Ronnie Burke's book shows the first 308 varmint barrel guns in the Liberty range and the potato farmer has never seen one this early. On top of that it has British proof marks, which legitimizes it. Fits in well with the rest of its friends.
Very early M77 308 Varmint
- Thread starter lowhighlander
- Start date
I like it! I have a 1958 Flat Top with British Proof marks...
OP
They are factory barrels, they just have to be proofed before being sold in the UK. They are test fired and inspected.
Well uhh,,, that wasnt the question
Question was, are they more accurate than the crappy old ruger barrels ?
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OP
And the answer is still the same. It's a factory gun with factory barrel made in same factory as all the other M77's in the USA. Once shipped to the UK they are required to shoot them and inspect them for safety, not accuracy. The early guns did have Douglas barrels which some say were more accurate, some disagree.
contender
Ruger Guru
To offer a little thought process on the accuracy issue. In the early years,, Bill bought barrels from different places. SOME of them,,, poorer accuracy. Some of them,, excellent accuracy. Unfortunately,, there are no records (that I'm aware of,) that can document or trace the different barrels & such.
So,, some are very accurate,, & some aren't.
The accuracy complaints were what eventually drove Bill to making his own barrels.
So,, some are very accurate,, & some aren't.
The accuracy complaints were what eventually drove Bill to making his own barrels.
Sweet snag!
Very nice addition to the herd.
Terry
Very nice addition to the herd.
Terry
Just as a little side note when these came out the gun writers didn't have much good to say about them as far as accuracy but a good friend of mine at the time owned one that he had shooting 165 gr and 110 gr bullets same point of impact without having to adjust the scope 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards so much for the writers
chet15
Hawkeye
That and the M77 Mark II Magnum and Express rifle barrels were cold hammer forged as a one piece barrel/quarter rib assembly.... which expanded into their process for making all of their rifle barrels.
chet15
Hawkeye
I'm kind of surprised it isn't a flatbolt which would have been the icing on the cake!! There are some flatbolts known in the early 71- prefix, namely .250 Savage and M77V's in .22-250.
Chet15
Chet15
OP
I have a .250 Savage 71-02626
you are correct, I have an ST in 7mag that's a flat bolt 71- XXXX
chet15
Hawkeye
Well that is really unusual for a long action flatbolt in the 71- prefix. The ones I was speaking of are short action.
My notes do show a .30-06 77ST in the 70-60XXX range and there are a few .338 R flatbolts in the 70-87xxx to 70-89xxx range.
Chet15
This ones a 71-0xxxx RS ST in 7mag. bolt matches...
chet15
Hawkeye
im in AZ for some time, rifles in AK. but can do. scott
