Ruger M77 tang safety

I like the safety position on those older Rugers (and on the A-Bolt) but I think the stock on the Hawkeye is far superior for fit and comfort. Small changes, but well done. It would be nice to have the tang safety and adjustable trigger in a Hawkeye stock.
 
I agree.

Heres my baby (tang safety in .308 with Leupold 2x7). Picked it up for a very respectable price and wont ever let her go. This combo is absolutely the PERFECT central ON rifle. Will knock any moose, deer or bear flat on its arse, is handy enough to use pushing/dogging, and accurate enough for relatively long shots.

DSC_0177.jpg
 
I like 'em.

My first tang safety Ruger Model 77 was one in .300 Win Mag.

Currently have one in 7x57mm. A "keeper" for sure.

Did I mention, I like 'em? :p :D

2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
H4831 said:
The tang safty on mine wasn't very safe. When I carried it hunting, my hand around the wrist of the stock would accidently push the safety off.
First I thought it was because I had gloves on, but had it do it with bare hands, even when I knew it could happen and was trying to be careful.
Click to expand...

I had that happen on mine as well.I'm now very aware of the safety and check it constantly
I trust no safety and treat it like it is off all the time
I will agree the gun is accurate
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by senior View Post
a 7x57 rechambered to 280

Slimbo said:
Blasphemy! Why I oughta......
Click to expand...

Might I ask why??
Not particularly a collector item, why some-one else on this thread has already indicated they have one. My particular case I tried every bullet "know to man" to get that thing to shoot but the only bullet it would keep under 2" was long round nose Sierra's:cool: I always blamed it on the very loose neck dia in the chamber of that rifle. Case neck dia is .321 (pg 264 Horn Handbook) compared to the 280s neck dia of .315 (pg 275 same book). That .006 has to be nothing but slop concidering the brass used in both calibers is the same thickness. The 280 leaves a little bulge right at the rear of the neck that shows exactly how sloppy those chambers are. At any rate it's now an inch gun with many groups in the 1/2" range with most bullets w:h:
It's now my go to gun...I have confidence in it :)
 
My 7X57, I bought about 14 years ago new. Been a solid gun through many hunts, took my first sheep with it and lately its been my wolf rig with 120 grn slugs at 3200. (though I've discovered that nosler ballistic tips are terribly destructive, and am trying new options!)

4333668938_e991234745_b.jpg
 
Last edited:
The first rifle I ever bought for myself (instead of using/borrowing my Dad's) was a used m77 tang safety in 7RemMag. I spent a lot of time and money at the range trying to get that 2.5 moa down to 1.5 or 1.0. Never happened. After a bunch of trying different hand loads and factory loads I found that the 2.5 moa load was now more like 3 moa.

Now, before I get slagged on here, I will say that I've been shooting since I was 8 years old, and I'm not a terrible shot. After being frustrated with the Ruger, I bought a used 280 in a M700 Mountain rifle. I was able to get that to shoot MOA with a few different loads, so I figured it was the gun, not me. I just wasn't happy with it.

Then I bought a used Mauser sporter in 30-06. And it, too, shot better groups than the Ruger.

So I sold that Ruger, but not before i actually killed a Mulie Buck with it. I was aiming at the base of the neck, since that's all it was showing me as it peeked out of the coulee. Shot was about 200 yards. I nailed it in the head right below the antlers, and spoiled the rack.

It was gone within a couple weeks after that.

Since that gun I just don't have a taste for Rugers. I know I'm probably judging the whole barrel by one bad apple, but I just don't have much desire to have a Ruger in my safe.
 
The tang safety ruger I have had since the mid 80's is a ultra light 270, I was concerned when I purchased it the accuracy would be poor and I had read the triggers where terrible. Much to my surprise the trigger was excellent and the accuracy was alway 1-1/4" for 3 shot groups with anything I put thought it.

Super rifle that I shot a lot of deer with though the years and I would have to say is the best hunting rifle I have ever owned. I like the postion of the safety - right under my thumb; fast to get off.
 
I have a couple of Tang-safety Ruger M77 rifles, one is a HB in 220 Swift, a truely accurate rifle that will often put 5 shots under a dime at 100 yards. Besides replacing the trigger, it is bone stock, and I will keep it till the barrel goes south, then probably rebarrel.
My other is an early flat-bolt version, that was a 6mm Remington, and has recently seen a new barrel [same chambering] It was pretty accurate until I washed the throat out of it [about 3500 rounds] and now is even better. It also sports a Timney trigger.
I have had several others, including a 7x57 [had the most generous chamber I ever saw in 7x57] All shot well, although my 30-06 had a annoying habit of throwing the first shot from the cold barrel about 1½" higher than any subsequent shot.
I think they are fairly solid rifles that are dependable and accurate enough for most people to hunt with.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
Early tang safety Rugers used contractor barrels, and some shot well, others didn't. A primary reason Bill Ruger pushed to have internal barrels available for all his firearms. I have three tang safety Rugers, like them all. The stock, while pleasing to the eye is quite wide, particularly through the fore end. Nice design from the side, bit too thick from the top. The 338 I have is accurate, the 257 Bob, not as much, and the 6mm is really, really bullet fussy. FWIW
 
My tangsafety Ruger 77 in 7x57mm shoots extremely well.

