I have a Ruger 77 Action...What options?

[300winnie]

I recently aquired a Ruger 77 (tang safety) that has been custom done into a .30-.338 Magnum. I don't really have a need, or like the caliber, but the gun came at the right price. It appears that it started its life as a 30-06 as it still has the original barrel and it is a 22 incher. I have contemplated two things: Try to sell the gun and make a little bit on it, or rebarrel/rechamber it to something that interests me a bit more than what it is.

A couple of questions for evaluation of where I am going with it.

1. Can a long action Ruger 77 be made into any of the Ultra Magnums (specific interest would be the .338 Ultra or the 7mm Ultra)?
2. Could it be made to work with a .358 STA Cartridge?
3. If it won't work with those type of cartridges am I limited to the magnums that work in a standard length action such as the .300 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, .264 Win Mag, Weatherby Mags from 7mm down to the .257...ect.
4. Is the Ruger action worth fiddling with on a custom job, or would I be better off to sell it and take the money and get something different?

Thanks in advance.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

From what I gather, you cant really build a super accurate rifle off a M77 action. Might just be heresay, but you dont see to many of them, theres got to be a reason for it. I would sell it and get something else.

 

[James Jones]

If you can sell the gun and make money off of it then thats what I would do , the Ruger actions can be made to shoot very well but fiding a smith to do the work is the trouble as most don't want to mess with it. I'm sure that you could shoehorn an Ultramag case in it but I woulden't try , the Ruger actions are said to be weak due to poor casting processes. I'd sell it for a Remington in the caliber you want or a better action.
The Howa/Weatherby Vanguard actions are great guns to build on and can be had in pawn shops for around $250.

 

[Guest]

There is a gunsmith in Westhaven Ut. who has blue printed M77 actions and they work fine.I own a bone stock M77 in 25-06 that shoots 1/2 moa The answer for Rugers is a proper piler bedding job and a good barrel.I also have a older M77 tang safety model in .338 win that is a moa shooter, the trigger is workable if you know what you are doing.

 

[linksmechanic]

If got a ruger .308 vt that is box stock that shoots .436" at a 100 yards with factory ammo. Best gun I own out of various 700's and senderos. I say keep it and build off of it just to have something different. And the actions are stronger that you can believe. There just as strong as a 700.

 

[stxhunter]

i'm have a gun built on a m77 action tang safty it s 300 wm going to have a 26 inch hart barrel a #5 contour if i remember right glenns almost done with it it'll have a mcmillion sporter stock he told me it wouldnt be practicial to build a 300 rum on it magazine not long enough without a lot of work and the action was plenty strong you can contact him at 361 547 6617 glenn martin custom gunsmithing if you have any quistions he's built all the guns my father and i have shot in matchs over the years has a 6 month to a year wait he's located in sandia tx about 25 miles west of corpus christi tx