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Posted: 6/29/2010 5:03:01 PM EDT
| I'm interested in getting a new bolt gun for general varmint/ coyote use, not precision shooting and am leaning toward a scout setup. I've only owned three bolt guns in my life, one is a 22 LR Remington Target Master that was my grandfathers, and the other two are Savage 110's so I don't know a lot about bolt guns. I've owned several Ruger handguns through the years and like the brand so I thought about trying an M77 this time. While perusing the Ruger web site I noticed the M77's don't seem to come with irons and they had a compact model with a 16.5" barrel. Has anyone here ever used a compact model M77 and what is the communities opinion of the M77 line. I'm assuming a good smith could add irons if I wanted them to. Thanks. |
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Quoted:
I'm interested in getting a new bolt gun for general varmint/ coyote use, not precision shooting and am leaning toward a scout setup. I've only owned three bolt guns in my life, one is a 22 LR Remington Target Master that was my grandfathers, and the other two are Savage 110's so I don't know a lot about bolt guns. I've owned several Ruger handguns through the years and like the brand so I thought about trying an M77 this time. While perusing the Ruger web site I noticed the M77's don't seem to come with irons and they had a compact model with a 16.5" barrel. Has anyone here ever used a compact model M77 and what is the communities opinion of the M77 line. I'm assuming a good smith could add irons if I wanted them to. Thanks. Like all things Ruger, they're tougher than hell. Be careful on your cartridge choice with the 16.5" barrel. Most cartridges based on 308 (such as 243, 7mm-08, 260 Remington, and of course, 308) lose too much performance in short barrels and generate horrid muzzle blast. Last M77 I looked at still used the Mauser type claw extractor and controlled round feed. I think it would be a great rifle in 6.8 SPC or 7.62x39. It would be a very good rifle in .223. I, personally, wouldn't be too keen on the 243, 7mm08, or 308 chamberings. |
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My Uncle has two Ruger M77 compact .308s with 16.5" barrels.
IMO they are great little handy rifles. My Uncle has shot everything from deer to antelope and black bear with his little Ruger 308. I set the up the rifle for him and with Federal 150gr .308s I was able to shoot a three shot MOA group at 100 yards. |
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Most cartridges based on 308 (such as 243, 7mm-08, 260 Remington, and of course, 308) lose too much performance in short barrels and generate horrid muzzle blast. My standard 43.5g of Varget under a 168 Nosler C/C goes 2394-2422 fps at 65F from a Ruger 77 Frontier. 100-150 fps slower than its 20-22" counterparts at the same temperature. I can't tell any difference in muzzle blast between any of them. I put an NECG backup peep sight on the rear receiver bridge(fits right onto the integral Ruger scope mount) and added a Marbles front ramp with a brass bead front sight. With a set of Ruger Talley QD scope rings on the quarter rib scout mounting position, it's a pretty handy package. |
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Muzzle diameter on the Frontier or Ultralights is .625".
I'm not much for threading 1/2-anything for something with that potential muzzle pressure with a .308 groove diameter. I suppose it could be done, and probably gets done regularly - but I wouldn't do it for me or anybody else. Typical A2 flashhider OD is .860 +/-. Using the NECG rear sight along with a Marbles front ramp and sight would only have about .065" of front sight standing proud above of the O.D. of an A2 flash hider. I'd think it would make target acquisition a bit rough. Whatever floats your boat though. |
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The M77's are very underrated rifles IMO. I would opt for the .243 to keep the recoil down in such a small, light rifle. Wife's M77 started life as a .243, rechambered to .308 (according to the uncle who had it done)....beautiful action, light recoil, all around classic rifle imho. Re: flash hider.....maybe design one that slips over the barrel, then blind pin it on? A machinist can make most anything along those lines, your design = his time. |
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Thanks guys. The M77 compact is definitely in the running for my scout gun. Savage makes a Model 10 Scout but it has a 20.5" barrel. I haven't had time to look at the Remington yet. Ruger used to make an M77 "Frontier" which was just that - a shortened M77 with a scout scope mount. CDNN had some for $500 (no longer) and I still see them at funshows for around that price. |
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