Ruger 77 Mk II accuracy ?

[Country Boy]

 Had a 77 once in .243 and it shot great for about a year then went to heck. No amount of fiddling would make it shoot again. So I bought a browning A-bolt, shoots great but doesn't fit me  as the forend is too short the stud is in the palm of my hand. Now I'm looking at a used Ruger 77 again in .243 the slim forend is just right for me.  Do Rugers shoot well or do you have to fiddle with them a lot to make them shoot. I'm thinking of selling or trading my Browning to buy the Ruger because of stock fit. Would you take a chance on the used Ruger ? they are asking 550 for it and it is in good shape. I just wonder why the guy who had it got rid of it and if I can do something to make it shoot.

[alsaqr]

"Do Rugers shoot well or do you have to fiddle with them a lot to make them shoot."


Wood stocked Rugers have the same kinds of problems that other wood stocked guns have.   Weather conditions and humidity cause the stock to warp slightly and put the barrel out of whack.  My solution to all of them is to glass bed the action and first couple inches of barrel and float the barrel.  Have done this to dozens of wood stocked guns.  All of them shot better except for one Remington.  Had to insert a plastic shim about two inches back from the end of the forearm and then it was OK. 

[Luckyducker]

Every 77 Mark II I have ever had were tack drivers except for an "International" which has the full length stock in 308Win, I finally gave up and traded it off on a standard model in 30/06.  That Mark II RS was so bad I could barely keep the shots in a 5" round target at 50 yds.

[rugerfan01]

I think 550 is too high! look on Gallery of guns and check the price of a new one. I purchased a new Hawkeye not to long ago from a local sporting goods store and I think it was like 579 and it has the new LC6 trigger and its some improvement over the older style triggers and IMO the stock design is better and the kick pad is a good improvement.
I dont think you would be hard pressed to get good hunting accuracy out of one I have 3 and they all shoot pretty darn good Out of the box but i agree with the other poster about the wood and would recommend bedding the action but try it first. I think overall that they are a good value and are tuff rifles.
hope this helps and good luck

[safetysheriff]

Had a 77 once in .243 and it shot great for about a year then went to heck. No amount of fiddling would make it shoot again. .

i still agree with those relatively few who say that the .243 is a barrel-burner, plain and simple!   some decry my reaction to that cartridge, but i've seen how it heats up a barrel with just three rounds going through it!   and i've read from competitors and gun 'scribes' about the .243 burning up barrels in competition and in other pursuits.   it's too far-gone over-bore!

i think you could have pulled that barrel and put a .308 onto that action/stock with great results.

i would not give anybody......knowingly.......$550 for a used one.    "no way in hell !"    it's too much....

ss'   

[Country Boy]

Appreciate your comment. I can get a new one on the net for 499 + shipping.
   As to my old one I had it rebarrelled to .358 Win. I was bear hunting in Manitoba and the guide was so iimpressed with it, he offered me a second hunt for half price if he could have it. Done deal several years ago, I can't even count the number of moose,elk and bear he killed with it and it's still going strong.

[safetysheriff]

sometime back i read where some very generous vendor in alaska was selling Ruger All-Weather Model 77 MKII's cheaply, if not at cost, because of how much he figured it was helping his customers to have such a reliable rifle, which would help bring them home more safely.   i wish i could remember where i saw that in print.

there is no rifle i prefer to work with accuracy-wise over a Remington; but a Ruger in All-Weather is my top choice for the Miserable weather and so on that is so tough on firearms in the far North (and elsewhere, actually).   i can't picture a more reliable set-up than the Model 77 MkII's simple inner workings.   

i re-work the Ruger trigger per the instructions at www.centerfirecentral.com/77trigger.html      you may have to 'zoom' the one image (or maybe the newer one(s), too) to see how the trigger job is done.   i know on my computer i had to zoom-in.    i use a file or a stone, with a polishing of the parts when i get the angles done properly per the instructions.   i use 600 or 1000 grit wet-n-dri machinists paper.    it greatlly lightens a Ruger trigger, and can actually make 'em too light if you want the rifle as a carry firearm.   

it is Very Important to keep the angles proper to get a decent engagement of the sear.

best regards,

ss'   

[Texas Hunter]

The only Ruger rifle i have owned was bought last year at a pawn shop that was in the process of moving to a larger building so they had a lot of stuff marked down.
What i came across was a 99.9 % M77 Compact in . 243 sporting a spotless Nikon Monarch 3x9x40 scope.
They had the rifle marked as an Ultra-Lite and after retrieving my gun values book the manager saw his mistake.
Anyway i got the whole rig including a two rifle gun case for $375.00.
I bought it primarily for the scope as i wanted to put it on my recently aquired Rem 700 LV in .308 and just sell that little munchkin of a rifle for a profit.
Well one Sat. morning i took the little rifle to the range.
It could easily fire five 100 gr. Rem Core Lokts into a 1.5 inch group.
I was astounded this short thin barrel could shoot that well.
Although it wasn't near as accurate as my 30 year old Rem Mohawk 243 but it was pefectly acceptable none the less.
So yea Ruger M77's can most certainly be accurate.

I sold the rifle a few months ago for $375.00 and still regret it.
Oh yea about .243's.
My 30 year old Mohawk has had cases of ammo fired through it over the last three decades and using Federal Power Shock ammo with their 100 gr. bullet it can place a three shot group that can be covered with a dime.
It is still using the original barrel as when i bought it in 1977 for a meager $99.00.
Yes you read that right.

[Coyote Hunter]

Country Boy –

I’m a self-confessed Ruger fan but not without reason.

I have several Rugers and all shoot very well.  None of them have had anything done to them except floating the barrel and polishing up the trigger.

By “shooting well” I’m talking about the following:

0.50”, 4 shots @ 200, .22-250 M77 MKII
0.232”, 3 shots @ 100, .257 Roberts M77
0.266”, 3 shots @ 100, 7mm Rem Mag M77
0.85”, 3 shots @ 100, .300 Win Mag MKII “canoe paddle”
1.00”, 10 shots @ 100, .30-06 M77

As to $550 for a used Ruger, no way.  My .257 Roberts cost me $400 in January 2004 and included a Leupold M8 4x scope.  My .30-06 was $375 used last November and my “canoe paddle” .300 Win Mag was $375 new for Christmas in 2004.