I saw a nice used ruger M77 calibered in 308 win with the old tang style saftey and a bull barrel at one of my LGS. It's on consignment for $500.00. It's in very nice shape. I would say about 90 to 95 percent, it has just a few dings it the stock but nothing to bad. It's got the original rings but no scope. Is it worth it?
Ruger M77
- Thread starter ruger357w
- Start date
comn-cents
New member
I really like the old models $500 is a good deal I think.
Well I went out bow hunting this morning and after having no luck I Decided that I really need this rifle and man do I like it so far. I still need to put a scope on it but I couldn't resist letting a few rounds go down range. Thanks for the help guys and I will try and post a pic of it when I get home from this evenings hunt.
Huffmanite
New member
Contrags on your 77 buy.
If the trigger on it needs improving, suggest you check into the Rifle Basix trigger sear for a tang safety rifle. This is not a complete trigger assembly, so price is much less.....around $40 if I remember correctly. Put one on my Ruger Tang Safety that I'd had rebarreled. Recall putting in a light trigger spring too. It made a very big difference in the weight of the trigger pull. Almost scary how light it is for me. Yet, I can slam the bolt as hard as I can or bang the butt of stock quite hard on concrete and etc., yet it will not release.
If the trigger on it needs improving, suggest you check into the Rifle Basix trigger sear for a tang safety rifle. This is not a complete trigger assembly, so price is much less.....around $40 if I remember correctly. Put one on my Ruger Tang Safety that I'd had rebarreled. Recall putting in a light trigger spring too. It made a very big difference in the weight of the trigger pull. Almost scary how light it is for me. Yet, I can slam the bolt as hard as I can or bang the butt of stock quite hard on concrete and etc., yet it will not release.
warbirdlover
New member
I'm curious, what does that spring do that simply adjusting the factory spring won't?
I have a flat bolt 308 that I like quite a lot. I bought it when surplus 308 ammo was cheap and have shot quite a lot of it through it. It's shot 1 1/4" 3 shot groups with berdan primed ball ammo with a 4x scope. It's one of my favorite plinkers, tho I've slower down how much I shoot it, not wanting to shoot up the rest of my ammo too quickly. Wish the cheap ammo hadn't dried up, or that I'd been smart enough to buy more if it when it was available.
I have a flat bolt 308 that I like quite a lot. I bought it when surplus 308 ammo was cheap and have shot quite a lot of it through it. It's shot 1 1/4" 3 shot groups with berdan primed ball ammo with a 4x scope. It's one of my favorite plinkers, tho I've slower down how much I shoot it, not wanting to shoot up the rest of my ammo too quickly. Wish the cheap ammo hadn't dried up, or that I'd been smart enough to buy more if it when it was available.
warbirdlover
New member
I don't know about that old model Rugers but the Mk II's that replaced them on to the current ones don't have adjustable triggers. And before I put the spring in mine was 6 lbs.!
Dr. Strangelove
New member
I have the same rifle (tnag safety 77 .308) and love mine. I took the scope off of it and use the iron sights, it's a great rifle.
bamaranger
New member
77v
The early 77's were reputed to have so-so accuracy. Ruger did not make their own barrels in those days, and apparently it was hit or miss on getting a good one, especially on a sporter. But...........I suspect that the 77V's heavy barrels were better. Most anybody that has one will tell you their shooters.
My 77V-22.250 is tack driver with right ammo.
The early 77's were reputed to have so-so accuracy. Ruger did not make their own barrels in those days, and apparently it was hit or miss on getting a good one, especially on a sporter. But...........I suspect that the 77V's heavy barrels were better. Most anybody that has one will tell you their shooters.
My 77V-22.250 is tack driver with right ammo.
warbirdlover
New member
bamaranger is correct about the early 77's. I had an early .300 Win Mag that shot decent groups at 100 yars, probably about an inch. My newer Mk II .300 Win Mag all-weather was/is an absolute tack hammer. So while the newer ones shoot better the older ones IMHO weren't that bad.
FrankenMauser
New member
Yep.
In my 77VT's former life as a bone-stock .220 Swift, it was an absolute tack driver.
Now it wears a 6mm Shilen Match barrel, but the performance hasn't changed much... it still prints tiny little groups.
My only gripes about the 77s over the 77 Mk IIs are:
1. The bolt-locking safety. It would be nice to be able to cycle the bolt with the safety on.
2. The snap-over claw extractor. What's the point of push-feed if you have a Mauser-style claw?
bamaranger
New member
77v
I came really close to buying a 77v in the Swift, but held off. Eventually the 22-250 surfaced and I bought it. I ended up with the scope off the Swift, a USA Weaver K12.
The early 77's LOOKED right, to me anyhow. No montecarlo or cheekpiece, deep blue, simple yet elegant (to me) stock. I did not understand the diagonal bedding screw, or push-feed v. controlled, but I liked the looks of the rifle. I liked the tang safety and the adjustable trigger.
