Ruger 77 7mag barrel diameter question

[338reddog]

I just found a great deal on a like new tang safety 7mag. Question is about the barrel diameter. The shop had two 7 mags one barrel definitely heavier than the other. Does anyone know if Ruger infact made different barrel diameters. I have a brown precision stock that I’m hoping to fit to the rifle. Unfortunately it is in gun jail for the next few weeks.
Jeff

 

[gunzo]

Yes, 2 different diameters in the 7 mag. The early to mid, maybe late 70's had the heavier one, not varmint weight, just heavier than the standard. They had a name for the contour but I can't remember it. Never mentioned in the catalog that I know of. It was shared by the 25-06, 300 Win mag, & 338 mag., all 24". Later, the 7 was changed to the standard contour, still @ 24". The 25-06 was never changed as well as the 338. Not sure about the 300.
About the time of the contour change, the forearm was slimed & narrowed on all standard wt. tang 77's as well.

 

[3DTESTIFY]

According to Ronnie Burke’s book on the M77, the 7mm mag. Barrel contour was changed from the medium wt. contour to the standard sporter wt. contour around the start of the #71 prefix in 1974.

 

[338reddog]

Thanks guys, I think I will luck out and be able to use my ultralight synthetic. The price was right at under $400 with a vari x 3 3.5 -10. Im not big on the 7mm rem mag and didnt need another magnum. But I figured it was to nice to pass up.
Jeff

 

[rugerjunkie]

A standard barrel profile will not fit an ultralight stock unless you inlet the barrel channel and then there won't be much stock left...

 

[338reddog]

A standard barrel profile will not fit an ultralight stock unless you inlet the barrel channel and then there won't be much stock left...

I should have said that I have a Brown Precision ultrlight stock (pounder). I had it on a 7mm mauser.
Jeff