Steven, if scoping your 77/357 is like my 77/22 on low Ruger rings, I have been pleasantly surprised that I can fit my Leupold 3-9x33 EFR Rimfire and still clear the barrel. Fact is that when I measured the objective lens diameter on my Vari-X lll 2.5-8x36 that objective is even smaller than the EFR Rimfire 33 and that would fit in the low rings as well. Ruger ships medium rings with those 77/22's and I assume the other 77's as well. I have a round shaped face and since the distance from my eye to my cheekbone is less, a low scope mount has always fit me the best. Most guys never even consider the shape of their face and mount big objective scopes too high on the rifle. I'm a woods hunter and deer appear fast and not for very long. I want a low mounted scope with a huge exit pupil so that precise eye positioning isn't necessary to get the full field of view. Big deer are paranoid and mine are in or very close to cover. Often as not I need to pick apart the brush with a good scope to get a bullet through holes in the cover. I've had straight power and compact variables and never again. Having some variable magnification to help see brush that can deflect your bullet is an advantage. I'll never get to Africa hunting, but I read a lot of gun and hunting magazines and lots of guys who scope their dangerous game rifles scope them with that 9 ounce Leupold 1.5-5x20 scope. My 99 .300 Savage wears one and you could choose far worse for a woods rifle. A 2-7 or 2.5-8 would probably fit too, but measure first.
