Factory Ammo in a M77 mk2

[Cabin4]

Has anyone experimented or had any excellant results with factory hunting ammo in a Ruger M77 MK2 in 30-06 ? If so what load was it ?

Thanks

[SAWgunner]

If youare talking about groups, you are going to be hard stretched to have an "excellent" group from a pencil barreled sporter rifle.  Even if it is a GBO beloved Tikka!!  heh heh.  Seriously though, I have an M77 Mark II in 7mm mag that I bought new in 1995.  It groups very well, for a lighter weight "stalking" rifle that I use it for.  I have never seen a thin barreled rifle from any manufacturer or caliber touch a heavy barreled rifle.  If you were wondering about performance on a given animal with a given bullet, you bought one of the best darn rounds in the world.  My father has been using his .30'06 for years with excellent results.  We both use the WInchester Fail Safes for elk (he uses the 160 grain) and he uses the 150 grain PSP from Winchester and Federal on Whitetails and Mulies.  This probably won't help ya much, but the wife is gone, and I am bored so I responded to you.  heh heh

[Skeezix]

The most accurate factory ammo I've ever fired out of any of my '06's is the Hornady Custom ammo.  I've had terrific results with every bullet weight I've tried in this brand, but I use the 150 gr boat tail spire point on deer, with excellent results.  I haven't tried the Hornady Light Magnum factory ammo.  The rifles that I've shot the Hornady Custom in are a Ruger M77 MkII All Weather (stainless with composite stock), a Sako Finnbear L-61R, Winchester Model 70 Featherweight, and a several different Browning BAR's (both the original model and the newer Safari Grade).  Try it, you'll like it.   :grin:


Skeezix
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Only accurate guns are interesting...

[Wild Oregon]

The Hornady Light Magnum is excellent, maybe overkill for whitetail deer but its truly great for Elk and Black Bear.

Did you realize if the earth was hundreds of million of years old the Sahara desert would cross the African Continent

[Cabin4]

I am not yet done with this experiment and likly will dot be done until the end of August. So far I have the following ammo on hand and have shot at least one group with each.

Rem 150 & 180 cor-lokt
PMP 143 FJBT
PMC 150 FMJ
Win 150 Ballistic Silvertips
Win 150 Power Points
Fed 150 Hi-Shock SP
Fed 150 Sierra Game King BTSP
Hornady 150 sp
Win 150 Supreme Pwr Point Plus
Rem 150 Swift Scirocco

So far the best 3 shot groups are as follows:

Win 150  Ballistic Silvertips   2 groups -  1@ MOA  and 1@ 1.25
PMC 150 FMJ  2 groups both under MOA
Fed 165 Sierra Game King BTSP  1 group @ 1.25
Hornady 150 sp 1 group @ MOA

These are all cold bbl shots. I wait at least 5min between shots.

I have a few more loads to try yet that are not on the list above such as Hornady 165 Sp and a few other 165's from Fed, Rem & Win.

The Ruger seems to very selective in what ammo it likes. But the better groups above are nothing to complain about. Unfortuniatly the best of the best groups above are from a cheap $9 box of the PMC FMJ's. Not good for hunting deer with. But with the skinny field bbl on this Ruger M77 MK2 with the synthetic stock and ss I can't really complain. I'm certain that I will find factory ammo that will consistantly give MOA or near MOA. I'm going to do a little more trigger work on the gun and take some more wieght off. I got rid of all the creep and over travel and some of the weight but a bit more and it should be good to go.

When all done, I will publish the final group results.

[jgrass]

I had great luck with federal premium 165 grn. trophy bonded. 3/4 to 1 1/4 groups @100 yrds.
I got a nice 11pt white tail, 190 lbs 225 yrds, frontal shot, right thru the white spot on the neck, where I aimed. one shot and it droped and did'nt move.
 Take a look at the Buck on the web. The  outfitter used the deer for his web sight. Go to: Four Star Adventures, white tail deer hunting, Anticosti Island, Quebec Canada.

[yella hammer]

Ruger M77 Mark II All Weather 30-06
Hornady light magnum
150 gr

hitt'n a quarter dollar at 100yrds

Only once or twice then you let that pencil for a barrel cool