I sent an email to Ruger customer service on Friday about the manufacture date of my 77 V 243. They replied today:
Serial number 70-70120 is a M-77V, .243 Winchester, model 00762, manufactured and shipped in April 1973.
Through 1973 it was a Douglas barrel. Starting in 1974 it would have been a Wilson barrel. Ruger started hammer forged shot gun barrels in 1977 and the rifles followed shortly after that.'
Great customer service, and just the answer I was looking for - barrel by Douglas.
Ruger customer service, different time, different answer to my question on barrels. M77 barrels: "1968 to 1973 Douglas, Wilson until 1992". "Douglas barrels to about 1973-1974, Wilson barrels 1973-1974 to 1990-1991".
