Ruger M77 Mk ll

[orygun]

When the bolt action rifles discussion section opened up many threads were started for different for different brands and types of rifles, but none about Rugers. I thought about starting one to show love for the Ruger 77, especially the MKII and Hawkeye.
These are my favorite rifle/action out of everything I've owned, but I still can't resist the urge to tinker with them a bit. I started with a blued 77 MKII. It ended up in the hands of my oldest nephew wearing a skeleton stock. I gave him "my" rifle for his high school graduation. (I hate the skeleton stock, but it's what he wanted)
I went to a stainless MKII that I bought brand new, but 8-10 years old (long story) in the skeleton stock. It then got ripped apart and I blasted with fairly coarse abrasive, giving it a rougher finish that color matches the Ruger Target Gray perfectly. Put it in a Hogue pillar bed stock and put a gun show VX-II on it. Later it got the Timney trigger. This is my favorite rifle.


Then I found a matching gun in 300 Win Mag at a price I couldn't resist. It was already in a Hogue stock, but it had the wrong barrel channel. Before it got to me something happened to the stock to make it almost glossy. Sold that one and bought a new one in green. Took this gun apart, too, and blasted the hell out of it. When I put it back together I changed the trigger spring and smoothed things up a little. I had a Leupold VX-R in stainless rings and put that on. I'm pondering a change of barrel and making it 30 Nosler. Would be a great candidate for that. As it is, it's a nice gun.

I absolutely love the trim lines of the Ruger stock, but wish the 300 held another round. You can only get 3 in the box, and bottom loading is a pain.

 

[Ruger Rich]

Check my handle and you'll know what I think about Rugers. You can spend a bunch more money and still not equal a Ruger. There's a reason they are America's largest gun manufacturer. And I own no stock in Ruger.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

When the bolt action rifles discussion section opened up many threads were started for different for different brands and types of rifles, but none about Rugers. I thought about starting one to show love for the Ruger 77, especially the MKII and Hawkeye.
These are my favorite rifle/action out of everything I've owned, but I still can't resist the urge to tinker with them a bit. I started with a blued 77 MKII. It ended up in the hands of my oldest nephew wearing a skeleton stock. I gave him "my" rifle for his high school graduation. (I hate the skeleton stock, but it's what he wanted)
I went to a stainless MKII that I bought brand new, but 8-10 years old (long story) in the skeleton stock. It then got ripped apart and I blasted with fairly coarse abrasive, giving it a rougher finish that color matches the Ruger Target Gray perfectly. Put it in a Hogue pillar bed stock and put a gun show VX-II on it. Later it got the Timney trigger. This is my favorite rifle.
View attachment 354564

Then I found a matching gun in 300 Win Mag at a price I couldn't resist. It was already in a Hogue stock, but it had the wrong barrel channel. Before it got to me something happened to the stock to make it almost glossy. Sold that one and bought a new one in green. Took this gun apart, too, and blasted the hell out of it. When I put it back together I changed the trigger spring and smoothed things up a little. I had a Leupold VX-R in stainless rings and put that on. I'm pondering a change of barrel and making it 30 Nosler. Would be a great candidate for that. As it is, it's a nice gun.
View attachment 354565
I absolutely love the trim lines of the Ruger stock, but wish the 300 held another round. You can only get 3 in the box, and bottom loading is a pain.

I like your taste in rifles my friend. Please start up a thread about Ruger rifles. PLEASE!!!!! I'd love to post some pictures and stories about some I've had...

 

[orygun]

I like your taste in rifles my friend. Please start up a thread about Ruger rifles. PLEASE!!!!! I'd love to post some pictures and stories about some I've had...

I figgered we have one now.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

I'll start up a new one if you aren't...

 

[orygun]

I'll start up a new one if you aren't...

Cool! Can I post the same pics again?

 

[Jerderv]

Is the gunsite scout rifle an m77 action?

 

[Aero Denezol]

Check my handle and you'll know what I think about Rugers. You can spend a bunch more money and still not equal a Ruger. There's a reason they are America's largest gun manufacturer. And I own no stock in Ruger.

Rugers are a good value, I own 3 of them.

Thank you for posting re: the Ruger bolt action rifles, I miss having a bolt rifle, was considering something in .308. I will take a closer look at Ruger 77.

The Gunsite Scout is really cool looking but I'm afraid it's outside my budget for this type of gun.

 

[orygun]

Is the gunsite scout rifle an m77 action?

Yes, but technically it's a Hawkeye which is a slightly revised 77 MKII.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Might wanna give the Ruger Hawkeye Guide A long look, I have one in .30/06 and the wife just got hers, they are simply awesome rifles! Ruger quality with some really nice extras that really make these rifles super handy. I like them over the GunSite Scout, having a long action and a better balance while being a little lighter because of the box mag, but in a like size package! I only wish they offered this in .338 Win Mag but they did have the Alaskan in it guide( which I also have) so it's all good!

 

[DirectDrive]

I only wish they offered this in .338 Win Mag but they did have the Alaskan in it guide( which I also have) so it's all good!

Here's one :
<broken link removed>

 

[Medic!]

Back in ''94'' I bought a Ruger 77 Mark II.
She's named ''The Belcher''. [Hunting buddies teasing my .300. What to do? Anyways the name stuck.]

Blued with a walnut stock and chambered in .300 Win. Mag.
I bedded the stock, [She's sub 1''] put a shepherd scope on her, and we started hunting together.
What a useful combination after some time learning the scope. And picking a round suited to it's BDC.

