M77/44 opinions

[Yosemite Sam]

Next up, in my never ending quest to find something unique: I'd like to hear from owners of the M77/44 as to how you like you guns. I did a search, but it doesn't do well with the "44" part, just lots of generic M77 info.

How accurate is it? I understand it works better with heavy bullets than some other .44 mag rifles; What's the twist rate?

I was surprised to see a lack of mags out there in a casual look; Can you get them, and if so, how much?

Any other info is gratefully appreciated, too.

-- Sam

 

[c.r.]

Sam,

i was looking for similar information a while back. one question that was raised along the way was "what is the Max cartridge OAL which the magazine will handle?

I don't know that i ever rec'd an answer that i felt comfortable accepting.


just thought i'd throw that out there again.

`c.r.

 

[RJ556]

Gentlemen, I have owned 2 77/44's and still have the last one (newer manufacture) that I bought. They do like heavy bullets. However, Mine shoots the tightest with 225 grain Hornady Lever Revolution bullets in my handloads using Li'L Gun powder. I have heard a lot of internet reports that their 77/44's shoot "an inch" or "under an inch" at 100 yards. I don't believe it. My best groups were 1.25" to 1.75" with the LR bullets, 1.5 to 2.5" for 240 grain bullets and about 2" with 300 grain H XTP's. All of these were at 100 yards using a Nikon 2x7, set on 7x shooting at 100 yards. I think this accuracy is very good at 100 yards. I did not shoot groups at 50 yards. Why? If I know it groups good at 100 yds., at 50 it'll be even better. All I need to know is point of impact at in between ranges. I have never actually measured the max magazine length. All of my rounds have been crimped in the cannelure and all have cycled through the mag just fine, including the Hornady Lever revolution bullets. After load development, i replaced the scope with a Burris FastFire sight. I can shoot almost as tight groups as with the scope on 7X. I also installed the barrelled action in a walnut stock. It did not change group size.

 

[mattsbox99]

I have a 99/44, the magazine accepts loaded rounds at the SAAMI max length, 1.61". Mine shoots the factory 225 grain LeverEvolution into 1.5" at 100 yards. I'm very happy with it.

 

[dmazur]

I have a 77/44 and it is more accurate than the Ruger .44 Carbine I have, but not by much. 1-1/2" instead of 2" at 100 yds. The twist rate is 1:20" instead of the 1:38" used in the Carbine.

I have only tried 240gr JSP handloads so far, but I'm going to load some 310gr WNFP hardcasts for a SBH and I'll see if these will feed from the 77/44 magazine. They have a really wide nose, so I'm not optimistic.

I got this rifle for deer hunting in heavy cover in western Washington. No success, yet, but the rifle is light and doesn't seem to mind being drowned.

I got a couple of spare magazines when I bought the rifle around a year ago. I see they are available from Midway

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=429894

and also Cheaper than Dirt

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/70389-36.html

Here's a review on the 77/44

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-77-44.htm

 

[PJR]

I like mine and my experience matches what is posted above. Mine has a Leupold 1x-4x scope and groups Hornady Lever Revolution factory at 1-1/2 to 2" at 100 yards. The Winchester White Box 240 grain JSP don't shoot nearly as well.

The only alteration to mine is a Volquartsen trigger sear which reduced the trigger pull to manageable levels. A hint of creep remains but it is hardly objectionable.

This rifle has pretty much replaced my much loved Remington 870 as my farm gun. It is light and durable like my rimfires rifles but packs a much greater punch. I like the three position safety when I'm carrying around in the woods. With .44 Special it's very quiet if I need to pop a varmint at close ranges near the horse barn.

If I could wish for anything more it would be higher capacity magazines but if I can't get it done with 4+1 rounds of .44 magnum then more shots might not help.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Thanks for the info, everyone!

Sam,

i was looking for similar information a while back. one question that was raised along the way was "what is the Max cartridge OAL which the magazine will handle?

I don't know that i ever rec'd an answer that i felt comfortable accepting.

just thought i'd throw that out there again.

`c.r.

This seems to be one of those areas the manufacturers just can't seem to get right.

I did a quick Google search but didn't come up with anything really telling. There was some talk about some specific 310gr "wide nose" bullets possibly not fitting, but the OP never reported back. What was it you found, specifically?

Overall it appears everyone is very impressed with this rifle if you understand what you're getting into. It's not a benchrest tack driver or a 300 yard deer gun.

But not every gun has to be or can be that. I'm looking at my own rifle collection now with a critical eye. I'd sort of like to have a rifle in one of my pistol calibers (other than .22LR), but am not convinced it has to be a lever gun. Not that I have anything against levers, with a Marlin .30/30 in the stable. There's no saying that couldn't become a 1894 in .44 mag or .45 Colt through trading, though.

And then there are single shots...

-- Sam

 

[JFB]

Shoot!
I though it was just suppose to look good :D

 

[rugerjunkie]

Sam,

I can't help answer the cartridge length question but can agree with what's already been said. I have an earlier stainless model with a shotgun style 4x stainless Weaver scope. It is plenty accurate for deer out to 150 but it is far from a 1" at 100 shooter. Someone will have to show me proof that they will do that before I believe it. The one thing I didn't see mentioned was the short bolt throw. These are very fast for a bolt gun. I use the same loads in my SBH and 77/44 which I guess is the whole purpose of a rifle/pistol combo. You don't need super accuracy...just one load that is satisfactory for both guns. Plus they are just plain fun to shoot! Keep an eye open at the shows. I found 3 extra mags still in the packages tucked in a box of misc junk and got them all for $30!!

