I did not keep track of the number of M77s I have owned, there have been a lot. When all the trash talk about the 77s started and continued they came up for sale frequently and I took advantage of it. My buddies called my buy and selling 77s a "cottage industry". Of all the so called maladies I dealt with, I only sent two rifles into Ruger. .358 Winchester and .243 Winchester.
A lot of the rifles I bought from people I knew, such as friends, relatives, deer camp and gun club members. I would rank the problems:
1) Improper bench procedures
2) Not satisfied with groups, take the rifle apart, put back together without knowing how to torque screws
3) Take out of the box shoot a few good groups and accuracy goes to heck. What happens on occasion is the angle screw begins to touch the hole in the stock.
4) Lousy scope mounting
5) Did not shoot enough ammo to see if groups improve.
I own 5 77s that I won't be selling, all R's. (2) .257 Roberts, one red pad the other black pad, 7x57mm, 35 Whelen. One 77V 22-250.