I've bought other guns to go hunting with. But somehow they never get used?
Different calibers, scopes and lighter weights. But they just don't give me the confidence in feeding, connecting, and keeping down ''anything'' I have a tag for. And might go up against. At some really long distances.

I know just where she will hit. And how hard.

The Belcher and I have walked countless miles together. And while some might call her heavy?
I never notice.
Anyways it just wouldn't compare to the weight some other gun would put on my confidence.

 

[Vaultman]

The "three shot wonders"... That's what I call 'em. Takes only three shots for them to start spraying crap everywhere. Grant it mine had a bowed stock, that was putting pressure on the side of the barrel, but even after I sanded that out it shot like crap.

Love the action, loved the fit, loved the finish, loved the feel, just hated how it shot.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

The "three shot wonders"... That's what I call 'em. Takes only three shots for them to start spraying crap everywhere. Grant it mine had a bowed stock, that was putting pressure on the side of the barrel, but even after I sanded that out it shot like crap.

Love the action, loved the fit, loved the finish, loved the feel, just hated how it shot.

I can see where some of the 77's can be viewed like this. Your post is honest and I can appreciate that. One thing I have to say: I view a Ruger m77 as a working man's rifle that is most times rough out of the box. I myself love tinkering and fine tuning a rifle to get the most out of it. I know some guys get pizzed when I say this, but there's a lot of work that goes into my Ruger m77's after I get it home. I've compiled a list of things I do to them and posted it on other forums, but here goes again:

1. Polish bolt raceways: Makes it feel more like a Model 70 when done.
2. Tune the trigger to a 2.5 pound pull.
3. Check mag box to make sure it isn't binding in the stock.
4. Glass bed receiver. Mainly the recoil lug and sometimes under the chamber.
5. Lengthen the innards on some mag boxes (my .223 rem comes to mind) for longer OAL to get the bullet closer to the lands.

I'm also one that loves the CRF action and ergo's of the model 77 and don't mind the extra heft. You really get a lot of rifle for the money, if you don't mind fine tuning it a bit.... As far as being "3 shot wonders", you can work a lot of that out of them, even before their first outing at the range... If you don't really want to exert the energy on a M77, save them for someone that does and buy yourself a Tikka....

This is a pic of how well one of my Ruger 77 MKII's shoots. All 5 shot groups with an average of .635 MOA and one 10 shot group, shot for the heck of it.... It shoots like this day in and day out...


There's actually a stainless Hawkeye all weather chambered in .270 win in the classifieds I'd love to get my hands on. But I need another rifle "like I need a hole in my head"... Heck of a good deal too at $400.00!!

 

[orygun]

I can see where some of the 77's can be viewed like this. Your post is honest and I can appreciate that. One thing I have to say: I view a Ruger m77 as a working man's rifle that is most times rough out of the box. I myself love tinkering and fine tuning a rifle to get the most out of it. I know some guys get pizzed when I say this, but there's a lot of work that goes into my Ruger m77's after I get it home. I've compiled a list of things I do to them and posted it on other forums, but here goes again:


There's actually a stainless Hawkeye all weather chambered in .270 win in the classifieds I'd love to get my hands on. But I need another rifle "like I need a hole in my head"... Heck of a good deal too at $400.00!!

At first I didn't take too well to the "three shot wonder" thing, but also appreciate the honest opinion. Many things others think are the cat's meow, I might consider crap. Like BSA1917, I don't mind making modifications to my rifle to make it better-er and more to my liking, but my friend has two stainless, boat paddle stocked Rugers and absolutely loves them. One's a 300 and the other a 243. All he did was mount a basic scope and went "killing" with it. (he's a pretty good hunter)

A 270, huh? Great... Yeah, I don't need another.

 

[MountainBear]

The Ruger M77 was what defined a rifle for me growing up. Specifically, a tang-safety, blued steel, iron sights, walnut stock, with a painfully thin red recoil pad.

My father has always hunted with one in 7mm RemMag, and my uncle hunted with one in .30-06, which is of course, the greatest caliber!

Whenever I build a custom rifle, especially for myself, I tend towards wood, bluing, iron sights, and red recoil pads (although I like nice thick recoil pads that actually serve a purpose).

I had always hoped to inherit my uncle's when he was done hunting. His son has recently taken an interest, so it will, rightfully, go to him. So I found one and bought it. I hope to take it out for deer or elk this year.

Sorry, just anecdotes today, no photos...

 

[Vaultman]

I can see where some of the 77's can be viewed like this. Your post is honest and I can appreciate that. One thing I have to say: I view a Ruger m77 as a working man's rifle that is most times rough out of the box. I myself love tinkering and fine tuning a rifle to get the most out of it. I know some guys get pizzed when I say this, but there's a lot of work that goes into my Ruger m77's after I get it home. ...
!

Thank you BSA. I think you are right. If time and elbow grease are added it probably could have been a good rifle. I was just not very confident in my skills as someone to do work on a gun. That has certainly changed now due to more experience, and I may someday buy another, just not currently.
I know a lot of people that like their Ruger 77, but mine was my only rifle and had me thinking I was a terrible shot. Then I started shooting an ole Rem 700, and I realized that I shot way better. Started shooting other rifles and realized that the specific Ruger I had was the problem.
To each there own...

Also good to know what you have done to yours to make them good shooters. Next time I have one that isn't I will likely go right down that list. Thank you.