OK Guys, I have a MKII -06 that I have been having hell's trouble getting to shoot. Folks 'round these parts say that to free flost the barrel is incorrect as the barrel should have forend pressure, which is evidenced by the pad at the end of said forend, while you guys have had good luck free-floating the barrels. Trying to get a little more advice. I did have a 338 in the old skeleton style synthetic that shot 3/4 all day long so I am expecting the same from this, or at least close to an inch and consistent for cripes sake. Anything I could do myself or is it gunsmith typw of work? Thanks, BAxter

Zagaya,
When someone tells you a gun will shoot better free floated or someone tells you they shoot better with forend pressure or someone tells you they shoot better bedded tight, all those guys are full or beans..

The fact is some guns shoot better bedded tight, some shoot better free floated and some need forend pressure..it depends on the individual gun, barrel harmonics and all that.

Therefore one should start by bedding it tight to start with and shoot it, if good then stop there, if not then try forend pressure, then free float it last...I say last because you cannot put wood back once you take it out. If the gun will shoot, then one of these methods will shoot better than the other two...If not then you probably have a bad barrel...

When you know how it shoots best, leave it that way or glass bed it that way...

Canuck,

Good looking rifle you've got there! And I like how u set up the pic.

I swear by Ruger M77's and my safe is now almost exclusively M77's as far as bolt actions go - only one Rem Mod 700 in 6mm Rem is all I've got (it's 1/2 MOA at 200 yds, so can't give that up!). Also got a #1 in .458 Win and enjoy them all. They're 100% reliable and never break.

My M77 MkII RSM in .375 is very accurate and the express sights are surprisingly accurate and dead-on at all ranges. It's rapidly become my favorite hunting rifle and will be hitting the mtns with me next week for deer season.

Ruger did a nice job in putting together a fine rifle in the RSM, it's got all the features most desire in a heavy rifle.

I think ruger is making the best production rifles for the money today. Remington, sako, winchester, browning, have all gone down hill. Ruger continues to improve such as adding control round feed. They are as close to a pre 64 model 70 as you can buy these days withoud breaking the bank.

They are good value for money, worth $300-350 in good condition.

Beware: some 77s don't group. And I have had one that didn't feed (a 7x57) and another where the trigger froze up at the wrong time.

I�m looking to trade my Mannlicher in 30-06 for something that I can shoot well. The gun I have is beautiful etc but it�s too small and light for me. Would the Ruger be a better choice? The question is probably rhetoric but any advice is appreciated.

I think the Rugers are a very dependable, rugged, and a good bargain as bolt guns go. Almost all of the rugers I have had experience with have been good shooters. Some are fantastic and others won't shoot no matter what you do to them. I think it is mainly a barrel issue with the ones that just refuse to shoot. I have a m77 mkII in 35 whelen that is my main big game rifle. I had some initial problems with it but after a trip to ruger it came back absolutely reliable and with a favorite load of 250gr Hornady RN @ 2400fps it will shoot .75" groups at 100 yards regularly. If you can't get your rifle to shoot after bedding the action and floating the barrel either try sending it back to Ruger or have some good smith yank the barrel off and screw on a better barrel.

Can I insert a comment here about an insert that might help your accuracy? An old trick we used to do is make a plastic washer to slide over the forend screw before tightening it up. These washers were usually made from an old plastic bleach jug, but anything similar would do. Some used hard rubber and that also worked. Don't know the exact technical reason that this worked, it just did.

I bought a Ruger 77 in 338 WinMag for my first African safari in '86. Since then, it has been on 8 of my 11 safaris. I love the gun and the caliber, so much so, that I bought an identical piece in the unlikely event that something happens to the original. It has taken nearly 100 trophies, all without any any functional problems. The blueing is largely worn off and the checkering is worn smooth but no amount of money would separate me from my favorite rifle.

Jack

Personally I've always liked Ruger's scope mounting system, it's remarkably simple and probably the strongest/sturdiest ever devised. Also saves you the extra hassles of having to buy mounts and rings - it comes with the rifle! Three cheers to Ruger for his ingenious attention to detail and utility.

Not all his guns are the most handsome ever built, but once you get used to them and their tremendous reliability and strength, they do quickly grow on you...

Went to my local Gander Mt. store today and they had a new 77 in .338win. there for what I thought was a very resonable price. It didnt have irons. Dont the Rugers come with irons anymore?? The Ruger website shows an rs version but the store catalog had only the r version. Anybody got any info on that? I know that most rifles dont come with irons anymore which I think is a mistake unless maybe for a varmit rifle...

Axter,

Yes, they come both ways, with and without irons. Sad the one you found at that shop was without if you are needing it to have irons...

I had that exact rifle (no sights/stainless-synthetic) and really liked it. I sold it to buy my .375 Ruger RSM a few months ago. No need to have both a .338 Win and a .375 since the .375 does everything the .338 does and alot more if need be. I've got a couple other rifles to fill in the lighter end of my game shooting, so the .338 had to go though I did like it alot.

Mark,

That is the rifle I used in Zim...the new Ruger in 458 Lott...and loved it...It shoot 450's and 500grainers inthe same group together....Barnes, Hornady, and Bridgers...

Mike

I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I have only one Ruger rifle, and it won't group, period. I have tried about twenty different loads and a bunch of configurations of primer and case, and the best I can do is about 2.5 inches at 100 yards. I even had a gunsmith crown the barrel and install a new trigger to replace the one that came with the rifle and took about 7 pounds to break the sear. It still won't group, so I went to Gander Mountain and bought a Savage package deal in the same caliber. The first load I tried gave me a 5/8 inch group.



For the money, Savage makes the best rifle IMO. You can pay tons more for a rifle and get a bolt that works much smoother but for out of the box accuracy, my two Savage rifles beat most of them all hollow. Sure Savage is cheaper and looks like it, but I buy a gun to hunt with and to take out in all kinds of weather. I have a few at home that are on display. They can stay there. An old guy that took me hunting when I was 12 years old told me, "pretty don't shoot." I think I know what he meant now.



Go ahead purists. Your tee time is now.

The Savage 116 Safari Express is one helluva rifle for the money!

patrkyhntr,
no flaming from me about savages. my .416 Taylor is built on a savage 110.
i have a 77 that fits the descriptions described above, i went through many reloading combos & bedding combos before I got it figured out. it is a 1 load only gun & pressure point at the fore end or it patterns like a shotgun. that said, i realize it is just 1 example & all others that i have had the opportunity to shoot have all been tight groupers right out of the box.
functionality & strength on both the 77 & the savage is certainly IMO plenty good.
mike

Nothing but good things to say about my Ruger Mark II in 6.5x55. Timney trigger and bedded it shoots any 140 grain bullet into less than 1 moa.