inch groups at 100m. probably about as rugged and reliable as a rifle can get.

In case you hadn't picked up the vibe - I like the rugers.....

--------------------
Hunt hard, shoot straight

"I speak of Africa and golden joys; the joy of wandering through lonely lands; the joy of hunting the mighty and terrible lords of the wilderness, the cunning, the wary and the grim"

Theodore Roosevelt, Khartoum, 1910

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Huvius
.416 member


Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3524
Loc: Colorado
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: gwh]
      #98737 - 08/03/08 04:12 PM

Rugers, as a rule, are very good value for the money.
Plus, Bill Ruger was a great guy!
I applaud any American gunmaker who markets an English style falling block - Ruger No.1 - and a true magnum length bolt action - M. 77 Magnum. Proving to the others (Winchester take note) that there is a market for such sporting weapons.
They do what they are intended for - just don't be tempted to compare them with guns higher up in the market - not that a custom Ruger wouldn't be a fab rifle.

--------------------
He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

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9.3x57
.450 member


Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5504
Loc: United States
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: Huvius]
      #98762 - 09/03/08 01:38 AM

Quote:

Rugers, as a rule, are very good value for the money.

They do what they are intended for - just don't be tempted to compare them with guns higher up in the market - not that a custom Ruger wouldn't be a fab rifle.



Two great summations about Rugers.

They are my favorite American factory-standard sporting rifle. In my opinion they are "cheap" without looking cheap. Bill Ruger understood that punch press technology is fine for Sturmgewehre but no matter how hard a company works to hide it, stampings scream "chincy cheap". This has become commonplace in the mass production world of course, and the use of sheet metal stampings and multipart fabrications does not necessarily make a gun a poor performer but does make them look and feel tinny, at least to me.

Funny thing that you posted that Hoffman Huvius, as I have always wanted Ruger to spin out a stock design identical to that rifle.

Rugers commonly have their warts as-issued straight from the factory, and of all of ours they typically need the fixes I mentioned above, but for the counter price, I've never minded doing that work to them. They are our most-used rifles.

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What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

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Charles
.275 member


Reged: 13/12/07
Posts: 55
Loc: Texas
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: Woodbeef]
      #98790 - 09/03/08 07:32 AM

I can't speak for anyone else, but I have had a 7mag, 257 Roberts and have a 220 Swift and a 458. I like their guns.

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DoubleD
.400 member


Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2396
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: Charles]
      #98814 - 09/03/08 05:11 PM

Back in the late 70's and early 80's there were some issues with Ruger barrels. Saw several come into the shop with loose/tight spots. Two simple solutions. Send the gun back to Ruger for a new barrel, which they changed no charge or rebarrel in my shop. I actually had a couple of guys pay to have the barrel changed. (That's how I got introduced to the .338/06)

I sent one barrel back from a barrel change and Ruger paid for the new Donnelly barrel I put on for the Customer. The customer thought that was pretty nice of Ruger and it took the bad taste away.

The other Ruger issue is those integral mount scope rings. The clamp nuts and screws are (were) dead soft. These show up as a rifle that won't hold zero. People cuss their scope and start scope swapping. Doesn’t help! Ruger disavowed the issue. But every single rifle that came into the shop had flared nuts or stretched screws. Back then I solved the problem by drilling and tapping the receiver for Leupold/Redfield Scope base and rings. My own .22-250 had the problem. Sight the gun in at the range, put in the gun case and carry it to the field and the zero shifted. Lay the gun on the seat and not put it in the case and everything was just fine.

In 2001 I built a 338/308 AI on an old Ruger 77 action with the tang safety. I used aftermarket rings (Millet?) for the Ruger integral bases and had no problem. I took that gun to South Africa for my once in a lifetime hunt. Had no problem with the gun. (I won’t comment on the problems I had with the shooter.) I did take a Martini for back up.

--------------------
DD, Ret.

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Ripp
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Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: Woodbeef]
      #98919 - 11/03/08 12:27 AM

HAVE A COUPLE--personally, agree with some of what's been said--they are what they are...just like CZ's, Remingtons, Winchesters, Weatherby's and everyone else-they all have good and bad characteristics..you are not spending a ton of money on any of those I mentioned above--however they can all be good--on the Rugers I have the Triggers were horrible at the beginning..but a bit of work and no problems--

Back in the 80's I had a friend who was a wholesale jobber for sporting goods stores--they (Ruger) reportedly at that time were using really cheap barrels for their rifles--however I think that has changed somewhat as the competition has forced them to become a better rifle--however in all the reading I do on different tests..IMHO, they are not normally at the top of the heap in the accuracy department...Having said that, when Weatheby come out with their lightweights in .257 caliber, I went through 4 of them and not one would shoot into their guaranteed 1 1/2 group with factory ammo--so I built a custom using a Remington action and Hart barrel..that will shoot 1/2 inch groups all day long..


