Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger M77

If you pass you may well be missing an opportunity to get a great rifle.

My safe is full of Ruger M77 and MKII rifles - most purchased used � and there is not a bad one in the bunch. None have had anything done to them except float the barrel and tune the triggers, both of which are fairly easy tasks. Worst case, if you are not comfortable working on a trigger, there are aftermarket triggers available.

As to accuracy:

1982 Ruger M77, 7mm RM
Shot in 40+mph crosswinds, gusts to 60mph, 100 yards.


1984 Ruger M77, .30-06
2-shot scope check @ 100


1989 Ruger M77, .257 Roberts
3 shots @ 100 yards � the photo says it all.


2003 Ruger MKII, .300WM
1st shot was from a clean/oiled bore. 100 yards.


1994 Ruger MKII action, Ruger factory barrel (Thank you, Bear Paw Jack!)
3 shots @ 100 yards.


What you get with a Ruger M77 or MKII is a very rugged, reliable rifle. The triggers clean up easily or can be replaced. (I�ve net needed to replace any.) Float the barrel and tighten the screws properly and you should be good to go.

As to barrels, Ruger got a bad reputation when they were using barrels manufactured outside. (1970�s ?) Ruger long ago switched to in-house manufacture using hammer-forged barrels. See targets above�

The bolt and handle are one piece, no need to worry if the handle will come off as it can with a brazed-on handle. The scope mounting system is one of the strongest available � no itty-bitty mounting screws to break. (A mule and a log conspired to break two of my ribs after I landed on my M77. It still shot fine.) Finally, Ruger has great service. I purchased a used Blackhawk .357 Mag and had it sent in for repairs (bent basepin replacement). No charge for the repair or return shipping. More recently I purchased a new MKII in .300WM. There were handling marks in the bluing and minor scratches in the wood because it was a display rifle at Dick�s. Ruger reblued the barrel and, to my surprise and without being asked, replaced the stock with their �African� stock (a definite upgrade). Again, no charge for the repairs/upgrade or return shipping.

I fully expect that my Ruger rifles will outlast me by many years. My 7mm RM, manufactured in 1982, shot a 3-shot .262� group with North Fork bullets back in the 2002-2003 time frame. Not bad for a rifle that had been my only big game bolt rifle for 20 years and had gone elk and deer hunting all but one or two of those years.

Any time I find a good used Ruger at a good price I have a really hard time walking away.

Those pics look like perfect evidence that the smith tried to screw it back in.

Front of the barrel threads and front of the receiver are buggered up. IF the barrel had been screwed in crossed the first time, the threads would be buggered all the way to the bottom. They are not. Bottom of the receiver and the bottom of the barrel are good to go.
If the threads at the front of the barrel were buggered from an over pressure bulge or some misuse, the receiver threads would be fugged all the way out.

I think the pictures prove exactly why Ruger said go pound sand.

BT: why do you care?