Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Ruger 77/22 - what's the good and the bad?

Thanks for the tip Pappy!

Sounds like the same challenges as the BRNO/CZ rifles.
Been there, done that.

This is another great Natchez deal.

https://www.natchezss.com/burris-dr...-reticle-33-13-fov-3-1-3-8-er-matte.html

With an extra 10% off purchases greater than $100 through tomorrow. I had a Redfield Revolution on my 77/22 LR. I replaced it with this Burris. Both have enough tube length. Not a lot of extra room to play with. Both also have enough bolt clearance with the ocular bell. That is with the factory rings. I am guessing they are mediums. I have never looked.

Agreed. I have the same scope on my 77/22 and I like it very much. In fact, I just ordered another one. For plinking/rabbits/squirrels I prefer non-AO scopes. Mounting/clearance wasn't an issue:

i have a pair of those, as well as the 2-7x version, so far have been liking them...Paul Barnard, thanks for posting that sale!

You are most welcome. A month from now I'll decide I want another one and be pissed at myself that none are left!

Are those aiming points for HS or SV? Anybody know? The Burris site didn't specify.

Go here https://ballistics.burrisoptics.com/
Use the reticle analysis they have a real comprehensive list of 22 ammo to play with to give you your tenon points.

My newest .22 project rifle is a new in the box 77/22 all weather that was supplied with the medium stainless Ruger rings. Since a lot of you have scopes mounted on your 77/22's, I am considering ordering a low set of the Ruger rings for a 3x9-32 Leupold AO Rimfire scope. Have any of you used the low ring set and had bolt or objective clearance issues? Ruger is the only manufacturer who makes the 77/22 low rings from what I've been able to find.

I've only shot the rifle 10 times and had three cases fail to extract. My gunsmith tells me that a lot of the 77/22 chambers are tight and it would be easy to open it up. Reading here I'm told that tighter chambers are better for accuracy, so the question is should I get the chamber polished up or leave it as is and try different ammo?

Windfall: Sounds like you bought the Rifle used.
It may have shot a bunch of heavily lubricated/waxed ammunition and the "chamber" needs cleaning?
At least I hope that's the snag.
My 77/22 All-Weather extracts and ejects just dandily?
Good luck.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Kragman1: I see now that you bought the Ruger 77/22 and I am happy for you and hopeful you will like it as much as I do mine!
Let us know how it shoots - and the price you paid, in my mind, is a "bargain".
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thank you VarmintGuy

Yes, so far its a good deal. Like I said though, I'm very leery of it being a "good not great" that holds me back from an Anschutz. We'll see how that works out....

So, about the tight chamber:
I would clean it "with extreme prejudice" ha ha and see

1. If it looks anything less than smooth.... because if it doesn't look smooth then it probably has a high enough microfinish that it can both be grippy on brass and collect fouling. Think tiny tiny sandpaper but made out of steel.

2. If there's any sort of a sharp edge or an edge burr at the chamber mouth.

3. Find out what a truly snug fired case mic's at all the way around, not just 1 measurement. Then compare that to the published specs on the various chambers to see if you have plenty of room to polish a little and still have a nice "match" chamber.

How great does a 22 have to be
That rifle will do anything a hunting 22 could ever be expected to do
If you want a target rifle you should buy a target rifle

Paul...my thoughts exactly, so to prevent future self-loathing i snapped up 3 of 'em when you posted that link....ahhhh, the wondrous delights of wretched excess...

Had been giving thought to doing some scope changes on a couple of rifles anyway, now there is a good reason to get that done.
G~

Castle_Rock -

You're only looking at it from a practical standpoint - i.e., "good enough" for this or that use.
There's nothing wrong with that. I approach most things that way.

But don't knock me for being an accuracy enthusiast, especially with rimfires. That's what makes me smile these days.
I'm talking mechanical accuracy - I used to be a good shot but I never developed the skills to be competitive.

Bringing out the best in any rifle is challenging fun to do, and rewarding fun when your finished.

ps - I like nice walnut too, even though a birch stock works fine....

Kragman1: There is a "gunsmith" here in Montana that has a "special chamber reamer" for 22 L.R. chambers. I have personally taken 5 (five) customers" to him over the years that had trouble with their heavy barrel Ruger 10/22's.
Their troubles were always the same - in the heat of Ground Squirrel shooting they got frustrated with their "tight chambered" heavy barreled Ruger 10/22's not extracting/ejecting consistently!
This gunsmith only charges $20.00 to remove the barrel and run his special chamber reamer in there and vois la the Ruger 10/22's ran (functioned) just fine after that.
Their Rifles were ready for shooting (re-sighting in) by the next day and one was ready later that afternoon.
Now I have NOT heard any complaints from my Varminting partners about their Ruger 10/22's becoming noticeably less accurate after this treatment so that may be another option.
I have two heavy barrel match chambered (tight chambered) Ruger 10/22's and I have not resorted to the "chamber loosening" myself.
I do deal with the occasional fail to extract situation manually (Leathermans fine, slotted screwdriver blade) in these guns.
Another Ruger 10/22 was not extracting/ejecting and that Rifle was cured by replacing the extractor, as the gun had been fired so much it just rounded off the supposed to be 90 degree lip of the extractor.
Look see if your extractor has been rounded.
Again best of luck with the nifty, quality, handsome and popular Ruger 77/22.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Pretty slick.

Thanks.

I have used low Ruger rings on my 77/22's (and the 77/44 mag). The bolt clearance is definitely an issue. Some small scopes will fit but many do not.

Worst case I can order them and see if they will work with that rimfire scope and return them if they don’t. I do like a low mounted scope because I get a better cheek weld.

I checked the size of the scope on my 77/22. It is an old Nikon Monarch 2-7x32 in low rings. The bolt just barely clears the scope. A Nikon Prostaff rimfire 3-9x40 did not work with the low rings.

I needed to go with Medium Warne rings. I do have a extra set if you want to try then buy.

ned