New to me tang safety 77.

[Kudu m77]

I recently bought a Ruger M77 in 7RM, I think it is an 88 model.

When I first had a look at the rifle I could see that the rifling in the throat was still sharp. There was a few small dents in the stock but it looked more like a rifle that was handled indoors (like a shop or stored in a bad place) than outdoors.

I glass bedded the action and floated the barrel before I even shot it. I have had great results in the past by doing it this way. After glass bedding the action I fitted a Timney trigger as I got one for a pretty decent deal. I also stripped the old finish from the stock, ironed out the dents, sanded the stock surface smooth again and gave it an oil finish. The oil finish makes it a lot easier to remove dents in future and some people like the oil finish better.

Next I replaced the old scope with a Sightron Sii Big Sky and I am very pleased with it's performance.

The barrel on this rifle is most probably a Wilson barrel and shoots incredibly well. My third time out with the rifle I decided to shoot a 5 shot group with my reloads at 100m. Usually I shoot 3 shot groups with hunting rifles but I knew I had something special here.

Below is pictures of before and after finishing the stock.

Before:


After:




Here is a 5 shot group fired at 100m with 140gr NBT, Rem brass, CCI 250s and Somchem S386 powder.


Last weekend I gave the rifle to my brother as a birthday present. This will be the first rifle that he will put on his name, and I thought it would be great if I could give him a guaranteed shooter. His birthday was is in late December but guess it was worth the wait Cannot think of something else that might last a 'few hundred' years and brings so much joy at the same time!

Pieter

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Hi nice job I like the oil finish I am doing one right now just like it The one I am working on is in 7x57 my favorite hunting rifle By the way my birthday is coming up if you have another one and you want to make someone very happy

Gramps

 

[cellar701]

That is a really nice job on that rifle. I also have had good results with the M77 of that vintage. Your brother got a good one.

 

[Chief 101]

well done, a great rifle in a great caliber...and a great first rifle

 

[martyj]

Looks good and shoots well .
The winning combination. congrats on your find

 

[AJGUNNER]

You don't need another brother do you??? :lol:

 

[Kudu m77]

You don't need another brother do you??? :lol:

Think I am good for now thanks, but will let you know if I change my mind :mrgreen:

 

[Kudu m77]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

It is interesting to see the simple things people miss on rifles that can cause inaccuracy. What I noticed on this rifle was the action bottoming out on the magazine box. There was a clear rub mark on the mag box, meaning that the rifle could not bed properly where it was supposed to. I cannot see how the rifle could have shot accurately with that amount of contact with the mag box. After I bedded the rifle I took a file and just removed a bit of metal where the action made contact. I stop removing material the moment I can feel the mag box moving when the rifle is assembled.

I sometimes wonder how many inaccurate rifles out there can be fixed by a few simple checks.

Pieter

 

[338reddog]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

It is interesting to see the simple things people miss on rifles that can cause inaccuracy. What I noticed on this rifle was the action bottoming out on the magazine box. There was a clear rub mark on the mag box, meaning that the rifle could not bed properly where it was supposed to. I cannot see how the rifle could have shot accurately with that amount of contact with the mag box. After I bedded the rifle I took a file and just removed a bit of metal where the action made contact. I stop removing material the moment I can feel the mag box moving when the rifle is assembled.

I sometimes wonder how many inaccurate rifles out there can be fixed by a few simple checks.

Pieter

I think there must be a lot. Ive only had one that I couldn't make shoot under a inch. It was a Remington varmint rifle. You could see the bad spot in the barrel. I bought it new. Some rifles just take more work than others. Some you have to do the opposite of conventional wisdom.