Ruger M77 Compact

S

sholling

New member
The last thing I need right now is another rifle but I was doing a bit of reading and I saw a review of this little guy. I've been wanting a brush rifle chambered in .308 for a while. Something very short and handy for 100yds but with enough moxie to reach out 250yds should the need arise. So anyway the last thing I need is another rifle. But I am finding the little Ruger M77 Compact intriguing. I'm think this with a nice little homeless 2-7x32 scope I have laying around would be a world beater of a brush rifle. Of course I'm just thinking out loud and don't need any more rifles. Thoughts? How are the triggers on these things? I'm not looking for a 2lb target trigger but a 3.5-4lb creep free trigger would be a nice surprise from a Ruger long gun.

48L.jpg


Caliber: .308 Win
Capacity: 4 Rounds
Finish: Blued
Stock: American Walnut
Barrel Length: 16 1/2"
Groove: 6
Twist: 1:10" RH
Overall Length: 35 1/2"
Weight: 5 3/4 lbs
Front Sight(s): None
Rear Sight(s): None
Other Features: Three-Position Manual Safety
 
go for it

Don't need another long gun huh?!? That's no excuse not to buy one.:D

Ruger triggers are crap. Factor the cost of a timney into the purchase price.
 
I'm not sure if the compact has the new trigger that Ruger has been putting on their Hawkeyes or not. If not then I would say that it may have a bad trigger. I know that my M77 MkII in .25-06 had a HORRIBLE trigger from the factory. I've heard that a competent gunsmith can make it nice but I went ahead and installed a timney myself.....Now the trigger is beautiful!! By the way, go ahead and buy it already. :D

P.S. You may also want to look into the "Scout" rifle that Ruger offers, same size as the compact I believe.

Jeo556
 
Glad you posted this thread. I am looking at the same gun or a Weatherby Vanguard Compact. But I can't find any ballistics on rounds using a "16.5 barrel or a "20 barrel. I would like to know what I'm giving up without those "3.5. Also the accuracy, is a Weatherby Vanguard that much more accurate then the Ruger? And losing "3.5 does that affect a .243 more or a 7mm-08?

I’ve gotten a lot of great information from reading Firingline forums but it feels like the more I read the more I need to know.

Apologies if I went off course with your thread.
 
I've been anticipating the Howa Ranchland, a shortened M1500 with a 20" barral and a Hogue stock but nobody ever has them in stock. Even that was just a tad big because I already have a 22" 30-06 and buying another rifle to save 2" seems a waste. I just wish someone made a tweener - a nice 18". The ballistics would be better and the handling about the same as the shorty. I'd even thought of having a standard Howa/Hogue M1500 cut down to 18-18.5" by a competent gun smith. That might even be a better choice - a 38" long 6-1/2ish pound 308 with a comfy stock and a good trigger. :D

Photoshopped for illustration purposes.
CustomHowa.jpg
 
I don't have the compact but I have the Frontier in 243. It is a very accurate and easy handling gun. I do not have a scout scope set up I have conventital setup on mine so it is basicaly a compact. These guys are right plan on spending 90 bucks on a Timney.(they are easy to install with some patience. Ruger guns are well worth the money IMO.
I also have the "pre" ranchland version of the HOWA in 308. I have killed a number of deer and elk, along with ALOT of coyotes with it. You would be happy with either of these guns.

Heres the one I want....

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SPECIFICATIONS:
Mfg Item Num: 7976
Category: FIREARMS - RIFLES
Action :Bolt Action
Caliber :30-06 Springfield
Barrel Length :20"
Capacity :4 + 1
Trigger :Single Stage
Safety :Three Position
Length :40 3/4 "
Weight :6 1/2 lbs
Stock :Black Synthetic
Finish :Stainless Steel
 
sholling,

The Ruger trigger can be adjusted or easily improved.

The LOP of the Compact is too short for me. This is from the link you provided "The length of pull measures just twelve and nine-sixteenth inches"

Also the barrel at 16" is very short. Ruger makes an Ultra Light that would fit me LOP wise and I believe its barrel is 20". My choice would be the Ultra Light but to each his own.
 
