M77 and M77 mark II

[Muddy05]

What are the differences between The older M77 and the M77 Mark II. I know the safetys are different and the recoil pad is different. And which seems to be the better rifle?

[Graybeard]

I think by now the whole world probably knows I'm NOT a Ruger fan. But I actually kinda like the older Rugers with the tang safety. Nice rifles. The look good and feel good and don't have the Winchester safety on them which I hate. You'd be hard pressed to get one of the newer ones in my hands.

[victorcharlie]

Well....I've always been a big Ruger fan.........but I've never had one that I didn't have to spend a fair amount of time fiddling with it to get it to shoot the way I wanted them to.........I like the older tang saftey models much better than the new ones..........fact is, the Stevens and pre accuratrigger savages still have the tang saftey.......yea, there ugly, but they shoot great without much tinkering..........

Why would ruger redesign it?  I give up!

[safetysheriff]

the new rugers need trigger work with either a stone or file and some 600 grit machinists paper to polish the work when you get the new angles on the trigger.

see www.centerfirecentral.com to see the gunsmithing issues.   i've done three of them and they work just fine without replacing the triggers on the new M77 Mk II.    if you don't want to do it yourself you can possibly get a drop-in replacement to help with the trigger-pull weight.    

take care,

ss'

[Lawdog]

I have a number of both the older “tang safety models” and the newer MKII’s.  I really like the older “tang safety” model but it needs to have the recoil pad replaces.  The newer MKII’s need to have a better trigger.  Either by replacing it with a Timney Adjustable one of having a gunsmith re-work the original one.  I prefer to go with the Timney Adjustable trigger as after your done you now have a rifle with an adjustable trigger and that also increases the value of the rifle.  Outside of that the Ruger bolt action is a great rifle.  Strong, reliable and accurate.  If you get one you won’t be sorry.  Lawdog
 

[daddywpb]

I agree that the MK2 triggers are crap. I replaced mine before I even shot the rifle. But, I have buddies who have just bought new Remington 700's and Winchester Mod 70's and the triggers are just as bad. As long as lawyers are running the firearms industry, Timney and Rifle Basix will have all the buisness they can handle. By the way, Rifle Basix now offers a drop in replacement trigger for Win 70's. I just put one in a friend's 300 WSM and it's a great trigger. No tinkering, grinding or filing needed. Adjustable from 10 ounces to 4 pounds. I have one of them in my Ruger 77 and a couple Marlins.

[Muskie Hunter]

I had an old Ruger with tang safety in 338 win.mag.It was the best shooter that I have ever owned but all I had to do to get it to shoot 3/8 inch groups is have a gunsmith work on the factory trigger and take it to 3-1/2 pounds for a hunting weight trigger.The thing kicked like a mule though and after shoulder surgery,I sold it before I could change the recoil pad.I did have the rifle for about 5 years and am one sorry fellow for selling it,simply,because I wanted a Les Baer 1911.I do have a Winchester with a three position safety and I like the safety over the Remington's because they lock the bolt down.I didn't like the ruger's three position safety though,cause it seemed to jagged and sharp to me,although,with a little work,I'm sure it would be fine.I have a couple Remingtons too,a 22-250 VL and a new CDL classic in 300 mag.The 22-250 needed a lot of work to shoot and is still out done by my wife's Ruger no. 1 ,22-250.The 300 mag,I'm still working with and after a custom trigger,I'm still trying to work up a load that it likes and I may find one unless I can find somebody who'll take it off my hands.When that happens,I'm going to buy another Ruger or Winchester.
In answer to your question,however,I think that either one,77 or 77 MII would be a good choice and they still come with open sights too.That's a plus in my book.

[Coyote Hunter]

Muddy –

I have two tang-safety M77’s and two three-position safety M77 MKII’s, one of which is the VT model (heavy barrel, laminated stock, two-stage trigger).  Of the earlier M77’s one is the older type (1981) where the bolt cannot be opened if the safety is on, the other is newer (1989) and allows it.

