Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Bidding on a Ruger M77 tang

On top of all the rifles, black powder and center fire from auctions I am bidding on an old Ruger tang action in 7x57, it will replace an old Spanish Mauser I sold a while back.

Will be nice to have one again.

Be wary of the older tangers, particularly in 7x57. The barrels can be hit or miss on quality. I once had a tang safety 7x57 with a throat so long it wouldn't touch a 175 Partition to the lands and keep the bullet in the neck. Needless to say, it did not shoot well. What's the serial number on the rifle you're looking to purchase? Should be able to figure out if it's a Ruger barrel from when it was made.

This is correct. I have a liking for the 7x57 as well but have steered clear of the Rugers for the reason prairie goat mentions.

Maybe you will luck out and get one that has a good barrel, is a good shooter! Nowadays you can get good after market triggers for them, that really helps!

I don't believe Ruger made any of the barrels for 77 tangers.

Ok you're probably right, I thought they started transitioning to their own barrels in the last few years of the tang safety. Anyway the point is that tang safety Rugers can be a bit "hit or miss", both literally and figuratively.

That said having owned several Tangers all have shot well. 300 Win mag, 7MM Rem mag,257 Roberts, 270 Winchester and a 6MM Remington. I would go for it. If it doesn't shoot well Winchester barrels use the same thread and remington barrels can be turned down and threaded to fit.

I have a 77 tang safety from 1974 in .30-06 and it is a great shooter, most factory ammo is around 1”.

Here is info, including serial#

Make: RUGER
Model: 77
Caliber: 7 X 57 MAUSER

Bore(s): Very Good
Comes With: No additional items
Action: Bolt Action Rifle

Main Description: No sights, blued finish, tapered round barrel, plum coloured receiver with integral scope bases, tang safety. One piece wood stock, checkered forearm and pistol grip, black rubber recoil pad, grip cap, hinged floor plate, swivel studs.

Wear: Metal finish shows some scratches, handling marks and wear. Stock shows some marks, scratches and finish wear.

Barrel Length: 21.5"
Serial: 7263779
Class: Canadian Non Restricted, Pal Required

Buy it chances are great that it will shoot. I have seen a lot of tangers and they have all shot
from acceptable to damn good. I had a 7x57 that had a Linda Lovelace throat and it shot 154 gr hdys into nice 3/4 triangle with the load i tried I quit there and just hunted it. Ive heard of poor shooting tangers but have yet to see one.

I Wouldn't Fhuqking Linger. Hint...............

Not with a Leupold and 257 bore. Sheesh

If I read the chart correctly, that serial number would make it 1977 production. The original recoil pad would likely have been red. Some late production 77 tang safety models did have black pads. The 21.5 inch barrel is probably just a measuring error as 22 was the norm. Sounds like a fun rifle. I’ve owned a couple just like it. They shot ok but were a bit finicky. I kind of wish I had one back. Enjoy.

Sandbaggin’ sunnaffagunn!

This is correct, with the tang safety rifles, about 1 out of 3 had a decent barrel

I’ve had piles and nary an accuracy issue. Hint.

Myths and Wives Tales,never aren’t not funny. Hint………..

^^^same
Funny, with all the bad rap on tangers the price keeps going up.
I did like the very early stock and last black pad stocks as they had thinner forends. The last ones did not have a safety that locked the bolt.
I have had 2 in 7x57 and loaded for two others.

Well managed to get a lot of stuff in the auction, and ended up getting the Ruger for 900.00CDN
Did not plan to pay that much, had simply put a high bid to see how it would go and near the end some obviously wanted it bad enough to go higher, so took me to my limit.
Oh well, shall see how she is once she gets here.

Had one back in ths day. Worst shooting factory rifle I ever owned. Had it set back and re-chambered to .284 Win. Got more velocity and worse accuracy. Not a knock on on the m-77 in general, just the red pads.

Ruger 77 tang safety 7X57MMs sure are high priced lately