Cute little Ruger rifle

[gmerkt]

Ruger 77-44. Bolt action with rotary magazine. This one was made in 1997 which I believe was their first year. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet. It will replace my NEF SB-2 in the same cartridge. About 50 years ago, I had one of the semi-auto Ruger carbines in .44 Magnum but I don't remember much about it.

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[aasbra]

I like the blue with wood stock. I have a 77/44, and a couple 77/357 rifles. All mine are stainless with the plastic stocks.

 

[gmerkt]

I like the blue with wood stock.

I agree. About a year ago, I saw one of these in stainless steel hanging on the wall of a local pawn shop. It was priced at an even $1,000. I thought about buying it but didn't. Glad now that I did not. The later blued versions I believe have a stainless steel bolt.

I'm inadvertently starting to gather together a kind of Ruger 77 Mark II "collection." I've got a lightweight .223 that I bought new circa 1991. Then a friend needed money, and sold me a 77/22 Mark II, first year. Last year, I bought a 77 Mark II in .30-06, that's a hefty rifle. All of these are blued/wood stocks. Now the 77/44, which also came with another 77/22, this one is an All Weather SS with the kind of hollowed-out butt stock.

Almost 25 years ago, I got a couple of older Ruger 77's (.243 and .308) with the tang safety. I also had one in .257 Robt., an older cannon with a 26 in. bbl. and iron sights. I never particularly liked the tang safety. I prefer the "gate swing" safety of the Mark II. I no longer have any of these older 77's.

 

[orygun]

77 MKII's are my favorite bolt action rifle. The Hawkeye can be included in this, as it's the same thing.

 

[bionic knees]

The neighbor has one that is suppressed, and with L.P.V.O., it is his western Or. brush gun.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

An acquaintance of mine has one of those with an integrally suppressed barrel. That thing is quiet as a mouse fart.

 

[aasbra]

An acquaintance of mine has one of those with an integrally suppressed barrel. That thing is quiet as a mouse fart.

That is the route I took with my 77/44. I reload with 44 Magnum cases for subsonic velocity rounds. It's one of my favorite rifles in the safe.

 

[orygun]

That is the route I took with my 77/44. I reload with 44 Magnum cases for subsonic velocity rounds. It's one of my favorite rifles in the safe.

Do you use a bullet heavier than 240gr?

 

[aasbra]

Do you use a bullet heavier than 240gr?

The main load that I use is a 240 grain coated lead SWC over several different powders. Out of the powders I had on hand when testing different loads, Green Dot gave me the best accuracy and ES/SD over the chrono on n this rifle.

I have some heavier bullets I plan to try at some point, but so far this bullet that I source from Travis at T&B Bullets has worked good in this rifle and a Handi Rifle cut down to 16.5" and threaded for a suppressor. Easy to get, fairly economical to load, and I'm happy with the results.

I also run this bullet with mild to moderate loads for plinking steel in a Henry lever action and single shot 44, and in my Redhawk. It's a good, all around option for plinking steel at the range.