Ruger 77/44 - Looking for Input

D

-Doug-

CGN Regular
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The 77/44 seems like a great option for a very light weight deer bush rifle for carrying around with shots expected to likely be less than 50 yards.

Looking for input from those that have or used a 77/44

-expected accuracy 50 and 100 yards

-trigger pull weight

-any issues

-overall satisfaction

Was originally looking at a Henry Big Boy with a 16.5” barrel then started to think about the 77/44 (mostly from a weight perspective).

Thanks
 
The only issues that I had on the two I used to own were the magazine removals. Could almost cook a wiener over a campfire in less time than getting one of them out.
 
The stainless synthetic version (77/44) is light and plenty accurate to 100 yards. Function was excellent with both of the ones I had. The only potential issue had to do with the magazine being a little finicky to seat. Other than that, they are a very handy little carbine.
 
Trigger pull on mine was abysmal but improved with an aftermarket sear. Accuracy from the bench was okay for what the rifle is. Three shot groups of 1.5" @ 50 yds. 3.5"@ 100 from the bench when using a low-powered Leupold scope. I've since swapped out the scope for a red dot.

Overall, I like the light weight and the three position safety. It's not a tack driver but it's an easy rifle to tote around in the bush.
 
Same mag and triggers issues with the once I had several years ago. I switched to a 44mag CVA Scout and prefer it over the 77. Accuracy between the two is a wash. Economical too. (CVA $590 vs Ruger $1350)
 
I liked my 77/44 for hunting & plinkin' fun. The mag was a tad short for hardcast boolits above 300 gr and the trigger begged for a lighter spring.

The 2 piece bolt needed a shim kit to get the headspace snug. MCARBO makes the kit to cure the trigger and bolt slop issue.

https://www.bullseyenorth.com/shop/...rigger-adjustment-spring-kit-20002255444-4589

I would've kept mine awhile longer had she been a blued walnut version w/round top action, drilled & tapped to take Weaver type bases or a pic-rail.

Never liked the Ruger ring setup.

Me Ruger 77-44 sm.jpg
 
Love mine. Are quite accurate. I had mine at 1" groups at 100m. With factory Hornady ammo. Trigger is a little stiff but fine. Very satisfied, a super little handy rifle for walking, tree stands, sitting in blinds, and younger / smaller peeps. Highly recommend.
 
-Doug- said:
More than likely I’ll end up with the Henry
Biggest selling point about the 77/44 to me is the weight.
Click to expand...

I took a look a Henry Mare's Leg with a full stock. They're nice but what I like about the Ruger is I can keep it by the door and a magazine goes in pretty quickly if there's a coyote getting too close to the paddocks.
 
I have both the 77/357 and the 77/44. Deer hunt with the 44 and I love it when hunting it heavy brush. So light and handy. The 357 is my “camp gun” it goes everywhere with me. Trigger pull is heavy but can be fixed with after market parts. The mag getting held up in the gun, for me just got less and less the more I used the platform and got use to it.
 
always wanted one of these in 357, like the ballistics and sd better on the .357, much more usable range

be lots of fun with a vx3hd 1.5-5 cds-zl and have a turret cut to match the load, was bombing beavers to 250 with a .17 hmr with a cds-zl not long ago, be a hoot with that 357 to do similar, as well as have a deer and camp rig, wouldn't be much you couldn't do if it was all you had really, but the 44 was just too short and fat and slow...less versatile imo
 
interesting about the ballistic comparison
do you happen to have those data numbers handy?
we shot the 2, but was not a true test, just used whatever ammo was handy
44 in a rifle can reach out, lp 240gr loads don't quite knock over the rams @200 but some hp loads did

good topic for a reloading thread maybe
 
boxhitch said:
interesting about the ballistic comparison
do you happen to have those data numbers handy?
we shot the 2, but was not a true test, just used whatever ammo was handy
44 in a rifle can reach out, lp 240gr loads don't quite knock over the rams @200 but some hp loads did

good topic for a reloading thread maybe
Click to expand...

