Ruger accuracy

[Elkwonder]

I am no fan of Ruger accuracy, but I have a stainless Ruger in 35 whelen, that is as accurate as any 35 whelen ever made. That rifle is going nowhere!!

 

[FEENIX]

Ed,

Thanks for the links. Very interesting reading the threads on the subject. There are more options available than I though but most of them such as Near and Farrel are what I consider in the custom class and a little spendy compared to other common quality options. Also, they still leave those dirt collecting divots in the top of the receiver The question is, how many hoops and how much $$$ does one invest to make it work? When is it better to switch gears and invest in something a little more upgrade friendly? That was eventually my decision after A LOT of investigation and solicitation of opinions, which included smiths and a well know barrel maker.

Like I said, I may give my M77 a facelift someday because of its history with me, especially since my smith likes them (not Dave Young, my smith down here in Three Forks, Glen Demaray) I sure wouldn't go out and buy one for a donor.

BTW, sweet rifle in your Facelift thread. What did you do regarding bedding, pillars, angle front screw etc.?

Mark,

I fully understand, esp. the sentimental value.

My M77 MKII was purchased used at Scheel's in GF for $399 with 1" Ruger scope ring and the custom muzzle brake already installed. When I saw it considering the cost of a muzzle brake and installation, I was unable to let it go. A co-worker was selling me same model and chamber except it's wood stock and without muzzle brake for $450. IMHO, what I got was in better shape and better buy.

I replaced the trigger (set at 2.5 lbs) and stock (came with pillars) ... have not done any bedding (but plan to later on when I finally get some time ) and left everything else as-is. I am getting sub-MOA up 300 yards with .225gr NAB, 73.5gr H4831SC, CCI250 and shot a coyote at 338 yards.

Thanks!

Ed

 

[MudRunner2005]

Another pix of the adapter ...

This is the exact rifles I have.....Same finish, stock, and safety design. Both of mine are tack-drivers.

Ed, what stock did you go with for yours?

Mud,

Didn't know that EGW made a rail for the M77. That said, I checked out their site and called them. The rail they sell is the standard and not the HD and they don't make a steel version. I might consider it for a lighter chambering... maybe a 22-250 or 243 or smaller. I'm not sure it would be worth the investment from a practical view. I would only do it because like I mentioned to FEENIX, the rifle's history with me. I find buying Howa/Vanguard actions much more practical as they need no more than a straight forward blueprint job of receiver and bolt. That said, anything longer than a Dakota case and I am going full custom. The Howa actions (and M77's) are a little too short for 300 WM cases and longer with long high BC bullets.

6061 should be strong enough for a typical magnum caliber...I would imagine. I have been thinking about doing it to mine, since both of them are excellent shooters, and still have lots of barrel life left. The 7Mag has REALLY surprised me with my handloads the fact that it is shooting some VERY tight cloverleafs, especially since everyone else seems to be having accuracy difficulties with them.

Got the 7mm-08 new, when I was 12, and then bought the 7mm RemMag, barely used, when I was 16 when I worked at the gun shop. A guy traded it in because he couldn't handle the recoil. Think I paid $300 for it at my cost, but not positive. Either way, for what I have in them, dollar wise, they have the best "accuracy : dollars spent" ratio of any of my guns.

 

[Tnwhip]

You can hope for a miracle, but don't expect one. You can make anything shoot well if you put enough time and $$$ into it. Also, your lighter chamberings usually produce better groups. When you start climbing the cartridge food chain, things like recoil lugs, bedding and action screws become much more relevant.

How did you pillar bed it it and what did you do with the angled front action screw?
Then I have two Miracles
I don't have any money in the 220 swift to make it shoot. I made the pillers out of brass and installed them the same way any other pillers are installed. I notched the front to fit the recoil lug. My other tang saftey Ruger the 280 ackley is a shooter also. Nothing was done to it that you wouldn't do to anyother rifle. Just another barrel, Boyds Laminated stock ,pillers and bedding. Carefull reloading. The stock tang safety triggers are adjustable and they are not bad. The swift is set at 1 1/2 lbs and the 280 ack is set at 2 1/2.
No doubt, other actions have more accessories and may be easyer to work with. I was cussing when I got my new scope and the Ruger rings would not work. So i just took a rail and modified it to fit my action, no big deal for me. Most people are better off to start with something else. But what it boils down to a Ruger can be made to shoot pretty good. I myself would not buy one just to build a custom rifle but if you have one it can be made to shoot as good as most anything else. I found one of my targets for the 280 Ackley 300 yds.

