Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger M77 International vs. Rem 700 CDL

Always wanted a nice rifle to hunt deer and larger with (plains game size max).

I'd like one with iron sights and a decent stock, not a synthetic deal.

I've narrowed it down to the Ruger or the Rem 700. I've had Rem. 700's before that were nice, but I bought dad a Ruger Safari Mag in .416 Rigby and am very impressed with the quality and workmanship of the Ruger.

Any thoughts?

Derek

I don't think I've seen a CDL with sights, but I could be wrong.

I have three Ruger RSI's and while I like them very much, that can be a bit finicky about the ammo they work with. All mine are earlier tang safety models, all in .308 Win. and every one of them has been a one trick pony. The only load that has worked in them is 49.0 gr. of W-760 and the 165 gr. Speer Hot-core. The load has been great on Mule Deer to 250 yards even though the velocity is only 2550 FPS. Average accuracy with that load runs right at 1.25", good enough for deer.
I have geard from others that say accuracy sucks and a couple of people who said they were getting one inch groups. Maybe, just not in my rifles. YMMV. maybe the MkII's are better.
Paul B.

I like my Ruger #1 RSI (International). Of the M77 bolts I find the older tang safety models to fit my whims best. The Rem Model 7 is another really nice choice.

Do you have any specific questions?

Just curious if anyone had any experience with the Ruger M77 with the International stock, mainly.

I've had a lot of Rugers. My 10/22 is decent, my Mini-14 sucked (started "patterning" instead of grouping after about 400 rounds), my MkII and MkIII pistols were decent for the most part (one seemed to jam every other round but the others were good.).

Didn't want to buy something that was going to suck right out of the box. I've had that problem with a few new guns of late including a Marlin .22 that I bought for my brother-in-law where the sights were jammed way left from factory, and a couple of other guns. A Henry Accu-bolt with front sight canted so you couldn't adjust the rears far enough to compensate. Stuff like that.

You might be right, I did see a BDL with iron sights at Gander Mtn. last night, so I assumed the CDL might have them also...I could be wrong.

I like iron sights and def. want them as a back-up if scope fails.

Where are you in PA?
I'm near Erie.

I'm in the York area. Roughly 45 mins south of Harrisburg if you're not familiar with it.

Derek

I have two tang-safety RSIs, one a .243 and one a .308--both shot acceptably once the triggers were adjusted to a decent pull. Neither will shoot like a bench-rest rifle, but both will stay right around 1 inch at 100 yards with loads tht they like. I had the .243 rebedded a few years ago, thinking that it might reduce groups sizes a bit, and it did--about 1/4" +/-.

I also have a No. 1 RSI in 7x57 that I traded for recently. I haven't had a chance to shoot it much, but it's staying around 1 1/4"-1 1/2" with factory loads, and I have managed a couple of sub-1-inch groups with 120 grain Ballistic Tips and 140 grain AccuBonds.

I don't know if you have looked at CZs, but they have both full-stock and sporter stock rifles with open sights, and they come in a few chamberings that the Rugers don't.

I've had several M77SRI Internationals over the years - all tang safety Mark I's.

There were three (3) different .308's, two (2) .250 Savage's, a.270, and a .30-06.

Shooting all of them with factory ammo, the accuracy with all the .308's was "so-so", as posted above, and the .250's a tad better - but one of the most accurate centerfire rifles that I've ever had the pleasure of shooting was that .30-06, which went waaay under an inch @ 100yds.

Most Remington 700's are fairly accurate, but some have more than ample felt recoil with same cartridges, probably due to differences in stock design.

I know you're comparing a 700CDL, but there no real comparison - between a full (mannlicher-type) stocked rifle (RSI) and any non-full-stocked.
Barrel length difference is a biggie, here.

Remington does make a full stocked Model Seven, but you can buy three Ruger 77 RSI's for the price of one new Remington.

Derek,
I bought a CDL in .30/06 two years ago. It shot very well out of the box. The stock Remington uses is from Boyd's it has nice grain and figure; the design is strictly classic. The CDL's don't come with iron sights. I did add a Gre-Tan speed lock and had the trigger reworked to a 2.5 # pull. I've owned a few M77's, but none have grouped all that well.
John

Thanks guys. Guess I'll have to think about it some more. Also will check my Cabela's Card points balance -- see if I can knock some money off the price of whatever I get.

Forgive my ignorance but what is the main difference between a mannlicher-stocked rifle and a traditional stock? I've never owned a full-stock rifle before.

Derek

I'm familiar with York. I do a lot of work for Tyco (used to be AMP) down that way.

Ok, my uncle-in-law and aunt-in-law both work for Tyco in Lichtdale and my other uncle-in-law did for many years before he switched jobs. They used to work in York 'til they closed the plant and I actually live near one of the old plants.

Derek,
I've owned two Mannlicher stocked rifles, one was an original Mannlicher Schoenauer carbine in .358 Winchester, the other a Ruger International in .30/06. I have to say they both were attractive but they didn't seem to maintain their zeroes and they did not group that well either. Presumably this was due to stock extending to the muzzle. A friends M77 International in .308 WCF did group Federal factory reasonably well (1 - 1 1/2"). So you may get one that will live up to your requirements, but I think with a half stock rifle you will do better. It seems to me that a full stock is harder to bed and keep from warping.
John

Thanks, I always wondered if there was any difference besides appearance. Unfortunately many mfgs. are going away from iron sights and I'd prefer to buy an American rifle, despite the CZ's and the Remington 798's (Russian/Croatian) being very nice.

The main consideration for the RSI is that it is the only one they show in a Ruger M77 that still has iron sights (besides the Safari Mags). I know people mount scopes 95% of the time now but I still don't see why it would hurt to have iron sights on these things as a back-up.

I've got your answer!

The Model 7 CDL in .350 Rem Mag has iron sights!

M-7 .350 Mag

Putting on aftermarket sights might be an answer. I would love to have the old express 3 leaf sights with the Rigby Day/Night flip front ivory. Might as well get a barrel band for sling attachment. Neider plate and cap case colored to match the receiver.... Oh, did I ever digress.

The new Ruger Hawkeye RCM has irons, and likely a better barrel than the RSI...I don't know if they will catch on but a nice little rifle...you have to handle one to appreciate it fully.

Of course...you could have sights added to any Hawkeye by a local smith...

The RSI should get you 1 1/2" with bedding and the right ammo...

I had a couple of mannlichers and full length glass bedded them with a barrel band about 3/4 to the muzzle end...that helped accuracy, but is contrary to how I would bed a rifle now...

If I had a Mannlicher stock I would be tempted to cut it down if the zero wandered.



TC