I like them all.  I haven’t done anything to the VT because the barrel was already floated and the trigger was excellent.  The others all got the barrel floated and the trigger surfaces polished.  All shoot very well and have excellent triggers now.

The MKII’s include controlled-round feed, three position safety and a different floorplate release mechanism.

But I like them all.

[QuailKiller]

I have a tang safety M77 in 30-06 made in 1978 according to Ruger's website.  The guy I bought it from adjusted the trigger down to 3lbs., floated the barrel, and installed a Pachmeyr reciol pad on it.  

I have only ran one load through it, with some 180 core-lokts.  It shoots about 1 1/4" groups.  Good enough for me, but I do think it could do better with some load development.  Me and my brother both took deer with it this year and I also took an elk.  

Gotta love that tang safety!  It is right where a safety belongs!  Unlike the Remington 700 you won't bump it and accidently put it on safety while you are operating the bolt.

[ZANARDI]

Muddy05,

Never shot an older MKII but I do have a new M77. It is laminate with stainless barrel in .30-06.

I want to say I love the gun. Don't necessarily assume you will have to install a new trigger or have trigger work done. The trigger on mine feels great. I'm a beginning centerfire shooter. Off the bench I can get three holes touching at 100 yards with a cool barrel. This is right out of the box with factory ammo. Compared to other factory triggers I have no idea if my particular one is good, bad or indifferent. I just know the trigger feels fine to me and I can't ask for better results than above. I suggest if you find one you like, ask the dealer if you can dry fire to see how the trigger feels.

You don't say what caliber you might be interested in or what you want to use the gun for. The laminate / stainless combo weighs a ton. I like it because I am not a serious hunter. I bought the gun primarily to learn with and have fun shooting something bigger than a rimfire. The weight soaks up the .30-06 recoil to the point where I can whip through several boxes of ammo in a sitting with very minimal discomfort. I view the weight as a big plus. If you plan to carry your rifle miles through the woods, you'll probably want to avoid the laminate.  

Take my tips for what they're worth! I would say if you have your heart set on a MKII old or new would be fine. Don't worry about the safety and worry about the trigger only if it becomes an issue.

[Coyote Hunter]

Muddy05,

Never shot an older MKII but I do have a new M77. It is laminate with stainless barrel in .30-06. ...

The older guns were M77's.  The newer ones are M77 MKII's.

[Sourdough]

Bought a M-77 in .338 Win Mag back in 85.  Went out to the shooting range with my reloading equipment one day and started with the starting loads in the old Lyman manual.  Started working up in 1/2 grain incraments.  Kept going looking for pressure signs, three shells at a time.  When I got the first pressure signs I backed down 1/2 grain and settled with that load.  Loaded up two boxes of shells and only used them for hunting.  Shot two a year, one to make sure rifle was still shooting right, and one to kill a Moose.  In 2002 the wife gave me a new MKII in .338.  Took it to the range with the six remaining shells from the old loadings.  Fired one shot realised it was too much for the new gun.  Lucky I did not blow my head off!  Went back and worked up a load for the MKII and had to stop 1 1/2 gr shy of the maximum load in my Nosler manual.  Started getting high pressure signs.  Went back and checked my old loads with the manual (something I had never done before).  I was four full grains over the Maximum.  The old M-77 shoots this load with no problem,  Yet it was way too much for the MKII.

[curdog]

i have a m77 ruger in 25-06 with a 6+18+52 bushnell. i did have a trigger job done. it is by far the best gun at any range i have owned. when it hits my shoulder it is ready to shoot. :grin:

[robk]

i just traded an encore in 308 for a ruger m77 in 308 with the tang safety. i have always liked the safety like the savage safety on the older savages and this is no exception. i am going to either add anew recoil pad or i am going to try and find a good synthetic stock for it with a better recoil pad and possibly a muzzle brake. due to injuries and surgeries my shoulder can't take a lot of beating. i have found the rifle has not been shot much at all and it looks like it just came off the shop owners rack or out of the box. i am really going to do some loads for it so if anyone might reload and has some loads they use please ship them to me to try would you please
thanks
roib k
rkinney11@cox.net