Well here it was New Years Day and right before noon, the wind that has been blowing hard here for weeks, quit!
Just that fast, I had the VarmintMobile loaded, unplugged (block heater) and on the way to my friends private range!
I sped past herds of Mule Deer and herds of Antelope and herds of Whitetails and flocks of Geese and then past the vast herds of Bison - nothing slowed the VarmintMobile or me, as I feared the wind would start back up for some reason!
I have been on hold since mid-December waiting for a windless day that I could test out a new to me Ruger Model 77 V/T in caliber 204 Ruger!
I had mounted a Leupold 8.5x25 variable in high rings (I have a long neck!) on it and gathered some munitions from my other 204's for my initial range duty!
My original "bore sighting" with the Leupold magnetic end of the barrel type bore sighter proved to be only 8" horizontally off and 2" vertically off from a dead on sight in!
How does it do it?
I don't know HOW this Leupold bore sighter works but I am convinced that it does - now that I have used it for 18 months or so and on dozens of Rifles.
My first firing used the Sierra 32 grainers and even though the ammo made the bolt a little sticky to close I made one five shot group with it there at 100 yards that measures under .65".
I used my steel ruler to obtain this measurement there at the range. I have not taken the dial calipers to the groups as yet as I hurried back home to rejoin the family visitation on the holiday!
Next I tried two groupings with the 35 grain Berger bullets and they shot a little better - both groups were just under .60" for 5 shots there at 100 yards!
Great shooting I thought for a new to me Rifle and ammo not taylored to the Rifle.
I had more ammo to try but was interupted when snow began to fall and that made precise sighting rather difficult.
I was convinced though by this brief test that the Rifle is a "keeper".
On my way out of the ranch I came across the owners two grandsons who were Hunting ducks on a spring creek. They were both very young teens and both shot 410 gauge shotguns. I mentioned that whenever I drove the ranch road that followed the creek that many Mallards would get up and fly up or down the creek!
They understood and they took up a hide along the creek and I drove off. Many Mallards (80 or so) took up along the length of the creek and about half headed back towards the boys. I had the window down a bit and could here them shooting as I travelled on.
Nice way to spend a couple hours on the first day of the new year!
Now I have some fireformed brass to do some serious load testing with.
I have as yet to see a 204 Ruger (Varmint style!) that is what I would consider to be, in-accurate!
This is my second Ruger 77 V/T in 204 Ruger and I really like the performance as well as the shape and fit of the stock - the two stage trigger is something I could take or leave but over-all I really like the 77 V/T Ruger and everyone knows how much I love the 204 Ruger caliber!
Anyone ever own and shoot a Varminter in 204 Ruger that wasn't accurate?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

PD's watch for varmitguy this spring.

Doc

You should see the .204 Ruger mini-gun he has mounted on the VarmintMobile!

I have the same Ruger V/T also in .204 and it is a shooter. Great gun!

I'm into my second one. Like VG, I have never seen a ruger VT that wasn't a shooter. However, unlike VG, I find the newer mkII beavertail stock to be a complete pain to carry, and sure don't like the clunky feel to them. But then again, all of my previous vt's have been the walnut tang-safety models, and are hunters, rather than bench babes. So, my fix was to ebay a used walnut sporter and re-handle the plywood 4x4 that it came with. It now carries and balances more like the older models that I like so much. And still does fine if I wanna bench it......



close up of the new and slenderized foreend....

huntsman22 that is a dandy looking bench you have there. homemade or did you buy it somewhere?

Home-made. I don't buy much.......

I'm another satisfied Ruger shooter. I got my 77 V/T just about a year ago off the internet. It shoots VMax 32 and 40 bullets very well. The one thing I did not like was the trigger. A twostage trigger and I just don't get along; so I ask Santa for a new one and low and behold, he came thru. The Rifle Basics trigger is a great answer to the problem. I don't have a trigger pull guage, but the new single stage trigger is ALOT better than it was. Also, the trigger was one of the easiest install jobs I've ever done over the years of tinkering with varmint rifles.

Doctor Encore & Derby dude: Yes the Varmints should be on "full alert" come this spring!
Not just the Prairie Dogs but the Ground Squirrels, Badgers and Rock Chucks!
I am waiting out this day as I have so many here in the last month and a half trying to get a dead calm couple of hours so I can do just a tad more load development/testing on a couple of Varminters.
Yeah the 204's are going to get a lot of trigger time this year!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

huntsman--very nicely done on the slimming and the painting, how's you go about painting it?

And do I have it right, is that the old plywood heavy as heck and ugly as sin handle?

If so, it looks great now!

Thx

Dober

Your pics gives me an idea for a spotting scope clamp. How'd you attach the "head" to the clamp?

Mark, your assessment of the factory laminated stock is spot on. I did not slim the plywood one, I replaced it with a walnut sporter I picked up on fleabay. I painted the stocks with krylon fusion and black webbing spray. I think they look dandy and they sure hide in the field, as well as camo'ed ones. I still have the beavertail stock in the gun cabinet, if you know anybody needing one <hint,hint>.... This pic will kinda give you an idear of the differences between the 2 handles.



