New 77/357’s

[rugerjunkie]

Who has one of the newer 77/357’s with the heavier profile threaded barrels? Looked at one at the lgs and liked it. Kinda miss my old 77/44 but don’t shoot 44 anymore so this caught my attention.

I have also been thinking about a Marlin SBL 357 and after handling the 77 I have to think it over.

 

[Drayks]

I bought one and put a Volquartsen trigger in it for lighter pull. Nice handling little gun, paired with my Model 66.

 

[rugerjunkie]

How does it shoot for you? Id guess the heavier barrel would do good. Not necessarily better than the older models but in theory it should. I had a 77/44 years ago and liked it for what it was…a short range deer thumper.

 

[Drayks]

I am still developing a deer load using 158gr Flat Point Hornady XTP bullets, #41 small rifle military primers, 296 Powder and nickeled brass. Like that there are RIFLE ONLY loads available that need to be sequestered from revolver usage.

 

[rugerjunkie]

I have a 50 cal ammo box full of 180’s so they would definitely be load tested. They are used in my 357 max 20” Encore. I have also been thinking of trying some Missouri powder coated cast bullets.

 

[416_Taylor]

When you get into the 180 grain bullets, 300 M-P really shines in the 77/357. Getting a bit over 1,700 fps with a gas checked cast bullet.
Besides bolt shimming, trigger work, and free floating the barrel is bullet design. I measured the throat on mine and it had around 0.25" of cylindrical freebore. I picked a bullet with the longest full diameter band above the crimp groove to reduce the run in distance. Had to keep increasing the bullet hardness to reduce skidding on the rifling. End result was 1 1/2 to 2 inch 5-shot groups at 100 yards.