My guess is no... never. So... ... ... ...

I suppose this is Campfire Heresy... but I am thinking of spending the synthetic stock 6.5 Creed $$ on a walnut& blue M77 Hawkeye in 30-06 with a Leupie FXII 6x36 LRD in Ruger medium rings and Federal Premium ammo and go hunting...

No, never a failure.

You could buy the Hawkeye in 308 instead, do the same thing as the -06, and have the short bolt throw that you already enjoy.

Personally, I would be all in. But I guess my name would have given that away. I have a Hawkeye in 264 Win Mag and wouldn't have a problem taking it wherever, hunting whatever.

Dogger

This is NO knock against Rugers. This is my 46 'consecutive' hunting season. I've had too many brands & models of rifles to list. I've never had
any rifle of any brand fail me - in or out of season. Pick the rifle you like the looks and feel, Ruger or other.

Second, the 308 W is ALMOST an 06. Pick the cartridge you want ! !

I've NEVER been satisfied whenever I 'settled'. You may be different.

Good Luck

Jerry

That's a dam fine plan cept I'd go with a Hawkeye compact in 308.....same scope.

That's just me though.

I like to look at rifles made of blued CM and walnut, but when push comes to shove I prefer to hunt with a stainless/synthetic rifle.

I can't disagree with a 77 as I have 4 currently. One thing I do is to call Ruger and get a size 3 ring so I can mount the scope lower. I have yet to have them charge me or ask for the number 5 ring in return. None of them that I have now or have had in the past ever had a failure, and all have shot well under minute of deer.

No, never. I have two M77s and I love them both. I recently got one in .257 Roberts that is coming along nicely.

Never. I have stainless Hawkeyes in .30-06 and 7RM. My only complaint is that the 7 is proving tough to develop loads for. I got the ‘06 shooting well right away.

I hunted with Ruger bolt action rifles exclusively for several years and never had any problems, they aren't the most accurate rifles but id say they are as bombproof as any bolt rifle ever built......Good luck....Hb

Nope

Actually, yes.

I had a tang safety 35 Whelen that failed to eject on a hunt. Put the first shot into an elk (taking out the heart as it turned out) and since he was still on all fours and didn't know he would be dead in a few seconds, I wanted to bust a shoulder. The empty fell back on top of the next round resulting in a fail to feed. Dropped the rifle from my shoulder, saw the problem and tilted the rifle to roll the empty out. Still managed to make a second shot and bust the off side shoulder but it could have become a rodeo.

Turned out that the extractor didn't hold tight enough on the rim and slipped when the ejector's plunger tried to do it's thing. Ruger replaced the extractor and ejector components. They also screwed up the mag box while they were at it (rough filing marks on it after which it rattled around - now too short when it had fit properly before) and chastised me for the XS sight install (performed by a machinist that does aerospace work), and free floated McMillan stock. Never mind it shot much better than originally (the original walnut stock had split in the wrist and the bedding was poor), they now considered the rifle damaged but would fix it anyway.

I consider the extractor issue a fluke and they repaired it for free but was a bit surprised by the surliness of the fellow in the repair department. You would have thought I painted a mustache on the Mona Lisa or something by 'altering' the rifle with a McMillan stock and a perfectly installed ghost ring sight. Hopefully their gunsmith's attitude was a fluke too.

Ive been hunting with Ruger M77, MKII and Hawkeyes every year but one since 1982. Never had a Ruger fail in the field.

That said, my favorite rifle, a 1989 M77 in .257 Roberts, developed an extraction problem. I couldn't figure out what the problem was and sent it off to Ruger. It came back a couple weeks later all fixed and happy. No charge for the fix or return shipping.

I still have my first rifle a tanger in 3006. I hunted exclusively with it for over 20 years and never had an issue. If it wasnt for joining the fire and understanding that multiple rifles and ever cal are needed I would probably still only have that one rifle.

I had a 257 Roberts tang ultralight that would do that same thing with nickel brass. It worked with regular brass flawlessly. I surmised that with the extra thickness of the nickel brass rim that the extractor couldn't get a good bite on it. It could have also been a little weakness that contributed to the problem.

