M77 in 257 Roberts
- Thread starter DavidT
- Start date
Quattroclick
Single-Sixer
That's a great caliber and a nice gun particularly if it's a flatbolt!
picketpin
Buckeye
No flat bolt 257s. This is the first of the 257 Roberts offered as an uncataloged run of approximately 2500 in 1972.
The rifle is a MKI round bolt in ST with a 24" medium weight barrel. ST means is the round top reciever shaped the same as the Remington 700 action so it uses any base that will work with a Remington 700 and standard Redfield.Burris/Leupold style rings. The STs also come with Ruger factory sights front/rear. Like all Ruger bolt guns in 257 Roberts its on the long (30-06) action length.
Great rifles, not all that common a bit heavy after you pack one for a couple of days.
Flat bolt/dog bolt referes to the early 77 MKIs that had a different shape bolt handle and knob. Sort of like what was found on XP 100s.
McKnight or other picture posters can probably shoow you one.
Ross
The rifle is a MKI round bolt in ST with a 24" medium weight barrel. ST means is the round top reciever shaped the same as the Remington 700 action so it uses any base that will work with a Remington 700 and standard Redfield.Burris/Leupold style rings. The STs also come with Ruger factory sights front/rear. Like all Ruger bolt guns in 257 Roberts its on the long (30-06) action length.
Great rifles, not all that common a bit heavy after you pack one for a couple of days.
Flat bolt/dog bolt referes to the early 77 MKIs that had a different shape bolt handle and knob. Sort of like what was found on XP 100s.
McKnight or other picture posters can probably shoow you one.
Ross
Black Fly
Single-Sixer
Flat bolts are the earlier model of the 77. The bolt is flat along its entire length, to the knob. Do some searching here and on GunBroker, the difference is easy to see.
I have a 1972 round top (no ruger ring bases) with sights. But they were also made with no sights, but with the built in Ruger bases and sights with Ruger bases, I believe. Experts can correct me if I am wrong.
They are great rifles. Mine does not like heavy bullets (120's) as well as lighter bullets (100 or less). Even so, it shoots 1 1/2" with the heavies and under an inch with the lighter ones.
Enjoy
Bfly
I have a 1972 round top (no ruger ring bases) with sights. But they were also made with no sights, but with the built in Ruger bases and sights with Ruger bases, I believe. Experts can correct me if I am wrong.
They are great rifles. Mine does not like heavy bullets (120's) as well as lighter bullets (100 or less). Even so, it shoots 1 1/2" with the heavies and under an inch with the lighter ones.
Enjoy
Bfly
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picketpin
Buckeye
Yes: The first 257 Roberts form Ruger was the ST in 1972 as discussed above.
The 257 Roberts was next issued in 1975 as a a standerd "R" with a 22" standard barrel and no sight. This is the stanard production 77 with intergal bases.
It was discontuned in 1976.
It was re-introduced in 1980 and was carried for many years. In that time frame it was offered as the "R" intergal base AND the "RS" intergal bases with sights, both with standard weight 22" barrels..
It has always been issued as a long action rifle
If you use 2 peice bases on your ST it'll give you a bit more rooom under the scope to feed ammo into the magzine.
Ross
The 257 Roberts was next issued in 1975 as a a standerd "R" with a 22" standard barrel and no sight. This is the stanard production 77 with intergal bases.
It was discontuned in 1976.
It was re-introduced in 1980 and was carried for many years. In that time frame it was offered as the "R" intergal base AND the "RS" intergal bases with sights, both with standard weight 22" barrels..
It has always been issued as a long action rifle
If you use 2 peice bases on your ST it'll give you a bit more rooom under the scope to feed ammo into the magzine.
Ross
OldRugerMan
Blackhawk
David T. What you have is an M77PL which means Round Top drilled and tapped and no sights. All were long action calibers. Flat bolts are a possibility as are Hollow Bolts. They were "distributor" specials meaning that if a retailer sold x number of Ruger guns they could buy the PL rifles at a discount. 257 PL's are fairly rare and a good find. Congratulations!
Flat Bolt
Hollow Bolt
Round Bolt
Flat Bolt
Hollow Bolt
Round Bolt
Yep, it's the round bolt. thanx guys for the info. I had been yerning for a ruger or a browning in 257 roberts. I also saw a like new M77 in 250 Savage. I couldn't afford that one! I also picked up a Winchester 94, Big Bore XTR in 375 winchester.
hatchman 2
Bearcat
- Joined
- May 29, 2010
- Messages
- 16
have seen a 257 st hollowbolt
Black Fly
Single-Sixer
Curious if the later RS models were lighter weight than the 1972 run. I've always liked mine, but gosh it's heavy. I have quite a few RS models, none in 257 and they are all lighter by nearly a pound and sometimes more.
