77/357 mods for better accuracy

[lostatsea]

I've had a bone stock 77/357 for a few years and I'm not satisfied with the accuracy. I have Lueplod 1x4 on it so the glass is good. I reload and have tried both XTP and coated lead in 125 and 158. I've pretty much run the range of loads on those using 2400. Not interested in experimenting with different powder as I have a lot of 2400.

I've had some success with 125gr max loads but they seem inconsistent.

I'm looking for advice on some modifications. I checked the poly stock and it's pretty tight against the barrel. I'm thinking my first move might be to float the barrel with a shim or maybe a wood stock that I can sand out to free float the barrel. I searched but couldn't find any barrel shims.

I'm looking for consistent 2 MOA accuracy here. I've read that PCC's won't ever achieve rifle cartridge accuracy and fine with that. I really like this carbine and I'm willing to spend some bucks to improve the accuracy.

I'm new here and any help would be appreciated.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Bullets and powder are the easy changes. Free-floating the barrel makes sense. I have also heard that the 2-piece bolt can be shimmed. I don't have a 77-357 but my 357 rifle likes 180gr XTP bullets with H-110 or Accurate #9 powder. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Alan in GA]

There is one on GB at $1950 !!!!!!!!!! And auction still going on!! A DAY left!

 

[lostatsea]

There is one on GB at $1950 !!!!!!!!!! And auction still going on!! A DAY left!

Yikes :shock:

Guess I'll keep it awhile.

 

[holmegaard]

I sanded down the barrel channel & shimmed the bolt on mine when fairly new. Slight improvement, but nothing dramatic.
Biggest help has been putting lots of bullets downrange. I seldom shoot from bench & bags, but did so on Monday morning. Seemed to be getting better results from offhand & field positions in practice, & wanted to see if 100 yard groups from the bench were any better. Consistently got 2" to 2.5" five shot groups from both Hornady LeverEvolution 140 grain FTX, & my cat sneeze handloads (158 grain coated lead round nose over 4.1 grains Titegroup), with the scope at 5x (it's max). Wouldn't call that tack driving, but it's more than an inch better than any groups I got the last time it was benched, right after the floating & shimming. It had ~100 rounds through it at that time, if memory serves. It now has over 1500.
If I had lapped the barrel early on, that might have tightened things up faster. Way more fun to do it by sending projectiles downrange, though!
Had no luck at all developing a good heavy handload early on, using W296. Might try again now that things are better overall with the rifle. If not, can always use the Hornady load for hunting.
Was mildly disappointed with accuracy at first- "good enough" for what I needed, though. Pretty happy with the current state of things.
As you probably guessed by the rapidly rising round count, I really, really enjoy shooting this rifle.

 

[lostatsea]

Was mildly disappointed with accuracy at first- "good enough" for what I needed, though. Pretty happy with the current state of things.
As you probably guessed by the rapidly rising round count, I really, really enjoy shooting this rifle.

Good info. Thanks.

I didn't break the rifle in the way most mfg's recommend. I got around to that after about 300-400 rounds. Maybe it's one of those rifles that just isn't going to shoot well until I have several thousand rounds through it no matter what I do. I probably have 500 rounds through it now and I'm seeing gradual improvement. I shoot from a bench 100% of the time so I can see it.

I really like this rifle because it's so darn much fun to shoot. I can shoot 100 rds of ammo and not worry about the cost, about 15 bucks. There aren't many rifles you can run that cheap.

 

[holmegaard]

One of the various methods of lapping the barrel may get you there faster, smoothing out some of the imperfections inside the bore. Not necessarily endorsing that option, having never done it with any of my rifles, but might be worth researching. The gradual improvement you're seeing as round count rises may mean the rifle is a good candidate. The barrel on my rifle collects less fouling & is easier to clean now than it was new, another indication that it may have started life with a rough bore that has since become a little smoother.
Just curious... are you shooting any .38 Specials, or just .357? Don't know if it would make a difference. Have never shot any .38 Specials from mine. My handloads are closer to .38 Special in performance, but are loaded in .357 Magnum cases.
It is nice to throw a bunch of lead down range from a centerfire without making your wallet cry, isn't it?

