I knew a couple of BR shooters (brothers) who liked the concept of the angled guard screw well enough they built that feature into the BR actions they built for themselves. When they were active they were consistent winners.
The Ruger 77 of any vintage is not a suitable action for a BR rifle. Nor is any open bottomed hunting rifle action. While I have used a lot of Model 70s as the basis for long range target guns, I wouldn't consider one for a serious BR rifle.
The ruger is not more flexible than the 700. In fact it is less so.
Generally speaking I think a 77 can be made to perform every bit as well as a Model 70 and either one can equal a 700. It is just easier to accomplish the task with a 700.
Some of the most accurate factory rifles I have worked with have been 77s. Properly bedded, they shoot every bit as well as anything else. They just are not BR actions.
As far as investment casting is concerned, the process should be able to make as good a receiver as any other method. In practice though, this doesn't seem to be the case. Ed Shilen used invevtment casting to produce his DGA actions and, while the design was great , the quality (froma BR standpoint) was inconsistent. The actions simply came up a bit short when it came to "trueness". At least on a consistent basis. This may have more to do with the methods used to machine the castings but there it is. GD
