Question...

[208packinheat]

I note that there are very very few M77's (tang safety all blue) in 7mm-08 (fact is I have not seen one for sale anywhere on the web). I also note that the gun was listed in the early 80's as available. Can anyone tell me the current known distribution or availability of this gun in this cal.?

Appreciated. :!:

 

[wwb]

Don't know the exact numbers, but the 7mm-08 didn't really become a popular caliber until after the switch to the M77 MK II. As a result, the tang safety version is gonna be pretty hard to come by.

 

[mcknight77]

There are a few around. They usually garner a premium price when they show up on the auction sites.

I have a tang safety M77RSI in 7mm-08.

I have also seen them in the R and RL models. Don't ever remember seeing an RS.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Don't know the exact numbers, but the 7mm-08 didn't really become a popular caliber until after the switch to the M77 MK II. As a result, the tang safety version is gonna be pretty hard to come by.

I agree. As a matter of fact, my wife actually has one of the tang safety M-77s in 7mm-08. I bought it for her in the early '80s when the 7mm-08 first changed from the sillouetter's darling wildcat into an ideal (IMO) factory produced mule deer cartridge.
But I was darn lucky to find that tang safety M-77, 7mm-08. I actually ordered it through a friend who had a FFL (kitchen table gun business) back then. It was suppose to be a surprise for my wife's birthday that year. However, before my friend could get the rifle, Ruger stopped building them. I think I must have called every gun store in Eastern Idaho looking for a M-77, 7mm-08 after my friend told me he couldn't get one. I finally found one, and only one, in a pawn/gun shop in Chubbuck - a small town about 35 miles from here. The gun was new, in the box, even though it was a pawn shop that had it.
My wife bought herself a Model 70 Winchester, 7mm-08 back in the late '90s, but her old M-77 is still her favorite. Our oldest daughter kind of laid claim to the Model 70 anyway.
But yeah, that's my experience - those tang safety M-77, 7mm-08s are hard to come by. I hope you find one.

 

[rugerdczr]

The FFL Dealer that I dealt with in the 80s had six of them NIB, I got one of them.

 

[208packinheat]

In fact, I received mine through my then active FFL. As I recall, it was through a distributor who talked it up as not being plentiful. Have not given it much thought since, but recently pulled it out of the safe and began to wonder "why do I have this gun??" Thanks for the info, seems it has some scarcity value. Mine still is NIB.