But I own 5 M77's and consider them one of the most reliable, dependable and robust guns ever made. OP, there's nothing wrong with your plan at all. Out of all my rifles my wood stocked 257 Roberts ultralight would be the last to go.

FWIW a 36mm will sit in low rings.

The only extractor issues I have seen from a claw extractor on a 77 was from a 270 a bud used to single feed. The extractor had to push up over the rim of the brass and it developed a burr, this was after tons of shooting from a bench.

Smith told him what he felt was the problem and removed the burr. After that those of us w 77s made sure to feed them from the mag well.

I had a M77 7 mag once that failed to fire on the first two deer I shot at on cold mornings. It would fire when I got back home later. The problem was the firing pin spring was dragging on the bolt. I got a new spring and the problem was solved.

Been using R77s for 40 years with no gun failures.
I have over a dozen covering multiple models.
First was a 77 in 270, second a 77RL in 308. They are my "go to" guns.
Also 77s in 284 Win, 44 mag and 22 mag.

I have had little reason to deal with Ruger, but when I did they were curtious and help full.
Most of this was for 10/22 parts with springs, sights, screws, etc coming free to me.
Nephew just had a Red Label reworked by their service department. Returned in in near new condition--free.
Replaced metal parts, fore end wood, etc Hard to beat this service.

Never had one fail, period.

It didn't cause a problem on a hunt, but a brand new Hawkeye had extraction problems. It took two trips to Ruger to get it straightened out.

Bought my first one, a tang safety model in 7mm Remington Magnum, in 1983. Carried it on many elk hunts and it never hiccuped. Gave it to a son-in-law (now ex-SIL) about ten years ago. He guides for elk, mule deer and ibex. He says that it has dropped many animals when his dudes' fancy rifles misfire, jam or cannot seem to hit the target. I think that he gets around to cleaning it at least once every year or two...

last one I had wouldn't feed shells from the left hand side of the magazine, so I didn't give it a chance to screw up a hunt...

oh yeah it also shot 5" groups.

On an elk hunt with a m77 mII I had a problem with getting the safety off when it was all the way back in the bolt locked position. Operator/excitement error there. But one time it missed a deer, and it had to have been the rifles fault!

The only failure I know of was caused by not removing the factory oil from the firing pin assembly and the rifle failed to fire on a cold morning. I took the firing pin assembly out and cleaned it off with lantern fuel and all was well.

I have never had a rifle fail me in the field. Remington's, Ruger's, Winchester's, old Mauser's, Marlin's, BRNO's...

No, cause I’ve never owned one

First new rifle I ever owned was a Ruger M77MKII in 30-06. I mounted a Nikon 3-9 on it and had a smith give it a good trigger job and later on added remington steel iron sights. It wasnt a particularly accurate rifle, 2-3" groups usually, but it killed everything I ever gave it an opportunity to lauch bullets at. Mostly whitetails up close out to 125 yds. After owning it exclusively for about 5 years, I began to acquire other rifles in the latest/greatest for the period and sold it off for something "better". Always had a softspot for M77's, never had a failure with any of them. Some were definitely more or less accurate than others. The recent production ones seem to as good as ever for consistent accuracy.

No, and nowhere else either. So far.

Yes because I screwed up and made a handful of "short case" reloads that resulted in a light primer strike and the spike elk that got away. So, no.

That's what I would do.

I swear I read your subject line several times and all I saw was “FALL” on you.

Opened it just to satiate my curiosity!

I’d rather have a Kimber 84 Montana fall on me, personally, tho the height (being hypothetical at this point) could render the weight difference moot.

That reminds me that my hunting buddy's M77 failed 2-3 years in a row in the field. It worked fine at the range but when we got in the field it would go 'click'. After each experience I suggested he replace the firing pin spring. When he finally did the old spring was a couple inches shorter than the replacement. Turns out he had been storing the rifle with the spring compressed, even though I had shown him more than once how to release the spring by holding the trigger back while closing the bolt.

I don't blame the rifle as much as the storage method.

Have one I bought around 1983 and hunted with for 25 plus years , never failed in any way.

I almost failed my Ruger. I had sho at a smaall buck and when I went to start tracking, I couldn’t find a blood trail. After about 20!minutesI concluded that I missed and went back to my stand. After sitting and thinking about it, I realized that my aim was good and the rifle was nuts on, so I went back, found the deers trail in the snow, and started following it. Sure enough, about 20 yards past ky last circle point nt... 1 drop. A bit further.. a couple drops. Found the buck after anothy40?yards or so. Shoulda trusted it from the beginning..

