Tallbald
Buckeye
On down days, which happen rarely for my wife and I since the evil loss of my mother in law and father in law (old sad post) in August I enjoy researching news of new guns (can't afford any) and guns I have accumulated (only a select few). I like reading others opinions, and watching video reviews of shooters using the same things I too own or have access to.
Yesterday I began looking around and searched on the Ruger 77/357. Up popped Hicok45 with a video, Gunblast with a video, and actually almost a dozen articles extolling the virtues of this little gun. It was nice to spend an hour or so getting to watch others shoot while I cannot due to the weather and family obligations.
I've owned this little carbine for maybe 4 years but it languished as a curiosity in a safe for 1 1/2 years before making it to the range on a maiden voyage. Yes, it was purely an impulse buy when found on counter top display at a local dealer, and I was told by the same dealer that "nobody around here wants them". The clerk could only make guesses as to why the local lack of love for this almost miniature ammo disassembler. I've always cherished revolvers, especially Ruger .357s, and on that afternoon I got caught up in a $625 spontaneous fantasy. "Yes" I thought, "as a rugged adventurer..." at least in my mind... and there came the visions of working my way through the hills with simple preparations, but great skills carrying a carbine and handgun that ate the same ammunition. It probably didn't hurt that I was also flush with cash from a couple dealer-arranged sales of some unneeded stuff either.
I wanted to scope this little fella before its first trip to the outdoor range I frequent, and being snug on funds, I borrowed a beautiful little Leupold Rifleman 2-7 from another rifle that balanced beautifully on the gun. A shame that it was blued, but that, I told myself, accented the black synthetic stock of my 77/357. I screwed on a knockoff of a Harris bi-pod, grabbed some assorted factory .38 Special and .357 ammo and went to the range to see what I wanted to see.
I was delighted and surprised that morning when in short order, I was shooting 3/4 inch 3 shot groups at 50 yards from a rest. Thinking it was a fluke, I used up the rest of the .357's making neat little cloverleaf groups to the point of boredom!
Since that fateful first range trip I have come to love this carbine and with the help of wonderful folks at the castboolits forum I have become a true lover of casting my own 125 and 140 grain slugs for this dandy.
On a whim I looked on one of the biggest online gun auction sites too yesterday, and found lots of 77/357 magazines for sale, but not one carbine. Those with 77/357s in their collection have, in my opinion, a fantastically versatile and useful bolt action carbine. I'm sure glad now that I succumbed to my whimsical fantasy that day long ago.
I'd enjoy reading here too about anyone with experience shooting this model rifle.
Thanks. Don.
Yesterday I began looking around and searched on the Ruger 77/357. Up popped Hicok45 with a video, Gunblast with a video, and actually almost a dozen articles extolling the virtues of this little gun. It was nice to spend an hour or so getting to watch others shoot while I cannot due to the weather and family obligations.
I've owned this little carbine for maybe 4 years but it languished as a curiosity in a safe for 1 1/2 years before making it to the range on a maiden voyage. Yes, it was purely an impulse buy when found on counter top display at a local dealer, and I was told by the same dealer that "nobody around here wants them". The clerk could only make guesses as to why the local lack of love for this almost miniature ammo disassembler. I've always cherished revolvers, especially Ruger .357s, and on that afternoon I got caught up in a $625 spontaneous fantasy. "Yes" I thought, "as a rugged adventurer..." at least in my mind... and there came the visions of working my way through the hills with simple preparations, but great skills carrying a carbine and handgun that ate the same ammunition. It probably didn't hurt that I was also flush with cash from a couple dealer-arranged sales of some unneeded stuff either.
I wanted to scope this little fella before its first trip to the outdoor range I frequent, and being snug on funds, I borrowed a beautiful little Leupold Rifleman 2-7 from another rifle that balanced beautifully on the gun. A shame that it was blued, but that, I told myself, accented the black synthetic stock of my 77/357. I screwed on a knockoff of a Harris bi-pod, grabbed some assorted factory .38 Special and .357 ammo and went to the range to see what I wanted to see.
I was delighted and surprised that morning when in short order, I was shooting 3/4 inch 3 shot groups at 50 yards from a rest. Thinking it was a fluke, I used up the rest of the .357's making neat little cloverleaf groups to the point of boredom!
Since that fateful first range trip I have come to love this carbine and with the help of wonderful folks at the castboolits forum I have become a true lover of casting my own 125 and 140 grain slugs for this dandy.
On a whim I looked on one of the biggest online gun auction sites too yesterday, and found lots of 77/357 magazines for sale, but not one carbine. Those with 77/357s in their collection have, in my opinion, a fantastically versatile and useful bolt action carbine. I'm sure glad now that I succumbed to my whimsical fantasy that day long ago.
I'd enjoy reading here too about anyone with experience shooting this model rifle.
Thanks. Don.