 

[Alan in GA]

You are making me even happier that I spent the $600 for my 77/357. I sold my blue/walnut 77/44 to help fund it, also thinking I would eventually get a stainless 77/44 like this 357.

 

[holmegaard]

There is one on GB at $1950 !!!!!!!!!! And auction still going on!! A DAY left!

If someone was inclined to sell theirs (not me!), might not pay to hold in hopes of further appreciation... If Ruger were to ever chamber the American (or Savage their Axis) in the cartridge, the low price points of those rifles would likely put a big hurt on 77/357 values. On the other hand, we may never see another mass produced bolt action in .357 Magnum.

 

[COSteve]

Deleted

 

[Kanook]

3 shots, 50yds, The third shot trigger pull was so long and hard I should have reset instead of pulling the shot so I changed the sear because of the pulled shot. I actually thought I missed the second completely until the third shot was so close.

 

[lostatsea]

Just curious... are you shooting any .38 Specials, or just .357? Don't know if it would make a difference. Have never shot any .38 Specials from mine. My handloads are closer to .38 Special in performance, but are loaded in .357 Magnum cases.

No 38's except break in. I load 357 throughout the range listed in the Hornady manual. I see some old load data in other places that go beyond Hornady data but just haven't tried any yet. I like to experiment with different loads. Might break out the velocity measuring device to see where I'm at soon. This whole thing is starting to intrigue me. Never had a rifle be so finicky with loads. I know there is a heavy load it will like somewhere. So far it's been fast 125's but that just doesn't make any sense to me.

Shimming looks to be a future project if things don't look better after 2K.

 

[mrbumps]

There is one on GB at $1950 !!!!!!!!!! And auction still going on!! A DAY left!

Wow, went for $2175. Hard to believe. I recently picked one up at a local FFL for $810, and he had another in stock. I didn't realize these are in that much demand. There's another on gunbroker that's already up to $1125.

 

[lostatsea]

There is one on GB at $1950 !!!!!!!!!! And auction still going on!! A DAY left!

Wow, went for $2175. Hard to believe. I recently picked one up at a local FFL for $810, and he had another in stock. I didn't realize these are in that much demand. There's another on gunbroker that's already up to $1125.

It always happens when a popular gun is discontinued. Speculators fill the market looking for the last few available. The 77/357 and 77/44 wasn't really that popular until a few states decided that some straight walled cartridges would be legal for deer. I think that's a trend and one can only imagine where these prices are going to go. They really are nice carbines and well suited as a brush gun for medium sized game.

 

[Alan in GA]

And I was thinking about threading mine....... not now!

 

[holmegaard]

And I was thinking about threading mine....... not now!

Saw a guy with one that had been shortened & suppressed at a range a couple years ago. Have to admit, it was pretty sweet!

Think what I like best is how the rifle fits me, which won't apply to everyone of course. Being barrel chested & short armed, feel like I'm fighting the length of pull, trigger reach, etc. on a lot of production rifles, especially shooting offhand or sitting.
Have other rifles with better raw accuracy from the sandbag, but results from the 77/357 are usually better when the bags are taken away. It does well in that role, especially considering it's an ultralight sporter. Got a new CZ 527M that's beginning to nip at it's heels as I get more trigger time with it, though.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0lKefow4_sAZWV0V2cxSUQ3R1E

 

[Flyfisher66048]

Was in the same boat with my 77/357. I picked up a Boyd's stock that was free floated from the factory. Installed a target sear and sear spring ( http://www.midwayusa.com/product/158267/volquartsen-target-sear-and-sear-spring-ruger-77-22-77-44-77-50-1-1-2-lb-stainless-steel ) that reduces the trigger pull to 1.5 lbs. installed some bolt shims from these guys ( http://www.triggershims.com/ruger_m77.html ). Mounted a leupold 2x7. Now it shoots pretty good with my 158 gr jacketed SP over some lil'gun. It is one of my favorites rifles for fun.