info for M77 with 71 series serial number

[felix cortinas]

I acquired an old M77 serial number starting with 71, so circa mid 70s with the tang safety. I know they had a recall on them because they might go off accidentally, the old man I bought it from is not familiar with this, guess will have to contact Ruger see if the original owner applied for the part to cure this. Meanwhile I mounted a Weaver 3.5x 10x 50 Grand Slam on it and gonna start with factory Core Lokts asap...cant wait, always wanted one...just asking for input from you guys that got a similar M77. What ammo works best, advice on other stuff welcome. I am 62 now, don't need recoil abuse from larger calibers and my safe is full of them. I want to make this rifle my go to gun now, I know there is some new ammo for the .257 Roberts available, any input is welcome. thanks

 

[Black Fly]

Congratulations. I have a round top from '72. I bought it way back then. Mine loves 75 grain VMax with IMR4895. It also does well with most 100 grain bullets. Best has been the old blue Barnes 100 grain bullet with H4350. It hates 120 grain bullets. It particularly hates Hornady's 120 grain speeded up load. My best factory loads were the old yellow boxed Winchester Silvertips. I wish I had about five boxes of them.
I think the recall was about locking the bolt when the safe was off, but real experts can clear that up. I never sent mine back.
Have a good time with it.
Bfly

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I had a tang-safety .257 Roberts a few years ago; wish I'd kept it, though I now have a No 1-A in .257. My 77 shot quite well with 115 grain Nosler Partitions, handloaded with H-4350. Mine didn't love 120 grain bullets, either, but I never tried anything lighter than the 115s because that's what I wanted to hunt with. I killed several deer with that rifle, including one old doe that bedded down facing directly toward me at about 220 yards and took one of those 115s right between the eyes.

 

[Black Fly]

Overnight I remembered the recall. The recall was for a possible issue with the overtravel screw on the trigger. There might be something on their website.
I don't know if they are still offering the part. Rifles made after the recall had a T put under the bolt handle.
Bfly

 

[felix cortinas]

I found a box of new Hornady 117 grain SSTs, gonna fire off a few rounds through it, will experiment with whatever other ammo I can find, Remington Core Lokts seem to be here and there, the old owner told me had only used the round nosed Remingtons and was happy with them, he owned 3 Ruger .257 Roberts and was nice enough to sell me one.

 

[BucolicBuffalo]

Info is still out there and they are still sending out the part kit. I just got one for my 358 Win, then discovered it had a Timney trigger in it when I went to put the part on. DOH!

 

[robertkirksey]

Felix, out of curiosity is your .257 the ST, with sights, round top receiver and the 24" medium weight barrel? If so, this was the first .257 Roberts offered by Ruger and was an uncataloged model.

 

[felix cortinas]

this Ruger has no sights, standard Ruger base. I have heard something about Ruger M77s being built with barrels that were notoriously innacurate.... Wilson barrels maybe?

 

[308longdistance]

I have 3 Ruger 257s, a 257R M77 Hawkeye, A No.1B 257R, and a M77 ST 257R. I do reload some, but not a big reloader. I haven't worked much with the M77 ST but the Hawkeye and the 1B shot factory Nosler 110 Accubonds better than I can shot, and have no trouble with Antelope and deer. I've killed from 386 yards and in with the 257.

The recall is a screw kit from Ruger. Check under the bolt handle, if the recall was done by Ruger there will be a "T" scratched there.

http://www.ruger.com/M77Recall/index.html