AKA, Operator Error


Jerry

Nope, never a failure while hunting. I've had them fail right out of the box, but that was a factory issue and those rifles were sent back for repair. If a rifle is going to fail, it will be at the range where I run them through their paces. As of this date, I've had most newer rifles fail at the range. This would include many rem 700's, 722's, weatherby vanguards, Remington 788 and Winchester 100 and a newer BACO model 70. My best advice is take your rifles to the range at least once a week and make sure they aren't going to fail you in the woods, where you will need and depend on it the most. I'd trust my life on a good ol Ruger m77, as long as it's proven itself at the range.



Nothing wrong with hunting a good ol blued wood stocked m77. This was my elk hunting buddy for years...

I did have a rifle fail on me while hunting (not a Ruger), had used it for almost four years operating flawlessly. On a pronghorn hunt I hit a buck about 300 yards not the best shot placement, went to put another round in him and the trigger had failed to reset. Worked another round and the same issue, the aftermarket trigger I had been running those four years had started hanging up on the factory trigger guard. I had to push it forward to reset the trigger, luckily my buck laid down within about 500 yards and I was able to finish him off.

Anyway I bedded and did some file work on the stock and trigger guard and haven't had an issue again. Though it does sit uneasily in the back of my mind when I use that rifle, probably always will. I think you'll find the most rifle failures while hunting will be centered around the trigger.

I don't like Ruger rifles much, they just never felt right in my hands. However, they have a reputation for being rugged hunting rifles. So if you want a Ruger .30-06 go for it.

I have had a tanger fail to chamber. The issue was a frozen-in-place plunger. (The design was push feed) Caught it when I went to sight in, rather than when in the field.

No, but I've only killed dinks with mine and have never hunted the harsh conditions of Texas with one.

Have a 77 fail? Not from a feeding, ejection standpoint.

Have a 77 instill confidence with regards to accuracy on a long(er) shot? I'll take another brand of rifle, thanks.

I had a Stainless 77 Mark II years ago. It never produced accuracy that I was comfortable with. It went down the road. Boat paddle stock and all.

Have about 55 years of hunting behind me, and I can't remember an arm of any make or model failing.

Looks a lot nicer than the one I started hunting with in '82! Mine still shoots great, though.

Agree.

My Ruger 77 MK II All Weather in 280 Remington kept my family fed for many years. Once, as I stroked the bolt to load, I felt a slowing of the stroke & noticed the S.S. action was so full of ATV trail dust that it was brown. It should have bound up & quit. Instead, it put a trophy Axis on the ground. Once, I left the gun outside in the overnight freezing rain. The action was frozen tight. I carried it to the rear of the ATV and used the exhaust to thaw it out.

Like VaHillbilly said, "bombproof as any rifle ever built". That gun was dropped three times in one weekend & never missed an intended target. It once was launched off the ATV about 12' after the barrel caught the gate post as I was riding thru.

The gun sits prominently in my safe having been decomissioned for more fancy toys.

Damned things don’t work if one leaves the bolt on the cleaning bench. Worthless POS 🙃

Never had one fail, but had a few that wouldn't shoot worth a darn.

Mule Deer:

" I've owned a pile of 77's of all eras. While one barrel truly sucked (a 7x57 with a bore that had numerous loose spots, with the tight spots measuring .287), all the others shot anywhere from acceptably to very well. My acceptable rating is three shots in an inch for big game rifles, and five shots in an inch for varmint rifles, and very well is half that. Most of them required some work on the bedding and trigger, but then a lot of factory rifles do."

Boxer - Big Stick:

"I've Ruger familiarity and accept them for what they are. Light or bullet proof they are not, though curiously enough they are oft maligned by the masses for "accuracy" woe which I've yet to see, though of course I shoot a bit, which tend to tip numerous scales."

i have quite a few 77's. never failed me. the only problem i have ever encountered is they are a bit finicky about the way the shells are positioned in the mag. if not careful they will not feed the 2nd shot. this seems only to be the case on my newest ones.