Ruger 77 357 bullet stuck in barrel

Bittereinder

Bittereinder

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I just wanted to share a recent experience as a warning to others.

I was hand loading for the first time, and so deliberately chose a light load (using SR4756 powder, a recipe from the Lee handbook). I also used a jacketed bullet (what was available to me at the time).

Trying out the hand loads in my Ruger 77 357, I noticed on the first two shots that it was really quiet. I thought the first and second bullet might be stuck, and each time I carefully checked the barrel (after removing mag, checking chamber, of course). Well, on the third shot, it did get stuck... Fortunately, the bullet was only about an inch from the muzzle, and I easily tapped out with a cleaning rod through the back after removing the bolt.

There are a few lessons here. These may be obvious to experienced hand loaders and/or shooters, but I want to share in case it helps others and to see if anyone has further comments or similar experiences.

1. I should have used the "357 rifle" section of the handbook. Presumably these were selected to have hotter loads that will make it out of a rifle barrel as opposed to a revolver. I subsequently did just that, and they shot fine.
2. Using a jacketed bullet probably compounded the problem because of the stiffness of copper relative to lead. Maybe it wouldn't have happened with lead.
3. This makes me even more reluctant to try factory 38 specials. Now, the manual for the 77 357 says to only use 357, but I've seen YouTube reviews of the rifle that say it's fine to use specials. Probably some of them tried it, perhaps some of them just assumed it's okay because you can with a revolver. The Ruger manual specifies 357 magnum only, and I first thought that is to avoid feed issues, but maybe it's to avoid stuck bullets as well.
 
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I have one of these rifles, and use a fairly light load with the 125 grain jacketed bullet.

I have had great success with this load, 5 shot groups at 50M are a ragged hole.

But with 158 grain jacketed, I use a stiff load of Lil'gun, which shoots a lot higher at 100, but also groups very well.

I actually like this little rifle...."fun" gun to shoot. I might be tempted to try it on a doe deer inside of 75 yards.

Regards, Dave.
 
i've only used a 1/2lb of that powder and it seems to need near max loads to get any kind of speed and proper cycling of the action in my glock 17. as far as not using 38spls in that gun it's very likely a feeding issue and not because of velocity issues.
 
I use that powder for .40S&W and .45ACP. The powder charge is at the upper end for .40 and mid range for .45. I also have another friend that shoots specials out of his 77/.357 without issue. While it was a light load for .357 Magnum, I think a lead bullet would have exited the barrel in the case at hand.
 
I have shot thousands of .38 sp rounds out of rifles and can assure you it has nothing to do with the rifle. did you perhaps forget powder? i even had a primer pop shoot the 158gr lead bullet out of a rifle. i usually would only use pistol loads so i could interchange. rifle loads are handy because you can get greater velocity out of the gun as it will handle greater pressures than a revolver.
 
You learned a valuable lesson without any grief. Stick with reloading data from published sources, and use the loads recommended by the gun maker.
There is some good advice on You tube, but a lot of idiotic stuff too. Why take a chance?
And you presumed correctly. Jacketed data is different than cast. You need more powder with jacketed because of more friction. You could very easily have hurt yourself if you had not noticed the stuck bullet, and fired another.
 
Presumably lead specials are ok from what some of you said, thanks.

To clarify, I used published data from the Lee handbook, and it was for a jacketed bullet. I used the starting load, not the max (don't recall exactly and don't have the book with me right now).

Highly unlikely I forgot the powder, I remember checking every casing and after those three shots, the third of which stuck, I used the rest (about 40 rounds) in my revolver. Highly improbable that I forgot powder in the particular three that I happened to try in the rifle.

So I think my mistake was to not use the "357 rifle" section. The rifle is intended for factory 357s, and I discovered that low end 357 jacketed loads are not enough. Presumably factory loads wouldn't be that low.

I think it was 158 grain jacketed, and while I used the intended starting load for that bullet weight, it obviously wasn't enough.

Thank you all for the feedback.
 
You are aware that IMR SR 4756 is no longer being produced, ever? You might want to save what powder you have for the guns/loads that work best with that powder.

I have a M77/44, and I went out and bought 500 Nickel plated cases for the rifle loads; to easily keep the rifle & pistol loads separate.
 
So, which weight of bullet and what powder charge? You seem unwilling to mention it. You also seem unwilling to admit that you could have screwed up. I've had 38 Special loads that clock around 700 fps in a revolver, make it out of a 357 magnum Handi rifle just fine. Your warning is IMHO a lot silly. You screwed up, plain and simple. Same as everyone does sooner or later.
 
saskgunowner101: I'm not unwilling to mention it, I simply don't recall and I don't have the book with me. I think it was a 158 grain jacketed bullet and I used an appropriate loading for that bullet in the Lee 2nd edition handbook (I think that's the one, but again I don't have it with me).