I have the same Compact that you are looking at. I had the trigger brought down to 2 1/2-3 lb. The heavy trigger is more of a hindrance due to the fact that the rifle is so light. I am able to pull 3 shot 1" groups out of it. I am 6'3" tall and the length of pull is of no bother!!!
 
Mine is in 308 Win. I like it alot!!!

Unfortunately the compact is but one of 8-10 rifles I bought in the last year. I want to give them all field time!!!

I hunted with it last year. I bought it bacause of the long walk in and I had a Ruger No.1 in 300 Win Mag the year before. It was so light it was almost funny!!!

Good rifle that I would highly recommend!!!
 
Well I did a bit more research and what I found is that the Howa 1500 2N1 Youth Model seems to be the sweet spot and here's why...
  • 20" barrel for a nice handy profile without spitting too much flame (I live in a brushfire zone).
  • Comes with a 12.5" LOP Hogue youth stock (black) for a handy 39" OAL and a short LOP.
  • Also comes with a 13.87" LOP Hogue adult stock (green) for a 42" OAL. Also handy for those with growing kids.
  • Has an adjustable trigger saving $100 in replacing the Ruger's.
  • Includes Weaver bases and rings.
  • The scope can fleabayed for $50 getting the price down well below $500. The Ruger would have been $580+100+30 (for the trigger and a Limbsaver) = $710.
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Basically it's the impossible to find Howa Ranchland Compact (a youth barrel with an adult sized stock) with the extra stock for about the same price.

I also just happen to have one of these Browning/Bushnell 2-7x32 scopes sitting on a shelf that I could drop onto it. I think the combination would make an ideal brush rifle. 30-30 sized handiness with .308 umph! :D Thoughts?

From Natchez (FYI they're sold out):
Browning 2-7X32

Bushnell made Browning Scopes. Made at Elite 3200 Standards! An Elite 3200 for $29-$100 less with a Browning name on it. Bushnell is no longer making these fine scopes under the Browning name... when they're gone, they're gone!

-Dura-Brite fully multi-coated optics
-Ultra-strong one-piece tube and saddle
-Fast-focus eyepiece
-Finger adjustable 1/4" MOA windage and elevation adjustments with audible clicks
-Waterproof and fogproof
-Magnum recoil proof
Click to expand...
 
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Glass???

I have 2 scopes that I use as a Switch Scope Setup!!!

One is a Leupold 3-9x33 Compact and the other is a Weaver Grandslam 5.75 fixed. Each are in their own lapped set of rings and can be switched out is a few seconds!!!
 
Thanks all!!!!!!

I decided that the Howa 2N1 Youth fit my needs the best. You have all been a tremendous help! That Ruger sure had me tempted and if the trigger had been better I'd have taken a chance on that compact. But $580 for the rifle, plus $90 for a Timney trigger, plus $30 for a Limbsaver was the deal breaker. Plus the Timney is far from a drop in on the Ruger. Chuck Hawks' review referring to the 16.5" barrel as a "flamethrower" didn't help. I'll be using this in thick brush. Anyway I ordered the Howa in .308 this morning and will either put the Browning/Bushnell 2-7x32 or a Nikon Primos (Monarch) 3-9x40 on it. I'll be posting the bundled scope in the for-sale section.

Thanks again!
 
Just an update. I bought the Howa 2N1 Youth model in .308 and brought her home and scoped her with a 3-9x40 Nikon Primos (Monarch UCC) with BDC. I took her to the range today and sighted her in at 100yds and darned if the 1st BDC bubble wasn't dead on at 200yds. The short length of pull didn't bother me a bit either. It's not light but it's 4" shorter and much handier than my full sized Howa M1500 in 30-06.
 
I have the Ruger 77 compact stainless. .308. Leoupold 1.25-4x 30mm European scope.

Shoots fine. So easy to carry I don't even use a sling. Closest thing to a shoulder stocked pistol you can get without a class II stamp!

I handload with Varget power, 150 gr SPs. Nothing fancy needed. Plenty for deer out to at least 250 to 300 yards. Sort of like a .300 Savage in power but way more handy.
 
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