 

[ILtoMT50]

i got the pillar kit from brownells, used a 9/16 bit iirc to bore out the holes, careful to follow the existing hole. then used some of the bedding epoxy to put the pillars in

 

[ILtoMT50]

RUGER® 77/M77® MARK II BEDDING PILLARS | Brownells


Stocky's Epoxy Gel & Pillar Bedding Supplies - New Super-Low Bulk Pricing!

thats the stuff i used
also theese

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/88...ing-release-compound-12-oz-aerosol?cm_vc=S014

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/961033/3m-bedding-and-masking-tape-2-width

 

[FEENIX]

Ed, what stock did you go with for yours?

B&C 5231 (IIRC) black from Stocky's.

Ed

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Mark,

I fully understand, esp. the sentimental value.

My M77 MKII was purchased used at Scheel's in GF for $399 with 1" Ruger scope ring and the custom muzzle brake already installed. When I saw it considering the cost of a muzzle brake and installation, I was unable to let it go. A co-worker was selling me same model and chamber except it's wood stock and without muzzle brake for $450. IMHO, what I got was in better shape and better buy.

I replaced the trigger (set at 2.5 lbs) and stock (came with pillars) ... have not done any bedding (but plan to later on when I finally get some time ) and left everything else as-is. I am getting sub-MOA up 300 yards with .225gr NAB, 73.5gr H4831SC, CCI250 and shot a coyote at 338 yards.

Thanks!

Ed

Ed, Nothing like a 338 WM to turn out the lights on a Yote I head shot one with a 300 RUM once

I bought my M77's (7 RM and 270 Win) at Big Bear on 10th Ave South when it was still there back in 88. I didn't know squat about rifles back then but my 7 RM served me vey well. Back then a Sub MOA rifle was pretty cool. With factory ammo I was getting about 1 - 1.5 MOA and with handloads, about 3/4 MOA so I was a happy camper shooting a flat cartridge with accuracy potential to 500 yds. It wore a 2.5-10 B&L Balvar scope. My farthest shot was a buck speed goat in the Sand Springs country taken at 425 stepped off yards that I guesstimated to be 450. No laser range finders back then. So yeah, a little more history with my M77 gun)I have a number of heads and horns looking down at me from the wall, ALL taken with that rifle.

Thanks for the pics, i love pics

 

[MontanaRifleman]

OK fellas, it's late and I'm not going to answer each one of ya. A few good informative posts regarding bedding, pillars etc. Bottomline here... angled action screws do not sit well with me. Maybe I'm a little over sensitive, but that is just not my cup of tea.

I think this has been a very informative thread for the OP and he should be able to make a good decision.... maybe

I know what I would do if I was him lightbulb

 

[MudRunner2005]

B&C 5231 (IIRC) black from Stocky's.

Ed

Been thinking about putting a Vais radial brake on the 7Mag, and maybe a different stock.

But magbe get that stock in a black w/ gray web, if they offer it.

 

[MTBULLET]

hope nobody tells my alaska and africa friends that angled lugs, no pillars and screws are gonna be a problem in those 20 plus year old ruger .458's !

 

[MontanaRifleman]

hope nobody tells my alaska and africa friends that angled lugs, no pillars and screws are gonna be a problem in those 20 plus year old ruger .458's !

This is the Long Range Hunting site where we build precison rifles to shoot sub 1/2 MOA - not the Alaskan Bush Hunting site were they hunt with rifles that shoot minute of Moose.... and BTW, I am a member of the Alaskan Outdoors Forums and know how they love their Rugers. That said, I've read more than one thread on that site regarding problems with said angled front action screw.

 

[MTBULLET]

This is the Long Range Hunting site where we build precison rifles to shoot sub 1/2 MOA - not the Alaskan Bush Hunting site were they hunt with rifles that shoot minute of Moose.... and BTW, I am a member of the Alaskan Outdoors Forums and know how they love their Rugers. That said, I've read more than one thread on that site regarding problems with said angled front action screw.

wow, you sure told me !
guess I better rethink the .243AI/220 swift/338-06 I built on ruger actions back when that's all I had to work with. They only shoot 1/2 MOA to 700 yds., just like the 700 Rem.'s I use now for the others I build. I've not had a problem with the angled "lug" as you call it, I just know how to deal with it.

 

[Tnwhip]

This is the Long Range Hunting site where we build precison rifles to shoot sub 1/2 MOA - not the Alaskan Bush Hunting site were they hunt with rifles that shoot minute of Moose.... and BTW, I am a member of the Alaskan Outdoors Forums and know how they love their Rugers. That said, I've read more than one thread on that site regarding problems with said angled front action screw.

What problem were they having?
The angled screw pulls down and back. How is that bad? The recoil lug is short and thick. Maybe it could be a little longer but but it doesn't flex. I have epoxied a piece of steel where the recoil lug makes contact on my 280 ack. laminated stock for more suport and strength. I was thinking it would strengthen that part of the stock giving the lug more surface contact to push against. Steel on steel. instead of steel on epoxie and wood. I used JB weld for bedding compound. I did this after installing the pillers. Did it help anything? Didn't hurt.