I have a brand new ruger m77 - any thoughts on if it makes a good foundation for building a quasi-custom rifle.

I don't see too many ruger based custom rifles. Don't know why - nice Mauser type action, hammer forged barrel and good trigger.

I might scope it and see how it shoots.

Mike

...seems like a good place to start...

quote:

Don't know why

Because the smiths do not have to do a lot of work on them.

But a good trigger if needed on them and a barrel if needed that shoots and they are a great rifle.

I have a few quasi custom Rugers and they preform just fine, I prefer the MKIIs myself

Never shoot a donor rifle you might end up liking it to much.

I've owned several Ruger M77 rifles. One was the rifle you described, which I eventually found a load for that was extremely accurate and effective.

My biggest criticism of them would be the trigger, which likely needs work, and the hard recoil pad.

It seems they've fixed the hard recoil pad issue with the Hawkeye offering.

My most accurate rifle out of the box is a wood/blued M77 MK II in 25-06. It took one powder and 2 bullet types to find an exceptional load for it. In factory trim with only the barrel free floated, it printed .75MoA out of the box.
Even though it shot so well as it was, I bedded the action and added aluminium pillars, and a Timney trigger, groups shrunk, it has posted many groups in the .2's and sits around an average of 3/8 MoA with most bullet weights. I have since discovered this rifle has a very tight chamber, only .002" above SAAMI minimum and brass lasts a loooooong time.
Ruger actions are fobbed off by many, but they are a quality product.

Cheers.

You can put a bunch of money in a custom rifle, its not smart to build custom rifles on any action but Mausers and mod. 70s from a financial point of view (resale)

Seem to be quite a few guys on AR that have custom Ruger rifles. Don't see that too often on my other boards.

I picked up a 7mm Rem MkII recently for a great price (blue is all pretty rough and stock has some dings) just for the purpose of a donor.

And don't shoot the donor. It'll print 1/4 MOA with cheap factory ammo and then you'll have to get another donor haha.

quote:

You can put a bunch of money in a custom rifle, its not smart to build custom rifles on any action but Mausers and mod. 70s from a financial point of view (resale)

Even then they sell for a lot less then most people have in them we see it here all the time.

Like mentioned before, work the trigger. Maybe float the barrel.

I have a M77 tang safety that came off the line in 1974. I put a McMillan stock and a Rifle Basix sear in it and it improved it a bit.

Had it out today. Shoots about 3/4" if I do my part. If I had to pick just one, it might be hard not to take the Ruger 300 WM.

Shane

I love the Ruger African model right out of the box..I have owned several in 338 and 9.3x62, and am presently shooting a .338 in one..they all shot good, pointed and felt good,nice guns..but I wouldn't custom stock a Ruger. My present .338 African model is my go to elk rifle.

My idea of a semi-custom rifle is

(1) Iron Sights
(2) Barrel Band
(3) Trigger if needed - Ruger triggers are pretty good
(4) Any action truing up
(5) Bedding the rifle
(6) Cerakote

I leave the factory stock - after I hunt and beat up the rifle and like the gun. I send it to get refinished and a new wood stock added.

This is what Wayne at AHR did for me on a Riger M77 30/06.



Mike

its a good rifle, all the features that people spend thousands to have on a mauser- dual square bridges, quick release, RTZ bases, 3 position safety, floorplate release, etc etc ...

the receives do tend to go purple on a reblue...

I've build several very nice guns on rugers -- with good results -- its funny how "dream mauser" specs are standard 77mkii features

a ruger will cost you about 500-600 bucks ... put in a $100 trigger, and you are good to go ... might even have a pretty stock, though I personally don't like some "features" of the ruger stock, it does work very well...

start with a vz24 - $200 bucks IF you can find one nice enough at this price - buy and install a 3 position safety- $300 bucks, trigger $150, bolt handle, $100, barrel $300, chamber, crown, feeding, $300, bluing $200, cheapest decent bottom metal, $100, scope bases, drill and tap, $100 -- $1750 bucks -- and No stock - lets call it $200 bucks, boyds stock, to be on par with the ruger.. and lets toss in 50 bucks for shipping, brings us to a total of $2000

$700 ruger+trigger --- and when you are done, its still work at least $600 on gunbroker
$2000 mauser --- and when its done, you would be lucky to get $1000 on gun broker

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
You can put a bunch of money in a custom rifle, its not smart to build custom rifles on any action but Mausers and mod. 70s from a financial point of view (resale)

let me clear that up ---

you will be LUCKY to get 50 cents on the dollar for a custom rifle, once its all said and done, for retail - unless you do all the work yourself

on a ruger, everything past the basics above WOULD have a much lower return, perhaps 40 cents on the dollar

$700 ruger+trigger --- and when you are done, its still work at least $600 on gunbroker
$2000 mauser --- and when its done, you would be lucky to get $1000 on gun broker

add $2,000 for an amazing stock and checkering

mauser - $4,000 invested - at 50% - $2,000 MAX on gun broker
ruger - $2,700 invest - at 40% (which will come in low over base gun) about $1100 bucks ...

Mauser custom build resale - loss of $2,000
Ruger custom build resale - loss of $1,600

Oh, you can argue that the barrel cost wasn't fair ... but you can then argue that the ruger has a base value, period, off 600, and you should only loose 1/2 the price of the custom work -- fact is, this is a contrived example to show some of the basics, and every transaction will be different

I'm curious, what is the magazine box length on the Ruger? As in the longest OAL you could get in one.

I get no longer than 3.34" coal. I keep it at about 3.32 to ensure it doesn't bump the tips under recoil.

I actually thought about converting it to a short mag to see if I could load longer.

Got a MkII lefty, actually two, and that's about the same for my magazines. One rifle is factory in .300 Win Mag and the other is a .395 Max, a .375 Ruger case necked up to .395 caliber and using a McGowan barrel. Both shoot fine. Triggers were worked on by me.

Jeffe,
To make such flat statements is just pure

Your correct in some cases but many custom rifles do not sell at 50% off, I have sold some that sold for 100% more than the original price..I sold a Jack Hough rifle some 4 years ago that had hard use for $13000. A redone Holland and Holland traded for a high dollar double rifle..and I could name many other instances that dispute such a statement.

But of course its your way or the highway in most cases, so I wont' debate it with you.