2004-10-19_211118_Ruger757a.jpg


2004-10-19_211142_Ruger757b.jpg


2004-10-19_211320_Ruger757c.jpg


I've got 5/8" 100 yard 3 shot groups using 139 gr SP's with her. Scope is an original B&L Elite 3000 3-9x40mm.

I must've got a good 'un. :cool:

1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
dan belisle said:
Early tang safety Rugers used contractor barrels, and some shot well, others didn't.
Click to expand...

This explains a lot.

I developed a sour taste for Rugers early on after picking up a tang safety .300 Win Mag. It didn't group so much as it patterned. Four inch groups! I tried bedding it and had a smith work the trigger over and it shot slightly better, but still not even close to acceptable, 3-3.5 inches at best.

I managed to trade it to some guy ditching a tang safety .270 because it wasn't MAGNUM enough or whatever, that one was fairly erratic as well. I mean, unless you liked stringing shots. Which was a shame, because I loved the action design and "feel". And that one was bolted to a decent plank IIRC.

I'm now reconsidering trying the Hawkeye model for my next purchase but was always leery after my initial experience. Good to hear that there may have been a reasonable explanation for the staggering lack or accuracy, because the M77 is something that I really want to like.
 
I have owned two of them over the years. Both factory barrels shot like!
Built new barrels for them, and now they are very fine shooters!

I agree with some of you guys, there is something very Pleasing about the style/finish of these actions!

I know these rifles will be passed down to my son!
I hope he can appreciate them as much as I am now!

Have fun and straight shoot'in you gunnutz!
 
mikeyb said:
This explains a lot.

I developed a sour taste for Rugers early on after picking up a tang safety .300 Win Mag. It didn't group so much as it patterned. Four inch groups! I tried bedding it and had a smith work the trigger over and it shot slightly better, but still not even close to acceptable, 3-3.5 inches at best.

I managed to trade it to some guy ditching a tang safety .270 because it wasn't MAGNUM enough or whatever, that one was fairly erratic as well. I mean, unless you liked stringing shots. Which was a shame, because I loved the action design and "feel". And that one was bolted to a decent plank IIRC.

I'm now reconsidering trying the Hawkeye model for my next purchase but was always leery after my initial experience. Good to hear that there may have been a reasonable explanation for the staggering lack or accuracy, because the M77 is something that I really want to like.
Click to expand...

My early tang safety model, in 243, was just like yours. Made great patterns!
I too, bedded it and tried every weight bullet they made, did everything I could think of. Some combinations made better patterns than others, but that was as close as it got to good accuracy.
I also found out the barrel was not made by Ruger.
 
H4831 said:
My early tang safety model, in 243, was just like yours. Made great patterns!
I too, bedded it and tried every weight bullet they made, did everything I could think of. Some combinations made better patterns than others, but that was as close as it got to good accuracy.
I also found out the barrel was not made by Ruger.
Click to expand...

I had a Ruger #1Varmint single shot that was just like that. A friend, who was a gunsmith and precision reloader, tried every thing he could think of to make that rifle shoot but, like yours, it just patterned. It was a huge disappointment as it was not a cheap rifle. Turned out the barrel wasn't made by Ruger either. I think they did learn a lesson here and things have changed. Sorry, I realize this isn't about a tang safety Ruger but thought it was worth mentioning about the non-Ruger barrels that gave them a bad name for awhile.
 
So, roughly what year did Ruger start making their own barrels? And did accuracy improve? I'm still leery.

If I've got some money in my jeans, and a hankering for a new rifle, then I'll probably spend the $ on something I can hedge my bets with. To me, the Rugers still seem like a gamble.
 
Huntin' Gun said:
So, roughly what year did Ruger start making their own barrels? And did accuracy improve? I'm still leery.

If I've got some money in my jeans, and a hankering for a new rifle, then I'll probably spend the $ on something I can hedge my bets with. To me, the Rugers still seem like a gamble.
Click to expand...

That was some time ago. They make their own barrels now. I have bought a number of Rugers in the last five years and accuracy has not been an issue. Even with some minis!! (No, really, it's true! LOL) I think you would be happy with a new Ruger. Check out the Hawkeye's as well as the Mk II's.
 
I actually prefer the quick loose tang safety and the fat stock, fits me like a glove. For some reason I just seem to connect more with the old Ruger than many of my other rifles....connect with varmints that is...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom