Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Let's talk Ruger 77/22's

I've got a line on a Ruger 77/22 All-Weather, stainless, boat paddle stock, for sale at a local store. Trigger is typical factory Ruger but the gun is in clean shape and the price seems right--about what a new Ruger American is selling for.

Anything in particular to keep an eye out for with 77/22's? If you've got one, how do you have it set-up and how do you like it?

If it's priced in line with an american, run, don't walk, to get it. They are super sturdy, function flawlessly and are plenty accurate. Boat paddles are bringing a premium too.

Mine is a 22 magnum and wears a leupold 2-7. I've had it for 20 years and still love it

what he said, ...................only louder!

I would buy it quick. I have had mine for numerous years and would not ever sell mine. Very accurate and fuction all top notch. Do a trigger job to start off. Good shooting.

I've owned and hunted a stainless Long Rifle boat paddle with the old green inserts for a very long time. I like it, it handles like a rifle, it's tough, lightweight and very accurate with ammo it likes. The trigger isn't match grade but it doesn't seem to bother me much in the squirrel woods. No telling how many squirrels, rabbits, coons, groundhogs, crows, feral cats and assorted game or pest that rifle has accounted for in the last 25 or so years I've owned it.

I liked my first one so much I bought a couple more.

Thanks guys, I came to my senses and bought it. Given that it came with a Leupold Vari-X-III 3.5-10 I figure I got a good deal at $399 out the door

I'll see how it shoots in a few months when it comes up in the rotation; too many other projects in motion right now. Should be a fun gun--handles fast and is substantially lighter than the laminate stocked 77/22's I've handled. I also like being able to use 10/22 magazines, given that I've got a whole drawer full of them.

Congrats. You've saved yourself from years of bitter regret.

They aren't always the most accurate .22s out there, but they're hell for stout.

Great rifles but they can stand a little improvement. Trigger, float barrel, and possibly shim the bolt. Trigger is easy. Just grind a little off the spring and a couple passes with a fine stone on the shear (go slow with several grindings to retain flat ends with trials on the spring until one gets where he wants to be).

Also, it may or may not need a shim in the middle of the bolt. Mine did (0.007"). Just enough that there was slight resistance to closing with ones thumb. Essentially cleared up a headspace issue. I was near shipping mine for a new barrel when that bit of knowledge came down the pike. Now it's a toss up between ground squirreling with the Ruger or an Anschutz.

Despite that work, I still think they are great rifles. Probably 40,000 rds through mine.

Excellent deal.

I have had mine since 1986 although blue/wood. Taught my three kids and several nieces and nephews how to shoot a bolt action with it. I did not do any trigger work on it because of that. However, I did install a shim in the two-piece bolt.

It has a Bushnell Banner 17 Super 3.5-10x36mm AO scope on it. Holds POI year after year.

good deal doesn't even come close to describing that one! The scope is worth more than half that.

Nice theft.

I found a blued/synthetic and I didn't even know they existed. It was on sale for $450. Brand new and they only had two left.

This one didn't mate up perfectly with the stock but bedding a bread twister tab thing into the stock (Barsness trick) put everything in line and it shoots like a sumbitch. I did stone the schit out of the trigger/sear and snipped the spring. The trigger has creep but is light.



Don't get too excited about your drawer full of mags. The 77/22 uses a different magazine. My 10/22 mags feed for dogschit in it.



Dave

I've read about shimming the bolt and trigger work, ect. My little rifle will shoot five shots 1/2" or slightly less @ 50 yards with several different loads as is. I just haven't felt the need to tinker with it. Squirrels hate it!

BTW, the 77/22 uses its own magazine and does not interchange with the 10/22 mags. Yeah, I know... that's a bummer.

Mine did this bone stock @ 50yds. Slightly better now.

Not exactly true. The profile of the two types are different with the 10/22 having a rounded bottom and the 77/22 having a flat bottom. In both cases the profile is so they mount flush with the bottom of the stock profile. But, a 10/22 mag will work in a 77/22 rifle but won't look as nice, but will function as it should.

I have a box full of 10/22 mags and none of them feed in my 77/22 without some forward pressure.




Travis

I put a trigger spring from Ernie the Gunsmith in this one and it lightened up a bit, but think next time I'm just gonna go to a good hardware store and pick up a much lighter one.

Also thinking about a 6x36 to replace the 4x to help my poor old eyes a bit.

Mine is a wood and blue, 22 Hornet, with the Luepold 2x7. I've killed a lot of prairie dogs, rabbits, coyotes with it. Its one of the rifles i keep at the front of the safe for quick access if a small rifle is needed. My best buddy loved it so much I had to find one for him too. His has the laminate stock and is slightly heavier, but both are great shooters.

10/22 or 77/22 Mags. Either work fine in my 77. Does anyone here have a 77 that is threaded to the receiver as opposed to the wedged in block for barrel seating? Heard they were going that way a couple years back but not seen one.

I wouldnt mind having a Ruger 77/17 in 17HM2 but not for the prices they demand these days.....