Ruger changed the stock in the MKII's, added controlled feed and the wing safety, made it all more Mauser like. I lke the MkII also, but hold nothing against the early rifles, as long as they will shoot.
I've got a question about rebarreling, and will do another post so as not to hijack.
I came really close to buying a 77v in the Swift, but held off. Eventually the 22-250 surfaced and I bought it. I ended up with the scope off the Swift, a USA Weaver K12.
The early 77's LOOKED right, to me anyhow. No montecarlo or cheekpiece, deep blue, simple yet elegant (to me) stock. I did not understand the diagonal bedding screw, or push-feed v. controlled, but I liked the looks of the rifle. I liked the tang safety and the adjustable trigger.
Ruger changed the stock in the MKII's, added controlled feed and the wing safety, made it all more Mauser like. I lke the MkII also, but hold nothing against the early rifles, as long as they will shoot.
I've got a question about rebarreling, and will do another post so as not to hijack.
I have the opposite opinion. I don't like rifles having two-position safeties where the bolt remains unlocked when the safety is "on". I've had the bolt handle become disengaged with rifles like this (i.e., later Remington Model 700s) while hunting in close brush, rendering the rifle inoperable until the bolt was closed again. There is nothing inherently unsafe about using the floorplate to release all the cartridges from the magazine when unloading a rifle that has a bolt locked while on "safe" and extracting the round in the chamber with the safety off and the rifle pointed in a safe direction.
The best safeties, imo, are the ones having three positions, as found on the Savage Model 110, the Winchester Model 70 and Ruger MKII bolt-action rifles.
I have both types, I vastly prefer the bolt locker safeties. I'd gladly swap for a locker. I looked into what it would take to make a non-locker into a locker, its more than its worth I guess, if you can get the old parts, and someone reasonble to make the cuts.
What value is a Mauser extracor in a push feed? They are excellent extractors. They snap over the rims just fine, as 1903 Springfields have done since day one. I doesnt really matter to me how they feed. Controlled round feed is not mechanically more reliable, it's more reliable when the operator screws up and short strokes it. Run your gun very positively, and dont short stroke it. Run the bolt like you mean it, at all times, pick up the brass when you're done shooting, even your prized, gold plated family heirloom brass at the range. I made it a habit to never think about brass until I was done, if I lose some, so what. Develop good habits and you wont have a problem. "Slamming" the bolt in its operation may be an exageration, but not by much. I give it no mercy, and have never had a problem.
If somene wants to remove the bolt locking parts from an earlier gun, let me know. I'd be interested in them.
What value is a Mauser extracor in a push feed? They are excellent extractors. They snap over the rims just fine, as 1903 Springfields have done since day one. I doesnt really matter to me how they feed. Controlled round feed is not mechanically more reliable, it's more reliable when the operator screws up and short strokes it. Run your gun very positively, and dont short stroke it. Run the bolt like you mean it, at all times, pick up the brass when you're done shooting, even your prized, gold plated family heirloom brass at the range. I made it a habit to never think about brass until I was done, if I lose some, so what. Develop good habits and you wont have a problem. "Slamming" the bolt in its operation may be an exageration, but not by much. I give it no mercy, and have never had a problem.
If somene wants to remove the bolt locking parts from an earlier gun, let me know. I'd be interested in them.
Last edited:
FrankenMauser
New member
No. No. No....
It isn't that I don't like bolt-locking safeties. It's that I don't like two-position, bolt-locking safeties.
I want to be able to open the action with the safety still on.
I've been around a few too many rifles that had FCG malfunctions, after getting debris in the action while hiking around. Even if the rifle is pointed in a safe direction, discharging out of battery can do serious damage to by-standers and/or the operator.
If I must choose between a two-position bolt-locking safety and a non-bolt-locking safety, I'll (generally) take the one that doesn't lock up.
Or.... find something like the Browning X Bolt (with a bolt release button).
It isn't that I don't like bolt-locking safeties. It's that I don't like two-position, bolt-locking safeties.
I want to be able to open the action with the safety still on.
I've been around a few too many rifles that had FCG malfunctions, after getting debris in the action while hiking around. Even if the rifle is pointed in a safe direction, discharging out of battery can do serious damage to by-standers and/or the operator.
If I must choose between a two-position bolt-locking safety and a non-bolt-locking safety, I'll (generally) take the one that doesn't lock up.
Or.... find something like the Browning X Bolt (with a bolt release button).
I just bought a M77 MKII,SS ON THURSDAY,already had a trigger job done had a leupold 3.5 x 10 tactical put on it. the price was 475.00 out the door the rifle is like bran new. 5 shots to zero after bore sight.Took it opening day deer season,Saturday. Took 3 deer at about 225 yds. Could'nt be more pleased great shooter 1moa no problem. P.S. Its in 25-06. Great rifle.