I said in my original post that I should have used the 357 rifle section, that's the lesson I learned. Yes, that's a screw up, sure. Again, I also said that the points I make may be obvious to more experienced hand loaders and shooters.

I did make some clarifications to others, but not out of a reluctance to admit I made a mistake, but to respond to questions raised by others. As in, I doubt it was a primer pop and why, and to clarify that I was using a reputable published source.

Thanks for further feedback about specials, that's the sort of thing I was curious about.
 
I had a 77/357 but sold it... I now have two of the 77/44's... I use light Trail Boss loads regularly with 240 grain cast and have never had any problems... they are very accurate at 50 yards and hit with a surprising amount of authority.
 
think i'd blame your reloads as well rather than the gun- bullet stuck in barrel is definitely low powder/no powder rather than type- if you're using a progressive, one of the easiest things to do is let your hopper run dry in the middle of a run or skip that station- I try to pick a powder that leaves a little room in the case for "rattle" ie you can hear the powder in there- I also use a gooseneck flashlight to check between stations 2 and 3 to see if there's powder in there- some folks use a mirror- as far as the loads themselves go, think about it- no matter what load you use, it's GOT to push that bullet at least 20 inches- it may not function the action, but even 20 inches is no problem for a cartridge- no, it's a squib for sure- rifle and pistol loads make NO difference in exiting the barrel
oh and lose the I CAN'T be wrong attitude- as long as you're reloading , you CAN be wrong- that's 40 YEARS roughly talking-and I still get the occasional squib 2
 
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"light load" + Jacketed bullet +long barrel = problem

Three things come to mind, First: jacketed bullets produce significantly more resistance going through a barrel than do lead bullets.

Second: why the light load? You're shooting it in a rifle, so there's a so much longer barrel (and more friction) to overcome than in a revolver. Deliberately choosing a light load and combining it with a jacketed bullet is simply inviting trouble ("do it yourself" barrel obstruction). (People get bullets stuck in pistol barrels. You are dealing with a way longer barrel and thus, way more friction).

Lastly: Is it possible that you inadvertently neglected to charge the case? (a squib).
Many years ago, I picked up a Ruger P85 from a guy who was new to handloading and didn't have a method for ensuring that all of his cases contained powder. One of his squibs was followed by a normal cartridge and led to a bulged barrel. (he was shooting lead bullets).

The simple, "no fail" fix, (shared with me by an old mentor): put all of your primed cases upside-down in one loading block (on your left) and, once you have charged them with powder, set them into another loading block, on your right. You will never have a mix-up leading to a "no powder" squib.

You've got a nice little rifle. No need to baby it with powderpuff loads.
 
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I never blamed the gun and I don't know where that impression came from.

I used a hand scoop and funnel and checked with a bright flashlight. Like I said earlier, after the two quiet shots and the one that got stuck, I used the rest of the rounds (40 or so) in my revolver and they were pretty consistent. It's possible that I mistakenly put too light a scoop in three of the rounds, but it's highly unlikely that those three happened to be the ones I put in the rifle.

Now, if it's true that ANY 357 load, done properly, from a reputable source, has GOT to push any bullet at least 20 inches, then I suppose I must have loaded those three too lightly. I can't say that's impossible, but it's unlikely as explained above.
 
A-zone: I've think you've captured it. Yes, I was being too conservative and learned the lesson. No need to go light with a rifle.

Saskgunowner: Look, I said it was my first time reloading, and of course I could have mistakenly loaded them too lightly, but like I said it's unlikely that would have happened with just the 3 I happened to put in the rifle. A people like A-zone back up the theory.

Anyway, I'm done guys. I'm tired of re-explaining myself.
 
Are you using one loading block or two?

Uncharged cases upside-down or all facing "up", waiting to be charged?

Bittereinder said:
I never blamed the gun and I don't know where that impression came from.

I used a hand scoop and funnel and checked with a bright flashlight. Like I said earlier, after the two quiet shots and the one that got stuck, I used the rest of the rounds (40 or so) in my revolver and they were pretty consistent. It's possible that I mistakenly put too light a scoop in three of the rounds, but it's highly unlikely that those three happened to be the ones I put in the rifle.

Now, if it's true that ANY 357 load, done properly, from a reputable source, has GOT to push any bullet at least 20 inches, then I suppose I must have loaded those three too lightly. I can't say that's impossible, but it's unlikely as explained above.
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