Got an old Ruger All Weather Model 77 stainless in .300 Win. Mag. with a black Zytel stock that is not free floated (like the old pre-64 Win Model 70's).
It has the claw extractor bolt, 3 position safety & looks like a Win 70 except that it's a Ruger & is a lot tougher than any 70 ever was.
I installed a Timney trigger to replace the fence post trigger the old Rugers were noted for.
I used to shoot the 180 grain Core-Lokts in the Ruger 77 & it consistently produced 1 - 1 1/2 inch groups with them.
Put down 18 Canadian moose & several hogs with this gun.
Now it really likes the factory Win ammo loaded with 180 grain XP3 bullets & gives me a surprising 1/2 - 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards with a 3-9x40mm Leupold scope.
I don't mess with a hunting grade factory gun that is consistently (each & every group) giving me less than 1 MOA but if I ever need to re-barrel my faithful old 77 I'll use some of the pointers given in the OP.
I shoot about a dozen shots a year (4 x 3 shot groups) to check things out to see if the gun is still shooting "in the money" & I expect at that rate the barrel will outlast me.