Personally, I have been buying guns that feel good and has some of the items I like and then customize it with a really good barrel and any other item I want to change---works for me..

Ripp

--------------------
ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..

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9.3x57
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Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5504
Loc: United States
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? [Re: Ripp]
      #98929 - 11/03/08 02:51 AM

Quote:

Personally, I have been buying guns that feel good



THAT the main reason we buy Rugers. They carry nice, appear businesslike and without frills. If I had to "close my eyes and buy" a rifle purely for accuracy, I guess I'd pick a Savage followed by or equalled by a Remington 700. But the Rugers "fit" us and our hunting methods and for the ranges demanded, they work well.

In fact, I did so. When I bought a rifle for pure work; vermin control to protect my 30,000 tree plantation, I bought a bull-barrelled Savage. Very accurate, but as Ripp says...they all seem to need work...I had to have the extractor fixed by the company and I had to adjust the bedding even on that one. But its accuracy and shootability {Accu-Trigger} won out over the Ruger, IMO, and it has performed its job very well.

Frankly, I was hoping Ruger would take notice of Savage and introduce a "Accu-like" trigger. In my opinion, if American makers are too chicken to produce a good set trigger, at least they should follow Savage's lead in that regard. The new LC6 trigger is just more of the same standard Ruger, crummy trigger engineering, at least as on the ones I've tested.

--------------------
What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

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Tatume
.400 member


Reged: 09/06/07
Posts: 1091
Loc: Gloucester, Va USA
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? (Re: Savage trigger) [Re: 9.3x57]
      #98932 - 11/03/08 05:37 AM

Recently I sold the only Savage I owned that had an Accu-Trigger. It was a pretty good trigger, but not nearly the equal of the trigger in the Savage target rifle I use in long-range competition. After a little time spent studying the operation of the earlier Savage trigger, it was straight-forward to adjust. Mine is set at two pounds, is crisp, and has no over travel.

Another Savage I own has what appears to be the same trigger, but the adjustment doesn't allow the same let-off weight. It can be adjusted down to two pounds, but the safety will not work. In order for the safety to be operational, pull weight must be at least four pounds. I'm pretty sure this can be corrected with a little stone work, but this particular rifle is a hunting gun, and four pounds is just fine.

Take care, Tom

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26510
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? (Re: Savage trigger) [Re: Tatume]
      #98978 - 12/03/08 01:34 AM

I like 2 pounds on a hunting rifle - any hunting rifle, but shot 3 pounds for years in position competition to meet the rules.
; CZ 527's seem to have the accuracy edge in little calibres - at least judging by the shooting my friends over on saubier.com have been doing for the past 3 years or more. I have no experience with the 550's. Next, I'd place Savages, but 1st in larger bore hunting rifles. Their out of the box accuracy is unbeatable so far. I've never met one that didn't think it was a varmint rifle- including .338's and a .375.
; As to triggers, I Timney almost everything I own including Mausers and will probably do the M46 just to keep things consistant. I do love a 2 pound trigger. My gopher guns are 4 to 6 ounces.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Tatume
.400 member


Reged: 09/06/07
Posts: 1091
Loc: Gloucester, Va USA
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? (Re: Savage trigger) [Re: DarylS]
      #99049 - 12/03/08 10:10 PM

Hi Daryl,

I pulled my Savage M110 30-06 out of the stock to re-examine the trigger. In order to make the safety work at two pounds pull weight, it is necessary to stone a few thousanths off the lump that the safety rides over. As trigger pull is reduced, this lump rises, and on this particular gun it rises too far for the safety to slide over it at slightly less than four pounds. I keep this gun as a loner. The last person I loaned it to was a chief in the Coast Guard. Along with the gun I gave him a handful of ammo and my business card with a five-shot group in the center. He was confident it would take his deer, and it did.

Take care, Tom

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albertan
.333 member


Reged: 13/06/06
Posts: 432
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? (Re: Savage trigger) [Re: Tatume]
      #99444 - 17/03/08 10:36 AM

In my experience Rugers have crummy triggers and terrible recoil pads. On a centerfire with some recoil a decent pad is a must. After that, play with it. They are generally tough and dependable.

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jimincolo
.224 member


Reged: 17/03/08
Posts: 9
Loc: colorado
Re: How good are the Ruger 77 rifles? (Re: Savage trigger) [Re: albertan]
      #99484 - 18/03/08 02:34 AM

IMO, they represent excellent value. They may not be quite as accurate as the Remington or Savage, but are very reliable. On balance, I think they're the best Model 70 look-a-like for the money. My Remingtons require a lot more TLC after the season, because of stock scratches, rust formation, etc. Add new rings, perhaps a recoil pad, & some trigger work; & you have a relly good hunting rifle.

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