I seldom hear this gun mentioned by people interested in big-bore rifles. The only thing I don't like about it is the limited magazine capacity. Anyone have an opinion on these rifles? Like the current Brno magnums, they seem to offer pretty good value for someone not wanting to spend a lot.

The stock doesn't fit me well. I own one and have had it restocked twice. The bedding system is unique to put it politely. My current M77 Magnum is a semi glue in. This approach along with pillar bedding the trigger guard i.e. rearward two action screws, seems to have provided reasonably robust bedding.

My rifle is an early Magnum and is terribly muzzle heavy. As such it is a chore to hold on target offhand (kinda like shooting a bench rest gun off hand). I hear the newer M77 Magnums have a lighter barrel contour and the corresponding balance.

If you are interested I will sell you mine. It has about 1500 rounds through it so it is well broken in.

Todd E

I have a newer one, less than a year old in 416 Rigby and love it. I glass bedded the action and free floated the barrel and put on a Decelerator recoil pad. The trigger is 4 pounds, which is OK with me, but it does have some creep. I see a new trigger in the future but other than that I have no complaints.

These are great rifles for the money! Daggaron has one of these and so do I. I have a target, that I kept, that is a 1 hole group with 350gr Barnes. It seems to shoot everything very well (under an inch and better). I got mine, then scoped it, then took it to Africa. I have since put a 1" decelerator pad on it. The actions are a bit rough from the factory but mine smoothed out nice with a little use. I think if you do a search for 416 you can find the results Daggaron got with the GS bullets in 416.
Regards,
Terry

What are some of the cons for the Ruger 77 Magnum 416? I am thinking about getting one. Is it worth twice the cost of the CZ 550 Mangnum? Any more detail info will be appreciated. Thanks.

You would probably want to do the trigger, as they are a bit creepy. I'm still working that out on mine. It may require an aftermarket trigger. The factory recoil pad is junk. You'd want a Decelerator. That changes it from an axe blade to fun to shoot. The safety is a little more reach, and a little smaller than I would like. Everything else about the gun I love. I did just recently handle a brand new CZ550 Magnum in .375 HH. I had shied away from them before. The stock scared me off. And I really wanted the quarter rib and barrel band the Ruger has. Add those to the CZ and the price is roughly the same. Now, after seeing the CZ, I'm impressed. The stock is nice. The trigger is nice. The safety is nice. The iron sights are nice. It isn't as hump backed as it looks in pictures. The fit and finish is great. They are nice guns. The one I saw came with a Decelerator already installed on it. If the .416 is that way, and I suppose it would be, you are all set. If you don't care about the quarter rib and barrel band sling mount, or made in U.S.A., get a CZ. They are a good value in my opinion.

[This message has been edited by Greg-montana (edited 01-25-2002).]

I have both a Ruger77 in .416 Rigby and a CZ550 in .416. Frankly, for the money the CZ is the better buy. It's also alot easier to turn the CZ into something really nasty like a 500A2 or a 585 Nyati. I put a new trigger on the Ruger and tuned it for a 3.5 lb pull. It took only about 1/2 hr. The Ruger .416 is just as accurate as the CZ and handles really well. I took mine to Tanzania in August and was very impressed by the guns performance. If you go the CZ route put another crossbolt in the stock and steel-bed it. Otherwise the stock will probably crack eventually.-Rob

Ruger 77?

1. I don't like the stock fit.

2. I don't like the bedding system.

3. I don't like the safety.

4. There are lots of reports of the Ruger stock breaking at the pistol grip.

5. The CZ550 costs half as much as the Ruger without the problems mentioned above.

To clarify my original post. I agree with 500grains 100%. When I bought my there was no CZ550. It was the cheapest 416 Rigby by far and for good reason.

Todd E

I don't know where you could get a barrel with an intregal quarter rib compeletly finished for less than say $2000 and thats just the barrel....The Ruger African model 77 has one.

I like the new model with the lighter barrel and we have two in our Buffalo camp in 416 Rigby..Like all factory guns, the woods not that good but it is Circasian walnut ( cheap end stuff ) but better wood than most..Its control feed...I suggest some glass, trigger job and cross bolts, polish the rails, change the rear sight insert and you have a very nice rifle......

If one does not like the bedding system it is a snap to change to a Rem or M-70 type bedding system and to add another recoil lug on the barrel...I cannot think of a thing mentioned above that cannot be changed at a reasonable price...Same with Rem and Mod 70 they all need some work IMHO.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Ray,

Where do you add the second cross bolt?

How do you convert the bedding system to that of a M70?

I have been trying to answer those two questions myself for sometime. I really would appreciate the enlightenment if you have truly figured it out.

I agree though if nothing else the barrel is worth the $1300 price tag.

Todd E

I�m sort of a Ruger fan. Been bitten since my first 44 mag Super Blackhawk in the early seventies. Presently own a .338 win mag, and got a .35 Wheelen coming up at the smith shortly. Both Ruger 77 MKII.

Got an offer on a used Ruger magnum in 416 Rigby. Shop price here in Norway is US$ 2100.
The owner is asking US$ 1350.
It got about 50 rounds through it, an is in mint condition.

I would love to own such a classic, even though it is less likely that it will ever see Afica. Is it worth the price ??

