My 6.5x55 M77 RSI

[Trey Whitley]

Since we've been on a little bit of an RSI binge the last couple of weeks, I thought I'd snap this shot of my 6.5x55 while I was taking photos of the .338 Win Mag M77 Express I just put up for sale (Item #153341291 on gunbroker.com if anyone is interested).

My favorite Ruger gunsmith gave this one the same treatment as my .30-'06 Express (smoothed and glass bedded the action, tuned the extractor, jeweled the bolt & extractor, and floated the barrel) and also relieved the fit of the Mannlicher forend tip. I asked him to remove the rear sight since this one wears an NECG peep when the Leupold is off. He also hand rubbed a couple of coats of finish into the stock, which was most noticeable where the checkering had been cut.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Oh.

My.

Gosh.

:shock: :shock: :shock:

My dream rifle.

 

[valkrider8]

That there is one purty rifle!!!! Where is the glass case it belongs in?? I hope you don't shoot that! Very nice. :wink:

 

[Canazes9]

That's really nice! I'm a sucker for the look of a stainless in a walnut stock. I bet that is a wonderful rifle to hunt with.

David

 

[Beruisis]

Trey, who is your gunsmith & where is he located?
Beruisis

 

[Trey Whitley]

Trey, who is your gunsmith & where is he located?
Beruisis

He's in our neighborhood- Todd Johnson/Lone Star Armory in Pearland (http://www.lone-star-armory.com/). Todd is a fan of the Mauser actions and knows the attributes & limitations of the M77. He's also a big proponent of the 6.5x55 Swede...I think he apprenticed on a bunch of original Swedish Mausers. I was a little torn between the 7mm-08 and the 6.5x55 when this second run of Lipsey's RSIs came out, but I knew he'd give me an earful if I brought the 7mm-08 into the shop.

Haven't killed anything with it yet but it shoots very nicely and I love high sectional density/heavy-for-caliber bullets (I'm shooting 155-grain) so I'm sure it will do the job well. It'll get out for some pig hunts this spring.

 

[NYC_Shooter]

That is a NICE looking rifle!

 

[RJ556]

Trey, I am also a "sucker" for stainless and walnut, as evidenced by my .223 Rem. M77 MKII, M77/22, #1 6.5x55 Swede, Marlin Special Edition 35 Rem. and Contender 357mag. carbine. I bead blast my stainless guns. That jeweling of the bolt really looks great and I am assuming that the rings are blued. That looks sooo! much better that stainless rings with a black scope. I only use black scopes on my rifles, Silver scopes seldom match the rifles stainless finish anyway. I have had a lot of experience using Duracoat gun finish on the AK's that I have built. I am going to try their "HK Black" on some stainless Ruger scope rings for my stainless Rugers. That particular "color" should almost perfectly match the finish on my black scopes. Congratulations again on a beautiful rifle.

 

[Trey Whitley]

I am assuming that the rings are blued. That looks sooo! much better that stainless rings with a black scope.

I agree. Since all of my scopes are matte finished, I end up springing for the matte Ruger rings on my rifles (the one exception being my all weather 77/22 Mag; I couldn't justify dropping another $60 on rings given the price of the rifle & scope). The silver finish I've seen on scopes doesn't seem to wear as well as the matte finishes either.

I also have one of the stainless Marlins in .35 Remington, but it's been worked over some- I converted it to a pistol-grip tang and added green laminated factory stocks along with a DRC big-loop lever, WWG Happy Trigger & bear-proof ejector, and rear peep sight. It's in Todd's shop right now getting the forearm slimmed down to what a lever action ought to have.

 

[JNewell]

Beautiful. The 6.5x55 and the 7x57 are such perfect matches for the RSI in so many ways. Shoot well & be safe!