Jeff

 

[Heliman]

Mine is accurate IF the right ammo is used. Seems to like Winchester white box 240's the best. Best accuracy has been 1 1/2" at 100 yds. More commonly about 2". My 44 Carbine would do no better than 3" at 100 yds., regardless of ammo used.

 

[welder]

I have one I got several years ago and it is a lot of fun. I have not tried a scope with it, just plates at various distances. 240gr UMC's are all I've tried too. I would recommend one.

 

[buck460XVR]

I bought a new All-Weather version about 6 months ago. I bought it because I already reload for several .44s and wanted something different. I also wanted something that was easier to load and unload than my levers and something that wouldn't make you search for brass. I also wanted a pistol caliber carbine that would easily take a decent scope for my old and tired eyes.

With a 2X7 Nikon scope on it, my accuracy with it mirrors the experiences of the others that have posted here. It is as accurate as any of my lever pistol caliber carbines. Only complaint I really have with it is the heavy trigger. There are several options to rectify it, but after 5-600 rounds thru it, either it's gettin' better or I'm just gettin' used to it. It is light, fast to come up, and so far has not given me anything but pleasure. It is a fun gun to shoot at the range and shoots the same ammo as my 629s. It does have a preference to quality jacketed bullets of 240 gr and over and doesn't like them pushed exceptionally fast. I wish they would make them in .357 and .45LC.

 

[RJ556]

+1 on the 357!

 

[ChiefAutoParts]

I have one. I have not shot mine all that much, but I really, really like it. I chose to keep it with open sights. I love how it handles and shoots. If I could get my hands on another one in stainless, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. They are great little guns.

 

[dfletcher]

I really liked mine but gave up after a year or so of trying to get it to shoot. About 4" groups with a wandering POI were the norm regardless of bullet or powder. Gave it up for a 99/44.

 

[DavidMc116]

Hold out for a M77/500 S&W!

 

[Barry in IN]

About the 77/44 magazine limitations, here is what I've found with mine:

OAL is the thing. Shape doesn't seem to matter much, if at all. I've used bullets of all shapes, including wide flat noses, wadcutters, and some shot loads that were a case capped with a gas check. I doubt the bullet touches anything in feeding.
I have heard and read that if the cartridge will fit in the magazine at all, it will feed. That seems to be the case so far.

About length, you won't be able to go real long, but you should have some leeway over SAAMI length of 1.610. I've used loads as long as 1.640-1.645 in mine, which has been plenty.
There are probably some bullets that will make a cartridge longer than that, but I have bullets up to 340 grains that don't go over it. I don't see me needing anything heavier.
Choice of bullet shape helps. That 340 is a truncated cone (TC) shape (SSK design). The TC and WFN shapes keep the length down. A SWC that weight would probably be too long.
The bullet I use most is a cast flat nose weighing just a hair under 280 grains. That is still fairly heavy, but with it's wide flat nose, it loads to 1.555 long, which is well under max OAL limitations.
The Lee 310 FN seems pretty popular among bullet casters, and I've read where some use them in 77/44s without trouble. I have not tried it.

It's been a while since I've shot a jacketed bullet through it, but I used up to 300 grain Hornady XTPs. I don't remember them being too long.

Of course, this is my rifle. The next one may not accept anything .001 over SAAMI length. Try before buying or casting a few thousand.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

From everything I've been able to gather, the issue for some folks is that it can have problems with the longer Keith-style bullet. Since the caster I use goes for more the LBT, or semi-wadcutter shape, it won't be an issue for me as long as I maintain a reasonable length.

I also picked up some 300gr XTPs and was able to concoct a load well within max OAL. That's really about as heavy as I care to go. If I need more than that I'll bring the .45-70. :D

I picked up the rifle this past week, FWIW. With luck I'll get to try it out this weekend. Currently wearing a Weaver K6 6x fixed scope, I hope to pick up a lower powered variable soon.

-- Sam

 

[Fenring]

If the mag is like the 96/44's, and I assume it is and if the throating is similar and I assume it is too, then SWC bullets can hang up. I have been able to get SWC's to feed thru my 96/44 by seating the driving band into the case and lightly roll crimping over it, thus eliminating the sharp edge that hangs up. It's still not buttery smooth though.

The Lee 310gr flat nose GC works very well and the crimp groove is in the right spot. The 300gr XTP also works perfectly. Typical RNFP or "cowboy" bullets are also perfect. The Lyman Devastator feeds just fine but the crimp groove is too far back. Seated past the crimp groove, it feeds like butter. As there's no pressure from other rounds in the box mag, a hard crimp isn't needed as it is with a tube mag.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I was shooting LSWC is mine from both magnum and special cases and everything fed fine, for the limited amount of shooting I did in the cold and rain. I did note that you have to be careful to bring the bolt fully to the rear, or it has a habit of not picking up the next shell.

-- Sam

 

[bigdaddydo]

I have a 77/44 stainless, I agree on the comments on accuracy, it is not a sub-moa gun. My gun like Hornday 300 xtp's, 1 3/8" at 100, I have a 3x9 vx1 on it. where I hunt all my shots are 100 yards or less, I killed 3 deer with it this past season all shots were 35 yards or less. All three were one shot kills with complete pass throughs. Nothing went more than 20 yards. I live in Indiana, they just increased the case legal length on handgun cartidges for rifles to include the 460 s&w. I can't find a bolt action in a 460 s&w. I'm sticking with the 44mag, if I want to shoot real far with a single shot, I will use my Omega Muzzleloader. I was a non-believer in the 44mag, but not anymore!!