Arild

Ray, better said...impossible. Ruger's are great guns!

Ray,

I am not surprised that you did not answer my questions.

The answer to number one is. There is no wood between the magazine box and the trigger assembly so you have nothing to reinforce with a cross bolt. You are better off installing a pillar on the front trigger screw and bedding it in with steel bed. To reinforce teh grip area you can hollow out an subsurface area behind the tang and glass in a crossbolt there. In all the bedding of the action SUCKS no matter how you do it!

The answer to number 2. The only way to install a receiver mounted recoil lug similar to those used for M70 and Mauser M98 is to weld one on! The you have to contend with a heat distorted front receiver ring i.e. a piece of junk. The only viable alternative is to use a M700 lug sandwiched between the barrel and the action. This is a pain because of the quarterib. See you need to fab a M700 recoil lug which also has a 1/4 rib extention so your rifle doesn't end up with a toothless grin so to speak.

Here is what a M77 Ruger Magnum is good for. A integral 1/4 barrel blank prechambered in 375 H&H and 416 Rigby. You can then install it onto a M70, M76, or a MkX action so that you end up with a good rifle.

Now I am sorry if I upset anyone, but a Ruger is a cheap piece of ---- and that is all they will ever be. They are not a well thought out and executed big bore platform. I am so sorry if the truth hurts.

Todd E

Todd,
For your information the reason I did not answer your question is that I only saw your post today...so skip the flame.

I have converted a number of these guns...You simply unscrew the barrel cut a slot and put a recoil lug on it and screw the barrel back in, like a Rem 700..Then glass bed the action..there are several ways to put the front screw in, either at an angle or stright like a Rem or Mod. 70, it really doesn't take a seventh son of a seventh son to figure out how to change any bedding system on any bolt action rifle....

I hope that answers your question...You can buy one allready converted and in 416 Rem from Jim Brockman for about $1300.00...He has one in stock.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

ToddE

Putting a cross bolt behind the magazine box will help the stock to resist the forces of recoil which bow this part of the stock outward and cause cracks in the tang. Weather there is wood in this area or not the crossbolt does its job.

Jason

Jason,

To install the cross bolt you must counterbore the stock so that the head of the cross bolt is flush with the surface of the stock. This leaves very little wood to help resist stock flexure. I am very very familiar with the concept of a cross bolt. I have also put several stocks on M77 Magnum 416 Rigbys. The Ruger bedding system is a joke for a heavy rifle. A cross bolt will not fix that problem. Now if you fill the BIG hole in the stock caused by Ruger's over zealous mortising for the magazine box your cross bolt will work much better. Unfortunately because of the crappy Ruger bedding system you will still crack your stock from the front receiver screw to the rear trigger guard screw. The tang will move back at the same time and wedge the wrist from the top splitting it.

What Ray said about using the M700 recoil lug system will work. You will notice that Ray did not state how you can convert the Ruger system to one like identical to the M70 like his original post suggested. The reason is that it cannot without welding!

Like I said if the truth makes you sad I am sorry. There are much better platforms available. Some like the CZ550 are even more cost effective.

If you like the Ruger so much I will sell you mine. It has it's third stock on it and about 1500 rounds through it. It will shoot
around MOA at 100 yards with about any bullet available in .416" diameter. It is an early rifle and has all the balance of a heavy bench gun. Let me know if you are interested. It has been bedded so that it doesn't move around anymore I can assure you of that. The other stocks died because so called know it all gunsmiths did not know how to bed a big gun first and there is no way to bed the Ruger system conventionally in a big gun second.

Todd E

ToddE

No flame intended in my first post.

How much do you want for your M77 416?

Jason

Jason,

Do you want the brass and reloading dies too? You will be paying for shipping and insurance also.

I have got 135 pieces of brass and RCBS dies.

Todd E

ToddE
What would be your price for the rifle, brass and dies.

Jason

I am not going to get involved here! I think the Ruger and the CZ are about equal when you get the kinks worked out of them.

I wish Ruger hadn't done the peculiar bedding and recoil plate.

I wish CZ would put a decent stock on theirs from the factory.

They both can be fixed, or used as is if, if you can tolerate the factory nonsense.

------------------
Happiness is a warm double and a bloody spear, but a 375 or a 416 will do just fine!
RAB

Jason,

Some additional information on the rifle. It has a factory stock duplicate stock in decent english walnut. The LOP is 14.25". The stocker exactly duplicated the factory stock so to get the 14.25" LOP the recoil pad (Decelerator) was extended by 1/2"). There is a cross bolt through the wrist along with one behind the "recoil lug" of the action. The trigger group screws are pillar bedded. The rifle is equipped with an Oakland muzzle break, which works reasonably well. This is not a new rifle and as such has some handlng dings in the stock. There is also a visible repair to the wrist rearward of the tang. All that said it is still an attractive weapon. Bluing is excellent.

The brass is:
100 pieces of Norma which has been once fired now. 35 pieces of federal with 5 firings on it.

The rifle will have to be FFL transferred. I would need your FFL to provide a signed copy of his license to my FFL along with full payment before shipment. The rifle is sold as is and there are no warranties.
The following price assumes that you will pay shipping and insurance and for your FFL.

For the rifle, brass and dies - $1250.00

Todd E