Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles So how come nobody ever told me about these Rugers?

It's been over 30 years since I had a Ruger bolt action rifle. The last one was a heavy barrel .25-06 that wouldn't group under 2" to save my life. That made me very wary when hitting the "buy it now" on this one. So how come nobody over the past 30 years told me they were this good? (or someone probably did and I just wasn't listening )

Have had the lefty SS short action Model 77 .308 for a few weeks now, long enough to get to know it. By all accounts I shouldn't like it as much as I do.

That stock is just weird. Why couldn't they put a normal salt and pepper laminate on it instead of this funky green-black-brown combo? But after living with it a while the combination is becoming "interesting".

The forearm shape is great but the pistol grip is all wrong for me - too flat on the sides, no swell at the bottom at all, too short, yada, yada. The rifle is heavy - just 2 ounces shy of 8 pounds with the Ruger rings and a Leupold VX-II 3-9X40. It could probably shed about 2 pounds with someone else's rings. But the weight keeps the recoil down and helps it hold steady, and even at 8 pounds it balances very well so it doesn't feel overly heavy.

But the main thing is - it shoots. Boy, does it shoot! Had it glass bedded and free floated and the smith worked on the trigger so it breaks really cleanly at a very consistent 3 pounds. the action is smoothing up and I've figured out I have to put a tad downward pressure on the bolt handle to keep it from binding.

The proof is in the pictures. Both groups below are the load it loves, Winchester cases, Fed 210, 47.5 grs. RL-15 and a Hornady 150 Spire Point seated .030" off the lands. It averages 2817 fps which is just perfect, it can take more without strain but I like it right where it is.

Two weeks ago working up loads - 7 shots, blustery windy day, wind shifting from 8 to 12 o'clock and gusting from from 2-3 to 15 mph. The flyer is my fault but those other 6 went into .570"



Today - another cold and windy day but it was steady at 9 o'clock and a pretty constant 15 mph. These were for sight-in, three shots into .404". two of those shots are right on top of each other.



And here it is. The ringer was the result of practice this morning, all shots at 200 yards, most from kneeling with a few from offhand. You can see the wind pushed most shots to the 3 o'clock side but the weight and steadiness of the rifle was a real help.


(Just noticed but that stock does camouflage nicely against my muddy ol' weedy back yard.)

To say I like this rifle is an understatement. Despite all the stuff that's "wrong" about it I really, really like it.

Damned if I'm not having a heck of time deciding whether to get another one. Don't need another .308, got two already so it'd have to be a rebarrel, but I'm thinking with that 2.9" magazine box I could be the first kid on my block with a left hand, stainless steel short action M77 in .257 Roberts. Somebody please talk me out of this...