I just purchased a Ruger M77 Mark2 in .260
Remington. Can anyone offer advice on
the best loads for this rifle considering it
has a 16.5" barrel? I thought I'd try Sierra's 85gr. bullet to start with. I believe the rate of twist is 1-8". Thanks.

I also have a Ruger compact in 260.My best load so far is 140 grain nosler partitions loaded with 45 grains of reloader 19 powder and cci primer.I am getting 100 yard groups of about .75 inches.I am getting 1.1 inch groups using 129 grain Hornady sp bullets and 46.5 grains of reloader 19 powder.I have also experimented with 100 grain bullets too,but have not found an accurate load yet.

Thanks for the reply 45/70, Do you get quite
abit of recoil with the 140gr. bullet?
Have you taken any game with the rifle?
What's your over all impression of the "littleist" Ruger?
Good shooting, Westerner

I get light recoil with the 140 grain loads,only slightly more than the 120 grain loads.I am well pleased with my new Ruger compact.It is a neat little rifle and has the potential too be real accurate.I have only had mine a short time.I bought mine for deer hunting.I have not had the chance to kill a deer with it yet,but I have killed two coytes with it and the rifle did a splendid job.I am thinking about getting another Ruger compact in 223.My friend has one in 223 and is well pleased with it and it shoots well too.

I have one of these rifles chambered in .243.It surprises me how well these rifles shoot with that short of barrell.One thing that you might want to try with your handloads is to use a little faster powder than you normally would for your caliber in a gun that has a 24-26 inch barrell.If you shoot one of these short barrelled guns right at dusk,it throws a flame out the muzzle that looks 3 feet long due to the slower burning powders have not been burned up as quick in these short barrells before the bullet leaves the muzzle.You will never notice it during daylight hours,but try it at dusk and you will see what I mean.