Bfly
Bfly
picketpin
Buckeye
Dave: I'd be more inclined to believe that somebody whacked off the barrel and removed the rear sights than the rifle being a PL.
I could be wrong but the only PLs I have ever seen are 270 Win and 30-06s. Burkes bokk says there "should" be some PLs in 300 Win Mag and 338 Win Mag.
Yes, the R and RS brought out later than the ST are lighter. They had a 22" barrel of "standard weight. The St barrel is 24" long and is on the "Medium Sporter" barrel, same as the 25-06 and most 7mm Mags.
I retired mine to a chuck/antelope rifle as soon as the "R" version was introduced.
If it's a factory "medium Sporter" barrel that's been cut off at 20" it'll mike right at .665 at the muzzle. By the way this is just about where most Ruger 77s that started life with sights end up after somebody tries to bubba it and remove the fron right without knowing what they are doing. Usually after damaging the tip of the barrel , they simply cut it off just behind the rear end of the front sight ramp, leaving a 20" barrel. In all likelyhood there are also two filler scews at about 5" in front of the reciever where the rear sight was removed.
As it's already altered from factory you could start looking for a take of barrel from an "R" in 257 Roberts and save at least a pound.
Of course you could start looking for an "RL" Light weight and really have a fun/light carry rifle. ;-)
Ross
I could be wrong but the only PLs I have ever seen are 270 Win and 30-06s. Burkes bokk says there "should" be some PLs in 300 Win Mag and 338 Win Mag.
Yes, the R and RS brought out later than the ST are lighter. They had a 22" barrel of "standard weight. The St barrel is 24" long and is on the "Medium Sporter" barrel, same as the 25-06 and most 7mm Mags.
I retired mine to a chuck/antelope rifle as soon as the "R" version was introduced.
If it's a factory "medium Sporter" barrel that's been cut off at 20" it'll mike right at .665 at the muzzle. By the way this is just about where most Ruger 77s that started life with sights end up after somebody tries to bubba it and remove the fron right without knowing what they are doing. Usually after damaging the tip of the barrel , they simply cut it off just behind the rear end of the front sight ramp, leaving a 20" barrel. In all likelyhood there are also two filler scews at about 5" in front of the reciever where the rear sight was removed.
As it's already altered from factory you could start looking for a take of barrel from an "R" in 257 Roberts and save at least a pound.
Of course you could start looking for an "RL" Light weight and really have a fun/light carry rifle. ;-)
Ross
mcknight77
Blackhawk
With that short stiff Douglas barrel on it, it should shoot really well.
OldRugerMan
Blackhawk
OK so it's a home made PL but as Jim says - it should be a good shooter. I can understand, without condoning, cutting up an ST 257. They are a big heavy rifle for such a small caliber. This makes the nice ones worth more!
picketpin
Buckeye
We did: Round top reciever with the same profile as a Remington 700 with Factory sights. Barrrel weight and length is predicated on caliber. However while some bigger calibers had shoreter barrels, 270, 280, 30-06 had 22" standard weight barrels., the 257 was first issued with a 24" medium weight barrel.
It was an insteresting aside that when Ruger brought out the 257 Roberts on the ST they used the 24"medium weight barrel the same as used on the 25-06, 7mm Mag etc.
The ST and the PL are built on a round top reciever that duplicates the profile of a Remington 700. These were made for shooters that wanted to use aftermarket bases and rings. Early on there really were people that were resistant to the intergal base/rings and didn't trust or want the intergal reciever/rings supplied on the vast majority of 77s, "R", "RS" and "RL" rifles.
The ST in 257 Roberts is/was a bit heavy. I used mine for a deer/varmint rifle from 1972 till 1975 when Ruger brought out the first 257s cataloged in the "R" with the intergal reciever/rings with a standard weight 22" barrel in 1975.
As mentioned it should be a shooter,
Ross
It was an insteresting aside that when Ruger brought out the 257 Roberts on the ST they used the 24"medium weight barrel the same as used on the 25-06, 7mm Mag etc.
