77/44?

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cleardatum

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 7, 2013
Messages
297
what do y'all think about the 77 in .44 magnum? i've been looking at, and have always wanted, a rifle (preferably a carbine) in a pistol caliber, and my gaze fell upon the 77 in .44. good experiences? bad?
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
9,810
Location
Woodbury, Tn
44rugerr said:
I have several. It my go-to deer rifle. Light weight, accurate.
I have one. I like it, but be aware that the magazine limits the OAL of the bullet to 1.650 if you reload. A lot of the heavier bullets bring the OAL to 1.700+. Good luck.
gramps
 

AJE

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
9
I purchased mine last fall for deer hunting. I shot a nice sized doe with it (one shot at about 80 yards) and missed a running coyote (at about 125 yards).

It is nice and light, seems very durable, and I'm looking forward to hunting with it for quite a long time.

The only thing bad about it is the lightness made sighting it in and testing groups very hard on the shoulder :shock: I worked through it. :twisted:
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
9,810
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Woodbury, Tn
AJE said:
I purchased mine last fall for deer hunting. I shot a nice sized doe with it (one shot at about 80 yards) and missed a running coyote (at about 125 yards).

It is nice and light, seems very durable, and I'm looking forward to hunting with it for quite a long time.

The only thing bad about it is the lightness made sighting it in and testing groups very hard on the shoulder :shock: I worked through it. :twisted:
The Rossi 92 with its metal butt is the only gun to ever bruise my shoulder! :shock: It was sold. :evil: I have not had any problems with the 77/44. It carries and points well. IMO
gramps
 

se3388

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 7, 2011
Messages
97
Location
SEMO
Mine was one from the first 1000 made and I never could get it to deliver a group under 4 to 5 inches at 100 yds. I tried all available bullet weights in cast and jacketed and about 5 different powders. Tried all kinds of different settings of torque to the action screws, three different scopes and even recrowned the muzzle, let a friend try his hand at it with the same luck. I rebarrelled it to 357 x 44 Bain & Davis and it is as close to a tack driver that it can be.

Steve...........
 

Ferdinand

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 8, 2007
Messages
155
Location
Centerville, OH, USA
I have a 77/357 that I really love. It's robust, and reliable, and accurate. I'm still working on optimizing the accuracy. I installed a 3-9 scope not long after buying it, and just took it off. I just messed up the gun's compact profile and handiness.
 
Joined
Mar 24, 2002
Messages
6,243
Location
Oregon City, Oregon
I think the concept of the 77/44 is great. Good luck finding one that's accurate. It's a real pig in a poke. Some folks have reported very acceptable accuracy. I cannot report very good success finding them regularly. I've now owned four of them, and only one was truly accurate, followed by a couple mediocres, and one returned to the factory never to be seen again.

Figure out how to make them shoot and they're a red hot little gun.

WAYNO.
 

langenc

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
471
Location
Lewiston, MI USA
se3388 said:
Mine was one from the first 1000 made and I never could get it to deliver a group under 4 to 5 inches at 100 yds. I tried all available bullet weights in cast and jacketed and about 5 different powders. Tried all kinds of different settings of torque to the action screws, three different scopes and even recrowned the muzzle, let a friend try his hand at it with the same luck. I rebarrelled it to 357 x 44 Bain & Davis and it is as close to a tack driver that it can be.

Steve...........

I bought one last Jul for the fall deer season.

I found some brass and loaded em up, several times.

You need W296 or (H110 powder-same), HEAVY loads (24+ gr / 240 gr bullets, jacketed) and lots of crimp. Im told all 44 mags are like that. PS I also use Mag pistol primers (large of course).

Last 5 shots were one slot and a hole about 1/2" away. Hav about 150 rounds thru the barrel. I believe it is still tightening. Im fixing to load some Noslers 240s and shoot them probably as described above.
 

felix cortinas

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 14, 2006
Messages
93
Location
Luling, Texas USA
I live in Texas, my part has some thick woods full of hogs and some really long shots over 500 yards if you want. I bought an M77/44 specifically for hogs in the creek bottoms and around tanks, some really thick brush. I fell in love with it, never thought I'd have a use for such a carbine, since then have also acquired an old Ruger .44 mag carbine made in early 70s. I have a Redfield 3x7x44 on mine and it is just right, 1" groups at 100 yards with Winchester 240 grain ammo, pretty much standard, low recoil, compact, accurate...what's not to like. I still have lots of long range caliber rifles but love the m77/44, mine is the stainless with synthethic stock. sorry, I meant 2x7x33 Redfield scope, great choice for me.
 

wunbe

Buckeye
Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
1,240
Location
Reston VA USA
Has anyone had success in rebedding or otherwise fixing 77/44s that will not group reasonably -- say 2 MOA at 100 yards?

Thanks for any tips,
wunbe
 

langenc

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
471
Location
Lewiston, MI USA
The barrel on my 77/44 was not 'free floated' so I sanded the barrel channel. It seems the more I sanded the more the stock seemed to drift to the right. I now have quite a clearance on the left edge (between barrel and stock) and the right is not floated.

Im to the point of being reluctant to sand any more cause I don't want a big gap on the one side?? I used a socket to apply the sand paper evenly to the barrel channel. Maybe a Boyds is in the works.
 

wunbe

Buckeye
Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
1,240
Location
Reston VA USA
langenc,

Another case of Ruger's nonexistent sealing of the wood during the manufacturing process! It really shows up in climates with wide humidity swings.

wunbe
 

wunbe

Buckeye
Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
1,240
Location
Reston VA USA
Mine is wood and blue, so much for assumptions.

Warped plastic yet! So much for all-weather use. I guess if they sit in a super heated storage area that can happen too.

If it came that way I would think Ruger should have replaced the stock but after lowering the barrel channel they would probably not.

wunbe
 

Rat44

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 1, 2014
Messages
28
Location
Texas
langenc said:
The barrel on my 77/44 was not 'free floated' so I sanded the barrel channel. It seems the more I sanded the more the stock seemed to drift to the right. I now have quite a clearance on the left edge (between barrel and stock) and the right is not floated.

Im to the point of being reluctant to sand any more cause I don't want a big gap on the one side?? I used a socket to apply the sand paper evenly to the barrel channel. Maybe a Boyds is in the works.

I had the same experience with mine, but mine went left!
 

Rat44

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 1, 2014
Messages
28
Location
Texas
I did but it ain't pretty! I continued using the socket but mostly on one side. I figured I came this far I might as well see it through. It's a brush, truck, hog gun anyway so I can live with it. Bad part is after all that, it doesn't shoot any tighter than it did before.

I even tried adding different pressure points back after I floated it, but that got me nowhere either.
 
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