Ruger M77 Accuracy

[shaffe48]

I have a Ruger M77 stainless all weather in 300 WINMAG. I'm now shooting it in the better model Caldwell Leadslead and most of the shots I fire surprise me from pulling the trigger. Also handloading weighting each charge and the case lengths are correct. Nonetheless, the best accuracy I've been getting when I'm shooting right is about 2 inches. Any opinions as to whether this is non-typical or the best ways to get more accuracy out of the Ruger? How picky is the Ruger with ammo? Perhaps it's just me, and I'll try a few different things next time but I'm starting to think not.

Last time used RL19 with 70, 73, and 75 grain loads. 165 gr Sierra Game King Spitzer boat tail. Federal large magnum rifle primers. I chose these components because that's what I could find in this day and age.

 

[soyarm]

Shooting Remington corelok 180 gr factory cartridges out of mine and mine shoots that or better at 200yds noooo problem. That is off a simple sandbag rest.

 

[JimHnSTL]

The best way to eliminate one of the bigger variable would be if you could borrow someone's stock and shoot it out of a different stock. Is yours the boat paddle or the newer synthetic type? My .280 shot about like yours in the boat paddle stock it came in but shot lights out in another stock. Could be the speed bump at the forearm or the way it sits in that particular stock.

 

[shaffe48]

I don't know, how would I determine the difference between a boat paddle and newer stock? My gun is a MKII and I think it was made in the 2003-2005 time frame.

I also shot corelokts off sandbags and I think I did get slightly better results, but I wasn't shooting well myself back then...

 

[shaffe48]

Just googled boat paddle stock. Heck no that ain't it...looks like the biggest piece of junk I've ever seen.

 

[Kudu m77]

Just googled boat paddle stock. Heck no that ain't it...looks like the biggest piece of junk I've ever seen.

It might also be one of the toughest rifles ever produced. Those stocks are quite solid and probably indestructible Some guys get exceptional accuracy from those boat paddles.

Regarding your rifle, I would glass bed the action and free float the barrel. From my experience and what I have read, the M77s respond quite well to bedding the action and free floating the barrel.

Pieter

 

[pisgah]

I'd lose the Lead Sled first. Some rifles just don't like them.

 

[mattsbox99]

I would agree with Pisgah, the lead sled doesn't let you shoot the rifle normally or teach you anything about proper control. It also puts a lot of extra stress on the scope.

Also, you should work up a load in half grain increments. Spreading two grains like that will probably miss an accuracy node that would get you what you are looking for.

Have you found the lands with that bullet? How close are you seating the bullets?

 

[Black Fly]

I'm assuming you have other rifles and can shoot better groups with them. Routinely shooting little groups, for many of us is an acquired skill. I'm not trying to be smart, I just don't know your backround.
As others have said, I would first quit using the lead sled and try some factory ammo. That eliminates two variables. One of those is that with a lead sled it is difficult to be consistent in the way you aim and hold the rifle. On the four 300's that I've owned and shot, 180 grain Remingtons were good shooters.
With nearly every rifle I've had problems with, it was one of the following that I found to be the problem. I would then check each of these: Are all the screws tight. The actions screws torqued correctly; the scope screws snug but not over tightened? The scope mounted correctly and not in tension? The scope is good? Is the paralax set correctly? Is the stock warping or pushing on the barrel in some way? If none of these, try a small piece of a credit card at the front of the action to lift the barrel away from the barrel channel in the stock and retorque the action screws. That's my quick checklist for rifles with issues.
If it's none of these, are the groups stringing vertically or horizontally, or are they about round? That can tell you something as well.
Don't know if any of these helps, but hopefully you can find the magic spot. On the other hand, an awful lot of game has been shot with less accurate rifles than 2moa.
Good Luck
Bfly

 

[shaffe48]

I bought some 180 gr Winchester factory loads that Walmart happened to have. I don't want to change everything at once and I don't want to spend 2-300 accurizing a rifle I was able to get with a Leopold scope for 599 if I don't have to. (Besides, I'm moving to Ohio for a few years instead of Wyoming like I thought which reduces my use for a 300.) I think what I'll do is the following changing one thing at a time:

a.) Try a target with a smaller aiming point. My target last time had a 1 inch aiming point which couldn't have helped.
b.) Try using factory loads.
c.) Try using regular sand bags.

As a side note I've also had this issue: I've had 3-3.5 inches of drop at 200 yds when sighted in at 100. Based on ballistics charts this isn't right which makes me think my shooting may be the problem some how as well.

 

[shaffe48]

I guess the drop might be right. I think the velocity is a bit slow with RL 19.

 

[Joe S.]

I have a friend whose 270 boat paddle prefers winchester silver tips.

Another friend whose all weather (standard stock) prefers cheap federal power shoks.

Both shoot 1" or less.

My m77 wood and blued compact in 7.62x39 shoots 2" at 100 with tula steel case ammo amd about anninch with my first handloads. Im hoping to whittle that down a tad.

My m77 rsi shoots about 1/4" at 100 with the loads it likes. Worst ive gotten with any load is about 2".

 

[shaffe48]

Sounds like just about any 77 can be accurate with the right load, I just need to experiment and make sure my shooting setup is working. Thanks.

 

[Joe S.]

Here is a 3/4" (4) shot group i shot yesterday with the 7.62x39

May never do it again but i did it once. Ha

 

[shaffe48]

Update after more shooting: Shot a .44 inch group between centers for four out of five shots. Including the other shot, it was 1 1/2 between centers, clearly me with this other shot or the gusting wind today I was trying to avoid with shot timing. 165 Sierra Game King Spitzer Boat-tail, 74 gr RL19, Federal Magnum Large Rifle Primers, Remington RP brass. This load is like a hot '06 round probably pushing the bullet about 2900 fps.

This was off my Caldwell Lead Slead. I fixed my problem by choosing a small aiming point, focusing on my fundamentals, and, possibly, some more careful handloading. So my problem was behind the rifle after all. Now I want to load up faster with RL22 and shoot further ranges. I was deciding between making this a 500 yard or a 300 yard rifle. I'm thinking 400 yard is most legit for me. Anyhow, for $599 including the Leopold VX-1 scope, it looks like I got an awesome deal considering the accuracy let alone the ruggedness, reliability, and power of the m77 all weather in .300 WinMag.