Who says tang safety M77's can't shoot?

[The Kurgan]

I was pleasantly surprised after testing my M77 in 7x57 at the range today. I had just dropped her into a new Boyds stock with 95 in/lbs of torque applied to that weird angled front action screw. Everything else is factory, including the trigger and trigger settings. 100 metres with a simple little Bushnell 2-7x32 and standard Multi-X reticle. It took 3 shots to get her on paper, then the following 3-shot group. Factory S&B 173 grain SPCE. Nothing special and I certainly wasn't making any significant effort, just quick aim and shoot. I was more focused on sighting-in the scope to get close to the 1-inch square. Groups could probably tighten even more with handloads and a finer reticle. The other lone shot was from a standing position. I am confident it will perform in the field. It's medium weight in my opinion; heavy enough to absorb recoil and light enough for most hunting applications. If I want a real lightweight, I have several other rifles to choose from.

 

[Gun123]

I have 2 M77 RSI tang safety. Bith shoot sub MOA.

 

[propliner]

Like many, I've spent decades pursuing accuracy, but my most accurate rifle is a factory stock Ruger M77 in .260

 

[wannabe]

from my reading I learned ruger contracted barrel manufacture out in the days of the tang safety rifles....some very good and some not so much....anyone else?

 

[LawrenceN]

I have an old walnut stocked heavy barrel M77 in .308. When I was younger and much stronger, that was my primary hunting rifle and put a lot of venison on the table. I shot the best group of my life with that rifle; 4 shots, 100 m., 1 big ragged hole (5/8") that I could cover with a dime. With my handloads, it was consistently sub MOA.

 

[Cole]

I have an old 77 in .300 Win Mag rhat will regularly poke 4L.milk jugs @500 yds.

 

[Eagleye]

The 2nd most accurate factory rifle I have owned was a Tang safety M77V, chambered in
220 Swift. I won Turkeys with it, and regularly shot 5 round groups around 1" at 300M.
OTOH, one of my shooting partners had a 77R that never shot a group under 2½ moa. We
tried every trick in the book, but no soap. Finally rebarrelled it....that cured it Dave.

 

[NAA]

Good shootin' & love that new stock!

---------
NAA.

 

[Why not?]

I have a Ruger tang safety 375 Chatfield Taylor that puts a magazine full into five inches at 300 meters.

Is that good enough?

Ted

 

[nowarningshot]

The bad reputation is with this specific caliber. Apparently, when they first came out, tang safeties in 7 mauser had outside source barrels. Those first 7 mausers, shot like shet. Apparently you didn't get one of those first batch.

Our M77 guru gave me a tip on action screws on them. Tighten front and back, then go back to them alternately, until you break a few blood vessels in your eyes. Good to go.

 

[The Kurgan]

Mine is a 1991 production. It was the overlap year whereby the MKII was already in widespread production. I think the issue with the 7x57 was two-fold (other than the odd outsourced barrel issue): long throats and as with all of them, the need to torque that front action screw to 95 in/lbs! The S&B 173 grain factory ammo seems to work well, and my preference in 7x57 is always the heaviest-for-calibre bullets. These are well built rifles and I am happy it has a good barrel. The free floated Boyds stock probably also helps. I like the stock so much, I ordered another in Blaze laminate "Platinum", with a polymer grip cap and texture checkering for hunting. The tang safety is a nice feature, and is similar to the tang safety on my Brno Effect and various shotguns.

 

[The Kurgan]

Good shootin' & love that new stock!

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NAA.

Thanks. The "Classic" model has forearm finger grooves, which I quite like for general applications, but I ordered a "Platinum" model with checkering for hunting conditions.

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

I bought a fresh M77R in 22-250 back in "76 that I used for turkey shoots on running deer targets at 50 & 100 yds. With me handloads with 40gr Speers at 4100 fps, that rifle was grouping my reloads into .250" at 75yds. I never came back from shoots empty handed in the 3 years I used 'er before moving to other rifles that worked well for me. (Me loads cooked the rifling to about 3" ahead of the chamber within 500 rounds. Oops. ) Still shot tight though.

 

[BigUglyMan]

I have a Ruger tang safety 375 Chatfield Taylor that puts a magazine full into five inches at 300 meters.

Is that good enough? ��

Ted

Not for the internet, but for anyone with any sense, yes.

 

[Rob]

Back in the mid-80s I had a tang safety Ruger M77 30-06 that would consistently put 3 shots into one inch at 200 yards. I was young and foolish and I sold it. I didn't realize what I had.

 

[remington jim]

I ve owned a Few tang safety M77 Rugers - my best shooting one was a std model in 308 Win - glass bedded only it shot lots of sub 3/4 “ groups with 110 - 125- 150 gr-ers Never tried any heavier bullets . I like the tang safety system to use . RJ

 

[Trimmer 905]

I have a M77 .243Win tang safety I bought new in '91 that can take out a beer cap at 100M from a rest. (Bushnell Trophy II 3-9X 40) I've been offered double what I paid for it,but,that ain't happenin'.

 

[Buckmastr]

I like the Ruger 77 TS. Finding nice ones is getting harder. My last one bought this past winter is in 22/250 Rem. Shoots good no surprise there.

 

[The Kurgan]

PT&G still makes the steel bottom metal for the tang safety M77's (M77-R). I just ordered a set.

 

[Buckmastr]

What’s wrong with the factory bottom metal?