no, it was a few years ago I went geeking on the ballistics calculators running a bunch of loads against each other and which had the better sd's(penetration) and higher velocities and more usable trajectories etc. the .357 was the winner for me, I don't get impressed by ft/lbs or bigger diameters, there's better info available to make choices from, I ruled the 44 out if I ever went down this path, max versatility is the mindset I run with on all things, it was an easy choice on 357 when I ran everything I could compare
 
I thought I made doc for myself about this to reference down road. .357, swift a-frame factory 180 load from it would be a 135 yard 5.9" mpbr with a 105 yard zero, .2 sd hammer....the factory 158 xtp load was 155 yard 6.2" mpbr. 158 xtp notes saying 1650-1725 fps should happen from factory for easy sub 6" mpbr to 150, reloading can turn it into a 175-200 yard deer slayer, apparently can get 1800-2000 fps out of 18.5" barrel with 158's. Those are just some of my notes I plucked from my document. The sd's were better, the velocities better, the mpbr's better for where more deer are actually killed. Plus 38 special for chickens or plinking potential makes more sense than whatever 45 shorty can go in the 44? Anyway, happy digging and comparing, watch lots of gel and other comparison YouTube, run ballistic calculators, you can find lots of real world velocities on loads out of these barrel lengths and penetrations but the trajectory with enough sd/velocity is important if considering as a deer hunting rig. The 44 was just not versatile enough for me, too fat, too slow max 100 yard type ranges so an easy 50 yard advantage for the 357 was what I recollect but I didn't document the 44 stuff once I compared some available, just made a doc on the 357 stuff as that was the easy winner for versatility and actual hunting. ;)
 
tough to find rifle specific data, but some of this is cross-over. looks like 44 mag for the win
ht tps://www.snipercountry.com/357-vs-44/
 
ah there's quite a bit of info on both, velocities, reviews, tests, the .44 can hang trajectory wise so I forgot about that part, it was the amount of lead in 5.5 lb rifle and being such a fun handy size, you can match sd/bc's up and down the weight spectrums for each, similar range potentials, but the .44 recoil is a little more than twice the .357 for a similar sd bullets at similar velocities, and I likely had in mind I'd wanna shoot it a lot, plinking, 38 specials etc. and then full house loads for 150 yard deer or camp defence, I do factory ammo, the thought of the costs and extra recoil relegated the 44 just not as versatile fun or cost effective doing the 44 special/44 mag combo, and the 44 is a 4+1 and the 357 is a 5+1, I would get a lot more use out of the 357 version, 38 specials for grouse and plinking fun, kids too etc., but if wanting a more use all the time big game only set up and or reload etc. and plinking fun isn't really a concern then go for the big one...I know which one I'll go for if I end up chasing one down...the .357 running a 158 vs the 44 running a 240 at 1800 from 5.5 lb rig is about 6 ft/lbs for 357 and 44 almost 13 ft/lbs, they are fun to think about for sure, lots of factors, the 44 would not be as much fun for me and for serious big game I'm taking other things anyway so just a novelty rig, penetrations similar, for off the shelf comparables 158/240, 180/300 etc. so can get through enough bear in camp either way and penetration in right spots is all that matters there anyway, the extra energy being helpful on these low velocity things is negligible factor, the recoil and familiarity because you use it way more often being bigger factor, ymmv

for novelty rig I ended up going 940 pro turkey 18.5" for my thumper in the end, 4+1 semi auto with 504gr challenger slugs at 1500-1535 fps, it's doing 1.6"-2.1" ctc groups at 40 yards with those and IC extended choke. Can plink with all kinds of lighter hitting shots and then the big boy slugs for hunting and defence and primitive seasons etc. a little heavier than the ruger but about as long, semi auto speed though...
 
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