Ruger M77 .257 Roberts
Johnny Guest I have not reloaded for my Ruger Roberts. I bought it new in 1975. It has the "sporter" grade barrel in 22" length and it has always had an older (steel tubed) Weaver "MicroTrac" V7 (2X7) scope mounted in Ruger rings. I like Rem. "Core-Lok" bullets for my whitetail hunting and this rifle using 117 gr. loads has proven to be a quick and reliable killer. My records show over the years that this rifle stays just under 2" (100 yds.;3 shot groups ) with the aforementioned loads. To my liking , it definetly prefers heavier bullets to lighter ones ( I have a battery of other rifles I use for varmints !). Like you, I prefer having irons on all of my big game rifles as auxillary sights ( and, in the case of my lever action rifles, with the sole exeption of a Sav. 99 in .358 Win., all of them are mounted with peep sights ). I am serious enough about the matter to have, a few years ago , taken both of my 77s w/o irons to the Williams Gunsight Company in Davidson ,Mi. with the idea of having them install sets of their irons on the rifles. I backed out of project at the last minute due to the estimated cost of almost $100.00 per rifle! I ,accordingly, decided to put a little more trust in my old Weavers ( the other 77 that I have w/o irons is an aught six with a Weaver K4 MicroTrac ) ,even if they are lonesome without the company of their metallic buddies!...One Model 77 that has always intrigued me and one that I see at the shows every so often is an iron-sighted speciman chambered in .358 Win. Too pricey for me though: they have been fetching upwards of $900.00 or so. Do you have any experience with Ruger bolt-actions in either .350 Rem. Mag. or 35 Whelen?