The other reason I don't like plywood, is I think the laminations should be turned the other way for strength. But then you would not get the 'grain' look.....

This is another (my first one)ruger 204 stock that suffered an 'over-pressure' load. The little recoil of this cartridge split the stock from stem to stern. I can only imagine what it would have been like with a real boomer......




bglmb, My spotter holder is just a irwin quick grip clamp, with the bar cut down, and a bolt welded on to fit in a busted ball-head window mount. Fast, stable and cheap.....



Works great! and did I say cheap?....Don

Oh yeah...... Here's another 'gunny' related use for quick grip clamps. My cleaning stand........

huntsman22,

The spotter clamp looks great. Thanks for the extra info.

How does that Krylon Fusion hold up to chipping and scratches? Did you put a matte or satin clear coat over the paint?

Thx Jas

222Sako: I could live without the "first stage" of the Ruger's two stage military type trigger myself.
I have heard from two different sources now that the Ruger folks needed to have the two stage trigger to satisfy some "need" up in Canada?
I can't remember the specifics but the Ruger folks decided on the two stage trigger in the newest 77 V/T's to comply with some rule or regulation somewhere.
This is my third 77 V/T and so far I have not had any "foul-ups" afield or at the range with the take-up type trigger.
Anyone know the reason the Canadian Government or the Canadian Rifle competition folks might want a two stage trigger on the newest model of American Ruger bolt action imports?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Huntsman: GREAT looking Rifle cleaning cradle you built there!
Could you explain to me or photgraph the mid-section of your cradle - is that a "lidded" storage area or a platform for "stuff"?
How does it open is what I am trying to get at if its a storage area?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, the cleaning cradle mid-section holds cleaning goodies (solvent, patches, jags and bore guides) and a screwdriver set. It's just a box with a simple, lift-off lid.





My portable bench also has a carpeted storage shelf under it, too.
I stick rifles in it, to cool in the shade of the top.



I put rifles in the hand slots, barrel up, for the same reason. And they are purty knock-down proof while in there....This pic is pre-shelf.....


Ammo is always shaded on a hot afternoon PD shoot.....



The seat for the bench, is a padded lid baseball bucket. Holds rests, bags, spotter, rangefinder and ear muffins, in transport.

sako4me, sorry I missed your question. I used a rubberized clearcoat after painting. It gives a 'grippy' feel and does a good job of protecting the paint. It will, however, kinda abrade and peel, if dinged or rubbed hard, like in a saddle scabbard......This is the paint stuff....

Huntsman22: Thank you so very much for the speedy reply and for all the great ideas I got from your previously and now newly posted pictures, of your innovative self built creations!
I will be adding some holes and slots this evening to my shooting benches in fact!
And maybe even I'll be getting started drawing up a new cleaning cradle!
I built my first cradle for cleaning and for working on Rifles about 35 years ago now.
Way before they were commercially available anyway.
Its made of oak and has a sliding padded "V" type front rest and at the rear I have a small old fashioned "wood clamp" that holds onto the recoil pad area of a Rifle. This set up is rigid and holds the Rifle without harm even when lapping rings and/or cleaning (stroking back and forth) the Rifle.
Thanks again for the great pics and all the ideas!
By the way I just put my all factory Ruger 77 V/T with Leupold 8.5x25 scope on my scale and it came out at 11 pounds 6 ounces!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Mine'll be lighter , with chitcanning the cumbersome plywood 4x4 and going with the slimmed down version, and all.....

Huntsman22: Yeah I'll bet your rig is a lot lighter.
I, though, enjoy the weight/mass of the heavy barreled/heavy stocked Varminters.
I am sure I shoot them better, and, just the opposite of you, I really like the feel and dimensions of the Ruger 77 V/T's laminated stock.
I guess thats what makes the world go round?
I used to run with a group of high dollar type Varminting guys and they had about 8 or 10 Sako Varminters between the 3 of them.
I knew of two of these Sakos where the front sling swivel studs gave loose when they were slung on the Hunters shoulders!
Both Rifles took hellacious falls into the lava rocks of central Idaho!
I saw one incident occur and was along on a different trip when the other one gave way.
It seems with a bit of extra torque or "wretching" on the sling of these heavy Varminters, to get it in position or to change position on ones shoulder, the swivel studs would fail and pull out. Thus causing the "nose" first dive into the ground (lava rocks!).
If I recall correctly these were about 10.5 pound Rifles/scopes.
Those were the only two failures I have heard of regarding Sako sling swivels - could have been caused by the weight and the fatigue it may have caused to the securing system?
I only have two Sako Varminters of that vintage anymore but I seldom "sling" them. I would hate to see either of them take a nosedive.
Still I believe heavier Varmint Rifles have enhanced my enjoyment of our sport.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

With Kimber announcing that the Montana will be chambered in the 204, do you think that the lighter rifle weight will still allow one to see the bullet impact? I have never shot a 204, but would like to get one for this summer's PD season.

Doug~RR

Then the montana ain't the way to go IMHO. Heats up too fast, but would be a GREAT walkabout coyote rig. With the PD's, a heavy barrel is the way I like to go.......