Re-barrel M77 flat bolt or not

[TnTom]

lightbulb I'm trying to make a decision. I called Ruger and they would fit a new barrel blue 22" factory barrel for around $350.00 I didnt ask about bluing. Eye balling the crown and rifling at the muzzle and the way it shoots .7" to 1.25" moa Im thinking its had a lot of rounds fired thru it. But worth doing something with. Ive considered shortening the 22" barrel on it now by an inch and re-crowning it.

One of the reasons I'm reluctant to put a Ruger barrel on it is that the barrel would have the latter warning on it and I don't want that. If I can just freshen up the grooves at the muzzel by cutting it back and re-crowning it and I haven't looked at the chamber with a bore scope it may be eroded. I wont do anything until I do,

If I do put another barrel on it. I'm questioning the logic of putting on like a Douglas Barrel which is going to be $450 or so. I don't care to shoot . 3 or .5's but really like a gun that shoots .7's to 1.00 MOA.... but then its been modified.

Has anyone noticed improved groups by simply focusing on the muzzle. I going to look at more of the bore when I can get to a bore scope and see just what both ends look like and do something.

I have only shot about 15 factory 100gr korelock rounds thru it and and am loading some 90 grains Noslers up right now. I'll take it to the range in a few days shoot it again with about 20 rounds and see what it looks like. Maybe four groups of five and see what it does. I have since I first shot it have bedded the recoil lug and floated the barrel so it may or may not look any different. I'm hoping maybe I don't need to do anything.

No matter how I clean it I still find copper. I bought the gun a while back to mess with. It's a M77 .243 flat bolt, a nice rifle and I bought it off Gunbroker knowing the gun may have been fired a lot and not cleaned very well which seems to be the case. Not complaining just deciding what to do with it. I hate the idea of modifying it with an aftermarket marked barrel or a new model Ruger barrel but cutting an inch off would have about the same asthestics.... modified. I'll shoot it and have someone look at it at the same time and see whats going on. The loads Im makng have a .010" jump so it might look different than the factory ammo.

Just thinking out loud. I don't plan on shooting it a lot but would like to shoot some fun matches 100 - 200 - 300 yd BR locally infrequently then .5 - .7 MOA might take more than just recrowing. Decisions Decisions.

 

[gr8whyt]

Get it clean, to where it's not showing any copper, then it will shoot better. I'd concentrate on that first. A cheap and easy improvement. Then I'd take it to a 'smith that had a good reputation and see about a bedding job. While at the 'smith get their opinion about the trigger. There's probably some room for improvement on both the stock and trigger. Then have the 'smith look at the crown. A simple cut and re-crown won't remove much barrel length, but will get you to better barrel if there is damage near the muzzle. All of this work is pretty reasonable in cost and pays big dividends in a good shooter. Then you can can turn to varying loads to find one that really works well. It does sound like the rifle does have good potential. Good luck with it.

-- gr8whyt

 

[TnTom]

Thanks for the feedback. Ive a good idea of what it was doing before and after I bedded it and there was measurable improvement just from the bedding. ( I also added pillars which I hadn't mention in my initial post.)

I worked up some loads to try out and I'll have the muzzle and chamber looked at hopefully he'll have some time this coming week. Im not seeing any damage at the crown but it does appear that most of the cleaning (what little seems to have been done) was done from the muzzle end and the lands show wear.