The ST and the PL are built on a round top reciever that duplicates the profile of a Remington 700. These were made for shooters that wanted to use aftermarket bases and rings. Early on there really were people that were resistant to the intergal base/rings and didn't trust or want the intergal reciever/rings supplied on the vast majority of 77s, "R", "RS" and "RL" rifles.
The ST in 257 Roberts is/was a bit heavy. I used mine for a deer/varmint rifle from 1972 till 1975 when Ruger brought out the first 257s cataloged in the "R" with the intergal reciever/rings with a standard weight 22" barrel in 1975.
As mentioned it should be a shooter,
Ross
picketpin
Buckeye
It's a highly modified SHOOTER and unless you manage to find a correct barel with sights is a canidate for whatever you want to do. That'll be nearly impossible to do, I'd just shoot it ansd enjoy, if it shoots well. If not, it wouldnot hurt to re-barrel into whatever you want. Refinishing isn't going to detract it's current value, nor will it add to it.
Any collector value was destroyed long ago.
Ross
Any collector value was destroyed long ago.
Ross
308longdistance
Blackhawk
picketpin
Buckeye
Mines 70-60351. I installed a Tinmey trigger in 1973 and that's the only alteration. I do still have the factory triger squirreled away
I don't have the box any more but I do have all the paperwork, including the original hang tag, $193.95!!! I guess I should have bought 2 or 3 !! ;-)
RWT
I don't have the box any more but I do have all the paperwork, including the original hang tag, $193.95!!! I guess I should have bought 2 or 3 !! ;-)
RWT
DeletedMember58
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2000
- Messages
- 560
Well, if you were ever intending to restore it you missed a like new replacement barrel by just a few months. I had one that was a take-off from a new ST rifle. It had been stored well for years, and I finally sold it back in July to saltwatershooter. Might check with him if you want to consider putting it back to "factory".
That's me! always a day late! :mrgreen: I'll probably paint it up and shoot it. I had been looking around for an M77 ultra light, or a Browning A-bolt chambered in 257. Ran across this one at the show in Pascagoula. That was the 1st show in Pascagoula in 17 years.
Bitman
Single-Sixer
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1709362&gonew=1#UNREAD
Here's a nice M-77 RL, in 257 Roberts.
I have two now, or I'd buy it.
Here's a nice M-77 RL, in 257 Roberts.
I have two now, or I'd buy it.
picketpin
Buckeye
DavidT. I own a few rifles in 257 Roberts I would opt for the 77RL over the Browning. Nothing WRONG with the Browning BUT the Browning is made on a short action and the Ruger 77 is made on the standard of log 30-06 length action.
You often run into problems with short actioned 257 Roberts. The SAAMI Spec for AOL for the Roberts is 2.75 howvewr many short actions won't accept that length in the magazine box. THose that do are often throated long. I have a Winchester Featherweight. Short action, the 2.75 firs in the magazine, However the throat is long and you can't get the loaded bullet within .392 of the lands and have it fit in the magazine. Only slightly better in the Browning Micro Medallion. This is not a condition that is conducive to accuracy.
On rifles using a long action you can load out the bullet to give excellent accuracy and still fit in the magazine box. Most handloaders use a AOL of 3.00 once they use a long action rifle.
In fact some years ago we took ALL the 77s in the family to the smith and had all 9 throated to take a Nosler bullet seated out to 3.00. That way I no longer have to load for a dozen different rifles.
I have an RL in 257 and had it throated for the 3.00 also. It's a shooter. ;-)
Ross
You often run into problems with short actioned 257 Roberts. The SAAMI Spec for AOL for the Roberts is 2.75 howvewr many short actions won't accept that length in the magazine box. THose that do are often throated long. I have a Winchester Featherweight. Short action, the 2.75 firs in the magazine, However the throat is long and you can't get the loaded bullet within .392 of the lands and have it fit in the magazine. Only slightly better in the Browning Micro Medallion. This is not a condition that is conducive to accuracy.
On rifles using a long action you can load out the bullet to give excellent accuracy and still fit in the magazine box. Most handloaders use a AOL of 3.00 once they use a long action rifle.
In fact some years ago we took ALL the 77s in the family to the smith and had all 9 throated to take a Nosler bullet seated out to 3.00. That way I no longer have to load for a dozen different rifles.
I have an RL in 257 and had it throated for the 3.00 also. It's a shooter. ;-)
Ross
FergusonTO35
Hunter
I'm wishin' that Marlin would bring their XL7 out in .257 or 6.5X55. That rifle doesn't feel like it only costs $300.00!!
