Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger 77 African in 280AI

I was out cruising yesterday afternoon and when I walked into a local gun range and gun shop to look around, I found one of the Lipsey Special (1 of 250) Ruger 77 African 280 Rem AI rifles on the wall (new). It followed me home after a fairly long wait as the store was packed with people buying hand guns as fast as they could get new ones under the counter. Crazy times.

btw - the Ruger cost me just a hair over $1100, tax included out the door, which I thought was decent. I know it didn't happen without pictures, but I haven't had time to take any just yet. Maybe later today. Fairly plain wood with some figure but nothing to write home about, but it's a very nice looking rifle overall.

A link until I get some pictures up.

https://ruger.com/products/HawkeyeAfrican/specSheets/57126.html

TSS has it for about $1000 before tax and stuff. And you got to actually handle it. Sounds like you did well to me. I'm a 280 fan and these are tempting...

I've seen them a bit cheaper on the internet too. But I like to see what it is that I'm actually getting before I fork over the money. I'm totally happy with paying a bit more for personal inspection privileges.

It just wasn't something that I expected to see when I walked through the gun shop door yesterday. I too am a 280 Rem AI fan. This makes two of them for me now {Nosler M48 Liberty). I also have regular 280 Rem rifles in a Ruger #1 and a Cooper Model 52.

I may leave this one scopeless for awhile to suit its "African heritage" while I play with it over open sights.

I bought one about 6 months ago. Reloder 22 and 150 nosler b. tip 4 groups 3 shots each averaged out tp 2.75 inchs at 500 yards.

I’m waiting for one in 30-06 or maybe 338

Good Job! I like the idea of african and alaskan built guns in the lower 48 calibers.

They are a really nice package.

The one I had seemed like it was going to be a great shooter, but something that I just had to have came along. Since I have multiple rifles in 280AI and it only had 5 rounds through it, I let it go.

Maybe 10 years ago Ruger put out the African rifle in 223 Remington. I bought one of them and played with it for awhile. It was simply too much rifle for the cartridge and it eventually went down the road. This one will stay as it's a much better cartridge for the rifle involved.

The barrel on the 223 Remington was heavier than the barrel on the 280 AI. Shooting it was like shooting a bb gun...And it was not something you wanted to take coyote hunting.

Ive got one in .275 Rigby....haven't touched the trigger, bedding etc. and it shoots EXTREMELY well. Easily my favorite factory rifle of all time...

That's an awesome rifle.

I have one in the 6.5 Swede sweet shooting rifle, too pretty to hunt with up here.

Since Ruger won't build a lefty in the African series, I had something similar put together, with the features I wanted. 24" .30-06 barrel, bolt jeweled, red pad, bedded and floated, a nice clean 3 lb trigger break, etc. I also had the stock re-done in TrueOil. Still love to get a lefty African, though. 7x57 would be great.
Bob





The Ruger Big Bird was buffed off and the floorplate cerakoted. Mucho better


Ready to go, with a Leupold VX III on top in Leupold rings

That's a pretty rifle Bob. I should put a red pad that thick on my 9.3 and you have way nicer wood than on my .308 African.

Thanks! The oil finish tends to bring out whatever color and grain the wood has. Most Rugers I've seen would benefit from a few coats of oil.
Bob