Two early 77V Swifts

[300 H&H]

Hello Ruger Fans,

My first post here. I have a pair of Ruger 77V rifles in 220 Swift. The older one is Dec of 73 ship date I was told. It has a flat bolt handle and the red recoil pad. condition is 95%+. the newer one is a Liberty model of 1976. It has a round solid bolt handle. I am wonderng if either of these is a sought after rifle, and what they might be worth, were I to sell them, but more importantly, for insurance purposes. Both are wonderful shooters. I have also read they wear barrels made by an after market supplier. Any truth to this? Thanks.

Regards, Kirk

 

[300 H&H]

Perhaps I should have posted this in the collectors thread.....Sorry

Kirk

 

[mcknight77]

Yes, they are both very desirable rifles. The flatbolt is a $500 - $800 rifle depending on condition.

The Liberty is a $450 - $750 rifle depending on condition.

If you have the original boxes and papers you can add $50 -$100.

The Swift flatbolt is the second most common flatbolt V, behind the .22-250. It probably has a Douglas barrel on it.

The Liberty Swift is a fairly common V. It probably has a Wilson barrel on it.

I have both rifles and both mine shoot very well, although my flatbolt V Swift was made a bit earlier than yours.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Hammer]

.

Also have a few Swifts including a number of Rugers.

While there is variation in all things, you might find you have some very good shooters there.

The Swifts are very useful in prairie dog towns.


As for their collector value, my experience is a lot of the Ruger Swifts have gunsmith glass-bedded stocks and some collectors frown on that in their assessment of original condition.

.

 

[300 H&H]

My two M77V's have not been touched....absolutely box stock rifles. They shot so well I didn't feel the need to modfy them in any way. One wears a Redfield RM 6400 in 16X the other a leopold 6.5X20. There must be some interest in these rifles, as I have recieved several PM's from members here, asking to purchase either of them! :wink: I am glad to have them, as they have served me well. The flat bolt tagged a coyote from my shop door last winter at just over 600 yds. Granted I just broke it's front leg with the first shot, a some what lucky shot...zeroed at 300 about 3ft low at 600. Really love these old M77's!

Regards, Kirk

 

[mcknight77]

As I said, they are very desirable rifles. I suspect you'll get a bunch of interest, depending on how you price them.

It doesn't surprise me that they shoot well, stock out of the box. Both of mine do.

The only thing to watch with Swifts is throat erosion. High pressure loads and overshooting them in a hot weather prairie dog town is not good for them. Same can be said for the .243Win and .25-06.

 

[collectormzornes]

Not to stray to far from the subject but do any of you have a VLE model in 223 or 308 if so what type of triggers and barrels are they?